Genetic Engineering with Bio-Rad pGLO :: Curriculum

Biotechnology Research and Development Model

Units:

Genetic Engineering with Bio-Rad pGLO

Part of Unit: Biotechnology Components and Fields

Lesson Plan Overview / Details

This lesson is centered around the Bio-Rad pGLO Bacterial Transformation Kit. Students will examine how a gene and associated trait from one organism can be isolated, transferred to another organism and replicated. Bio-Rad pGLO is an amazimg product. The lab is structured in easy, clear steps and comes with almost all of the needed materials.

Additional materials that are required but not included are most likely already in your lab; UV lamps, microwave, thermometers, 1 Liter flasks, 500 ml graduated cylindars, ice and bleach

Lesson Time

2 - 3 classes: 55 Minutes

Standards

California Career and Technical Education Standards

California Academic Content Standards (Reinforced)

Objectives and Goals

Students will be able to demonstrate and explain the processs of genetic transfermation.
Students will learn and demonstrate lab sterile technique.
Students will be able to explain the structure and function of bacterial plasmids as they relate to biotechnology and gene therapy

Activities in this Lesson

It's Alive - Hooks / Set
This video clip from the 1931 movie version of is a great discussion starter on life and the idea of using parts from other life forms to create a new life or new traits.
- "Its Alive" Frankensien Clip [ Watch Video ] [ Download Original Video ] This is a classic scene. Almost everybody has heard the famous line,"its alive." This scene sets up the outlandish idea that you can take dead parts from a once living thing, put them together, shock it, and create a new life. Nobody could actually think that it would be possible. However, in less than 100 years from the making of this movie science has unlock the secret of life, in the form of DNA, genes and genetics.After the clip, prompt the class with question about the reality of such an idea. discuss the difference between physical traits vs genetic traits. How can a none living thing bring about life? What is the value of all the parts to make a whole organism, why not just half a man? There are a thousand questions to ask and the students allways have something to say or plenty of questions, which leads to more discussion.
Bio-Rad pGLO Bacterial Transformation - Lab / Shop
The pGLO lab includes a detailed materials list, step by step and day by day instructions along with a Teachers Guide with answers and a Student Manual with picture lab flow chart and questions. There is no teacher prep, the students prep the lab the first day and spend the next 2 days on the experiment.
- pGLO Bacterial Transformation Kit [ Download ] The entire collection of Bio-Rad labs is excellent, with very thorough and clear instructions. This just happens to be one of my favorites because it is a relatively simple lab that demonstrates some very complex concepts.The lab includes step by step instructions for each day’s lab, teacher's guide with answers and student manual with questions and flow chart.

Assessment

Assessment Types:: Journals, Observations,

At the end of the week I collect the student’s lab books along with the pGLO lab questions.

Once the lab is complete we have a class discussion comparing the Frankenstein clip and the pGLO lab. The major point to cover is that by transferring a gene (genotype) you can create a whole new trait (phenotype) in an organism. While the trait may be new to the organism, it is still the same old trait that the original organism exhibited. Compared to the idea that a physical part of an organism can be attached and used by a new organism.