Posts Tagged homeschooling

STEM Tuesday– Genetics– Writing Tips & Resources

By on February 21, 2023   /   Genetics, STEM Tuesday  

CAT TAG

It’s February. The month of love. The perfect month to declare my love of genetics to the STEM Tuesday world in the passionate execution of my Week 3 Writing Craft & Resources post. I love genetics!

It is more than mere fate or blind luck that the STEM Tuesday schedule and my posting schedule aligned for February 2023. The STEM nonfiction universe knows.

Genetics + Me = #ForLife.

But what does all that have to do with a Writing Craft & Resources post? Bear with me, please, through my soliloquy on genetics.

Genetics had me at my first Punnett square. Just like Mendel and his pea plants or Barbara McClintock and her corn chromosomes, genetics had me hooked from the get-go. The idea that life has a blueprint and we have the ability to study and define it captured the teenage me as much as sports had. As a son of a civil engineer who designed and built bridges and highways, plus, as someone just getting into computer programming on my Texas Instruments TI-99, I was hooked on the coded blueprint of life for life.

Then deoxyribonucleic acid came along. The fundamental code of life. Adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), and thymine (T). Four chemical bases attach to a sugar-phosphate backbone to form a nucleotide. Four bases that pair with one another (A-T and C-G) in a particular order to form a double-helix strand of DNA and the chromosome. Just about everything we see in the living world is built from the order of those four bases. A, T, C, and G, coded in the chromosome blueprint. 

The genetic information coded in our DNA is transcribed into a specific protein in the central dogma of genetics, DNA→RNA→Protein. The triplet code is the key to the central dogma during the transcription of the DNA code. The cell’s machinery reads the code three nucleotide bases at a time and makes RNA copies of them which, in turn, code for one of 20 amino acids used to construct a protein. 

Humans have about 38 trillion cells in the body and each of those cells contains the code for ~20,000 genes within its chromosomes. The total length of the DNA in one cell is six feet. That’s a lot of DNA needing to be intricately folded to fit inside the cell’s nucleus! Each cell transcribes the proper genes at the proper time to make the proper proteins it needs to function. The cell must keep the genetic code organized while maintaining its integrity and repairing any damage to the code. Add to that, the need to faithfully replicates itself for future progeny cells so mistakes in the code, called mutations, don’t get passed to the next generation of cells. 

This molecular dance of life. with its high level of fidelity. never ceases to blow my mind.

I’ve made a career chasing DNA. I’ve cloned it and I’ve sequenced it. I’ve digested, purified, manipulated, mutated, labeled, edited, and analyzed it. Everything I’ve done in three decades of science revolves around A, T, C, and G. And even after all this time, there is still so much that I don’t know about genetics and DNA and the molecular dance of life, which brings me back to writing. 

Everybody knows writing is work. It’s hard work but, similar to genetics, it is also work that has me hooked. Also like genetics, there’s is still so much I need to learn about writing, even after decades of writing. Just as there are the tools of genetics, writers have tools. Letters, words, structure, and grammar are the nucleotide bases (A/T/C/G), genes, chromosomes, and triplet code of genetics. 

Word→Sentence→Paragraph is the writer’s central dogma. Finding the right words to describe our ideas and transcribing them in legible form is what we attempt to do as writers. 

When I teach what we do in our lab or speak to students about genetics and genetic mutations, I use a little paper demonstration called CAT TAG. It’s based on transcription using the triplet code defined above. I use it to describe how important it is to preserve the correct sequence and fidelity of the triplet code when we are cloning or mutating a gene for further analysis.

Here’s the imaginary DNA code sequence I use for the CAT TAG gene demonstration:

ATG CAT TAG CAT TAG CAT TAG CAT TAG

If we start transcribing at the “ATG” start codon signal, we get frolicking felines playing an adorable game of CAT TAG protein.

CAT TAG CAT TAG CAT TAG CAT TAG

What happens when we inadvertently insert a base in the gene?

ATG tCAT TAG CAT TAG CAT TAG CAT TAG

We get nonsense and no more frolicking feline protein. Where did my adorable cats go!!!

tCA TTA GCA TTA GCA TTA GCA TTA G

The same thing happens when we delete a base in the gene. Nonsense and no cats!

