Case:
We received a case when Carleton Comet, a mysterious man that was recently released from prison, was murdered. Comet changed his name, and all we knew about his past is that he had been with many women and affected each of the suspects in one way or another. He threw a picnic on October 26, 2016 and invited Nancy Normal, Glen Glee, Theresa Terra, Fred Flimmer, and Sam Sophomore. Comet was stabbed in the back of the neck with a large steak knife during the picnic and everyone invited was a suspect for his murder. There was a note reading "You are a dead man" and three pens found at the scene, along with fingerprints on glass, two blood samples on the murder weapon and a unknown fiber. We used all of this evidence to find Nancy Normal guilty of 1st degree murder. We presented our information and the slideshow below to the grand jury and were issued a warrant for her arrest.
Concepts:
-Genotype: genetic makeup of an organism
-Phenotype: physical characteristics of an organism
-Polygenic: Trait controlled by two or more genes
-Dominant Gene: An allele for a particular trait will always be expressed if present
-Recessive Gene: an allel for a particular gene that occurs only when the dominant allele isn't present
-Co-Dominant Trait: situation in which both alleles of a gene contribute to an organism's phenotype
-Incomplete Dominance: situation in which one allele is not completely dominant over another
-Allele: one of a number of different forms of a gene
-Gene: sequence of DNA that codes for a protein and determines a trait
-Homozygous: refers to an organism that has 2 identical alleles for a particular trait
-Heterozygous: refers to an organism that has 2 different alleles for a particular trait
Evidence:
-Karyotyping: identifies and analyzes the size, shape, and number of chromosomes in a sample. It is used to determine the presence of chromosomal disorders through extra or lacking characteristics of a chromosome (Normal body has 23 pairs of chromosomes.)
-Blood Typing: determines the blood type of a person (A+ A- B+ B- AB+ AB- O O-)
-Gel Electrophoresis: used to separate DNA, RNA, or proteins according to the sizing of their molecules
-Pedigree: a family tree of genetic history, determines the probability of diseases or genetic inheritences.
-Chromatography: a seperation technique used to determine which pen wrote the threatening note
-DNA Fingerprinting: forges connection between biological evidence and the evidence found at the crime scene
Process and Findings:
We received a case when Carleton Comet, a mysterious man that was recently released from prison, was murdered. Comet changed his name, and all we knew about his past is that he had been with many women and affected each of the suspects in one way or another. He threw a picnic on October 26, 2016 and invited Nancy Normal, Glen Glee, Theresa Terra, Fred Flimmer, and Sam Sophomore. Comet was stabbed in the back of the neck with a large steak knife during the picnic and everyone invited was a suspect for his murder. There was a note reading "You are a dead man" and three pens found at the scene, along with fingerprints on glass, two blood samples on the murder weapon and a unknown fiber. We used all of this evidence to find Nancy Normal guilty of 1st degree murder. We presented our information and the slideshow below to the grand jury and were issued a warrant for her arrest.
Concepts:
-Genotype: genetic makeup of an organism
-Phenotype: physical characteristics of an organism
-Polygenic: Trait controlled by two or more genes
-Dominant Gene: An allele for a particular trait will always be expressed if present
-Recessive Gene: an allel for a particular gene that occurs only when the dominant allele isn't present
-Co-Dominant Trait: situation in which both alleles of a gene contribute to an organism's phenotype
-Incomplete Dominance: situation in which one allele is not completely dominant over another
-Allele: one of a number of different forms of a gene
-Gene: sequence of DNA that codes for a protein and determines a trait
-Homozygous: refers to an organism that has 2 identical alleles for a particular trait
-Heterozygous: refers to an organism that has 2 different alleles for a particular trait
Evidence:
-Karyotyping: identifies and analyzes the size, shape, and number of chromosomes in a sample. It is used to determine the presence of chromosomal disorders through extra or lacking characteristics of a chromosome (Normal body has 23 pairs of chromosomes.)
-Blood Typing: determines the blood type of a person (A+ A- B+ B- AB+ AB- O O-)
-Gel Electrophoresis: used to separate DNA, RNA, or proteins according to the sizing of their molecules
-Pedigree: a family tree of genetic history, determines the probability of diseases or genetic inheritences.
-Chromatography: a seperation technique used to determine which pen wrote the threatening note
-DNA Fingerprinting: forges connection between biological evidence and the evidence found at the crime scene
Process and Findings:
Reflection:
Overall, this was a great project. It combined real world use with biology and it flowed nicely. One thing I did well was time management. I was able to complete tasks quickly and follow directions. For example, the labs such as the blood typing and DNA fingerprinting were on schedule and we were able to observe all the results in a seamless and organized way. Another peak in this project was my ability to connect aspects to a bigger theme. I was able to gather my evidence and connect to dots to find Nancy Normal guilty. One thing I could improve on would be voicing my questions. When I did not understand something, I tended to keep quiet about it and try to figure it out on my own when I should be seeking help and clarity from teammates and my teacher. This was especially the case during the DNA extraction labs when the directions were unclear and it was a complex process. Another thing I could work on would be keeping to my own group. I tended to wander and engage with other classmates outside my own team. Next time I will try and talk to my team before seeking help of others.