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The Designer Genes rotation lasts approximately six weeks. During this time, you will have six days to work on enrichment activities (approximately one day per week). Enrichment is designed to be flexible. The activities should focus on topics that relate to this rotation, but you should choose or design projects that you find interesting. You may decide to complete one in-depth activity that takes four days to complete, or you may want to complete four activities that each take one day to complete.
Early in the rotation you should review the list of possible projects and decide where you would like to start. You can get an idea of all the activities you want to work on in the rotation, but remember enrichment is flexible. As your work in the main story line progresses, you may come across a topic that interests you. Feel free to pursue new ideas and projects, just be sure to work with your mentor and manage your time. As the rotation progresses, meet with your mentor periodically to review your progress on enrichment.
Remember enrichment is your opportunity to investigate topics that interest you. It’s also a chance to be creative! You have a chance to break away from paper writing for a while. Though you can still write papers if you want to, you could also write songs, shoot videos, build websites, create posters and flyers – anything you can think of! So take some time to get out of your classroom, learn about things going on in the world around you and have fun!
Plan your Enrichment Activities
- Review the list of enrichment activities. Make a list of the activities that you might like to work on independently during the Designer Genes rotation.
- Come up with your own ideas. If you have other ideas for activities you would like to pursue that relate to the topic of medical investigation, add them to the list.
- Prioritize and narrow your choices. You have a total of three days to complete your enrichment activities. Think about which topics or activities are most appealing to you. Then consider how you would like to investigate those topics.
- Create a plan for completing at least one enrichment activity. Your plan should include what you want to do and how you will do it. Use the Enrichment Activity Plan Template to help you think through the details of each enrichment activity. Refer to the example provided for ideas on how your plan might work. Then finalize your plan for each enrichment activity.
- There are a number of projects you can complete for each topic. You must clear what you plan to do with your mentor. Some options include:
- A written report or summary,
- an informative brochure,
- a website or blog entry,
- a video or audio piece, or
- an idea of your choosing (with mentor approval).
Get Approval for Enrichment Activities
- Meet with your mentor and review your plans for each of the enrichment activities you want to pursue during this rotation. Together, brainstorm additional ways you might approach the activities. Discuss the best way to fit the activities into the rotation schedule.
- Note any feedback your mentor provides during your discussion and revise your Enrichment Activity Plan.
Conduct your Enrichment Activity
- Implement your Enrichment Activity Plan based on the schedule you and your mentor agreed to. Work on your project deliverables as you go.
- Check in with your mentor according to the schedule you both agreed on when your mentor approved your enrichment plan. During these meetings review progress on your deliverables and schedule.
- Submit final deliverables as directed by your mentor.
Enrichment Resources
Enrichment Activity Plan - Template
Enrichment Activity Plan - Sample
Suggested Enrichment Actvities
- The duration of each activity will vary depending on your plan for each activity. In your plan, discuss how long you expect each activity to take, ensuring that the total time equals six days over the rotation.
| Topic |
Description
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| Visit a store to inquire about GM products |
One technology addressed in this rotation is the genetic modification of food. Like any product, there must be a commercial demand for a genetically modified food for it to be successful. While some stores do carry GM foods, others have chosen not to carry them.
Visit a local store or stores (e.g., grocery, restaurant) to see whether or not they carry GM products, and if they have any information at the store or on their website with the rationale for their decision. You might want schedule a meeting with someone at the store(s) to discuss the issue with them to get more attention and information. Consider visiting multiple stores, some that carry GM products and others who do not, to get a more balanced perspective on the subject.
Complete a project detailing what you find. You may add nuances to this as you see fit to add to or expand the project.
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| Monitor the media |
Look at the coverage of genetics, gene therapy, and/or biotechnology in the media (newspapers, articles, magazines, etc.). Monitor the media online or in print of a local and/or a national newspaper for articles for a period (length must be in your plan) on the topics above. If possible, contact the people involved in the articles for more information. Complete a project on what you find.
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| Harvesting donors |
At times parents have a child with a disease that requires the child to get a transplant (e.g., bone marrow) in order to survive. Viable transplant donors are frequently limited, and in some cases the child may die at a young age without the transplant. There have been cases where the parents conceived another child in hopes that the new child would be able to be the transplant donor.
Research this topic, included looking at cases where it has happened, and do a project on the science and ethics involved. You may choose a similar topic involving growing organs or other body parts for transplantation.
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| Conduct a survey |
Write a one paragraph summary on a topic involving genetic modification (e.g., GM crops). The paragraph needs to be accurate and accessible to the general public. (Paragraph must be approved by mentor before the next step.)
Design a survey instrument, (paper/online form, an interview structure) to match the paragraph to see how people react to the information/topic, what benefits and/or dangers they see in the technology, if the technology should be regulated and if so by whom, and any other points you would like to get information on. Sample at least two different but comparable groups of people (e.g., other students, adults), and complete a project on your findings.
Requires knowledge of surveys/questionnaires; available in other VISTA rotations or from your own research. Note: Although surveys may seem similar to focus groups, there are differences including the conclusions you can draw from each. Complete projects on this topic accordingly.
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| Impact of genetics on the concept of individuality |
Many social policies are based on the concept of free will: people are free to choose and reap benefits, or consequences, based on their actions. Genetic research is sometimes used to suggest that people are not free to choose their actions but that their genes make or predispose them to certain characteristics and behaviors (see: genetic determinism). Whether these conclusions are accurate or not, or even based on valid facts, is still up for debate.
Conduct research and complete a project on how genetics has or might influence the concept of the individual and how society treats individuals (merits or genetics). Clear your project on this topic with your mentor before beginning.
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| Review a movie or literary work on genetic modification |
For decades now artists have written about genetic manipulation and potential consequences of manipulating genes. Select a work from the Literature, Films, and Genetics link and complete a project reviewing it. Note: The work you select must have genetics as one of the main themes, and you MUST get the work approved by your mentor. If the work is only tangential to genetics, you may be required to select a different work.
Points to consider in your review:
- What technologies are used in the work and whether the applications were realistic
- The types of ethical points that were brought up in the work, and, when possible, what ethical perspective they came from
- How the inclusion of fictional points may influence the views of the audience on whether genetic modification is acceptable or not
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| Produce an artistic work on genetic modification |
Produce an artistic work of your choosing dealing with genetic modification. Base the work on accurate information regarding genetics and biotechnology, including errors in information and misconceptions only intentionally.
Depending on the project, you may do this task alone or, with the approval of your mentor, with another person(s). While you have a lot of latitude in this task, you must clear the plan with your mentor and you will be held responsible for completing it on schedule.
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| GM public education material |
Decisions are made about whether genetic modification is acceptable or not, and in some of these cases the people making the decisions do not have accurate information on the topic.
Produce a concise yet accurate piece of educational material that could be understood by the general population to inform them about genetics and genetic technologies. You may choose the topic more globally, or a specific topic within genetic modification (e.g., GM animals).
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| Research career opportunities in genetics |
Research different career paths in genetics and/or biotechnology that. Select one or a few career paths you might be interested in and look more closely at what the career entails, what type of training is needed to pursue it, and any other information you find is important. For careers you’re particularly interested in (if possible) contact someone (a researcher, a company, someone in the occupation) and discuss with them what the training and job entails.
Produce a product describing what you found and whether or not you are interested in pursuing any of the careers you explored.
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| Design your own |
Come up with your own idea(s) for an enrichment activity related to some aspect of genetics. Write a brief description of your idea and submit it to your mentor for consideration.
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