ATG AT TAG CAT TAG CAT TAG CAT TAG

ATT AGC ATT AGC ATT AGC ATT AG

Even more frightful, what if a whole CAT codon gets deleted?

ATG TAG CAT TAG CAT TAG CAT TAG

Argghh!!!!! Ouch!!! Now I’m tagging the cat and the cat does not appreciate it! Ouch!

TAG CAT TAG CAT TAG CAT TAG

Writing is like the CAT TAG gene game. Finding the right order and sequence of words to express ideas is the ultimate goal. The skill and magic of revision lie not only in the order and sequence but in finding the best words to express the idea. No more or no less. Make sure additions or subtractions fit properly.

The goal is to find the adorable cats playing tag version of your writing without creating confusion, nonsense, or attacking felines. 

Mike Hays has worked hard from a young age to be a well-rounded individual. A well-rounded, equal-opportunity sports enthusiast, that is. If they keep a score, he’ll either watch it, play it, or coach it. A molecular microbiologist by day, middle-grade author, sports coach, and general good citizen by night, he blogs about sports/training-related topics at  www.coachhays.com and writer stuff at  www.mikehaysbooks.com. Two of his science essays, The Science of Jurassic Park and Zombie Microbiology 101, are included in the Putting the Science in Fiction collection from Writer’s Digest Books. He can be found roaming around the Twitter-sphere under the guise of @coachhays64 and on Instagram at @mikehays64.

The O.O.L.F Files

This month’s version of the O.O.L.F.(Out of Left Field) Files explores revision tips, genetics history with two of the faces on the Mount Rushmore of genetics, a lesson in genetic expression, and CRISPR gene editing at home. 

Kirsten W. Larson’s Revision Tip: Unwriting Your Draft blog post

Barbara McClintock

Gregor Mendel

The fabulous Punnett square

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Plant & Soil Science Learning Module

CRISPR at Home

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STEM Tuesday– Genetics– In the Classroom

By on February 14, 2023   /   Genetics, STEM Tuesday  

This month’s theme ties in with a few of my interests/hobbies. An amateur genealogist, I was recently reading about the use of genetics in genealogy. As a nature lover and Environmental Science merit badge counselor, I’m constantly hearing about the effects of biodiversity (or lack thereof) on the environment. These interests impacted the books I chose to read this month.

Book Cover for Saving The Tasmanian Devil

Saving the Tasmanian Devil: How Science Is Helping the World’s Largest Marsupial Carnivore Survive by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent
Tasmanian devils are threatened by a disease that defies genetics. This book follows the author as she learns about the disease and how scientists are working to save the species.

 

CRISPR: A Powerful Way to Change DNA by Yolanda Ridge, illustrated by Alex Boersma
The book delves into CRISPR technology and how it can be used to modify DNA. It’s packed with interesting scenarios and questions about ethics.

 

BIODiversityBiodiversity: Explore the Diversity of Life on Earth with Environmental Science Activities for Kids by Laura Perdew, illustrated by Tom Casteel
Biodiversity is the variety of living things in an environment. This book explores biodiversity with a host of hands-on activities.

 

Bonus – This topic also ties in with a book I read for October’s STEM Tuesday theme.
Champion, The Comeback Tale of the American Chestnut Tree by Sally M Walker
To read about this book, check out this post: https://fromthemixedupfiles.com/stem-tuesday-extinction-in-the-classroom

Some of this month’s books have activities built into them. There’s a lot to explore there. Here are a few more ideas to extend or add to those.

Research and Speculate or Debate

There are lots of questions asked in CRISPR. For instance, in Chapter 4, while discussing the options available for modifying mosquito genes to get rid of malaria, there are the following questions:

“[S]hould humans really get to decide whether an entire species will live or die? Who decides which pests are pesty enough to get rid of, and who makes sure the technology is limited to bugs?”

Mosquitoes are carriers for some serious diseases, but what if editing their genes wiped them out? What would that do to the food web? Do a little research to see if you can find out what role mosquitoes play in the ecosystem.

