Explaining Genomics and Bioinformatics to High School Biology Students
Amanda Knowles
REU at North Carolina State University for K-12 Outreach Fungal Genomics Laboratory
University of North Carolina at Pembroke
UNCP Box 5729, Pembroke, NC 28372
ajk001@uncp.edu

Even though technology and information is increasing in biological sciences, many students are being left behind. Two of the leading sciences have become genomics and bioinformatics; however, students are not being properly informed of the opportunities in these fields. Therefore, science teachers need ways to teach these subjects to their students. Activities for high school biology students on genomics and bioinformatics should be inquiry-based and relevant to their lives. Before activities can be completed, a brief history of the subjects is needed. In addition, the basic background information of genomics and bioinformatics is presented. Applications in science and in their lives is shown to allow students to understand relevance of genomics and bioinformatics. The activities devised began with students using a chromatogram to obtain a gene sequence of about fifty base pairs. After obtaining their gene, the student complete by hand a worksheet in which they match their gene to the one out of twenty-five example genes. This activity is devised to allow the students to fully appreciate that the computer can accomplish in a matter of seconds when humans take hours to complete. Afterwards, they use the actual bioinformatics computer search tool to seek for a match to their gene sequence. Once they have found a close match, they report on the structure and function of their gene. These activities are devised to allow the students to appreciate what scientists do and they actually perform the same tasks scientists do everyday. (Links in PDF format).

Co-Authors:
Dr. Sharon Schulze The Science House, North Carolina State University
Dr. Thomas Mitchell Fungal Genomics Laboratory, North Carolina State University
Dr. David Haase The Science House, North Carolina State University
Dr. April Cleveland The Science House, North Carolina State University
Dr. Ralph Dean Fungal Genomics Laboratory, North Carolina State University