How are other animals impacted by the diseases mosquitoes carry? What would happen if we wiped out those diseases? How would biodiversity be impacted?

Once you’ve done a little research, speculate or debate. Speculate on what you think might happen in the different scenarios where genetically modified mosquitoes are unleashed on the world. Debate whether or not you think we have the right to do so.

If you don’t want to explore this topic, pick one of the other topics raised in one of this month’s books. (Each chapter in CRISPR has at least one topic worthy of a deep-dive.)

Go Sci-Fi

“What If?” is a common question to ask when plotting fiction stories. Many “What if?” questions come to mind when reading up on the topic of genetics. Chapter 10 of CRISPR includes a few futuristic scenes that could be used as a Sci-Fi writing prompt. Pick a genetics-based What If? and write a science fiction story based on it.

Here’s a blog post that gives some good advice: https://writingcooperative.com/how-to-write-a-science-fiction-story-3f04782d243c

Explore Family Genetics

One fun way to explore genetics is to look into inherited traits. There are many published activities out there. Here are a few to start with.
This page – https://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/basics/activities – has several genetics activities. Perhaps start with “An Inventory of My Traits.”

If you want, explore traits among family members. “A Tree of Genetic Traits” from the previous website does this. Another similar activity is: https://www.sciencebuddies.org/stem-activities/seeing-pedigree-science-making-a-family-tree-of-traits.

Even if a child is adopted, they may share inherited traits with their adoptive parents. If not, maybe they can predict which traits they are likely to pass on to any children they might have.

—
Janet smiling while holding a butterflyJanet Slingerland is the author of over 20 books for young readers. Her latest project involves increasing the biodiversity in her yard by planting a wide variety of native plants. To find out more about Janet and her books, check out http://janetsbooks.com.

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On the road!

By on February 10, 2023   /   Book Lists, Fiction  

My husband Brad and I both experienced camping adventures while growing up. His family took several trips in a motorhome, mine in a camper. In my case, six kids, one bathroom, not enough beds. Despite close quarters, sunburns, poison ivy, and motion sickness from being stashed in the back of the family station wagon, (again, me!), we both wanted to raise our kids with similar experiences.

Flash forward to adventures in a camper with pop out ends (a solid metal frame but screened in beds that extended out) with our three little ones. At some point Brad and I decided we wanted to travel to all of the fifty states with our kiddos.

Then life took a tragic turn.

Our oldest daughter, Claire, died unexpectedly from a misdiagnosed heart condition. Our little reader gone too soon was just 10 years-old. For those of you who have followed my journey, we created an amazing children’s book festival in her honor, Claire’s Day.

We also focused on honoring our relationships with each other and our two children, Kyle and Ian. And, we followed through on the promise of experiencing our amazing country together as a family. We bought a motorhome to accomplish this goal. Our first journey, three weeks of pure bliss in discovering the Wild West just three years after our tragic loss, helped us find our souls again.

(Well…it was mostly blissful. We had our fair share of challenges, including a septic incident, a close brush with an afternoon storm in the Tetons and a scary encounter with a new momma moose in the brush near Jackson Hole. But who remembers those?) Once our travels were through, “Bessie” was a hit for tailgating at their colleges, University of Kentucky and The Ohio State University.

It was a sad day when we decided to sell Bessie.

Covid put a hold on our plans to see more of the world, so Brad and I hit the road again in another motorhome. We’ve been traveling since October, our journey entailing over five months and six states. We have our kayaks, our bikes, our golf clubs, and our 8 year-old Labrador, Luna. It’s been an amazing experience so far…check out my blog on our adventures here.

This time around, I’ve met families full-timing with their kids. For various reasons, from the ability to work remotely, to a desire to homeschool, these families have sold their homes and hit the road in an RV.

Between our experiences on the road with our children, and my observations of other families, I’ve toyed with sharing our stories. In doing my homework, I discovered some great reads for middle graders about being on the road. I’d like to thank Afoma Ulesi and her blog, Reading Middle Grade for her wonderful recommendations!

Here are a few titles featuring road trips in an RV the middle-grade readers in your life may enjoy.

Breathing Underwater by Sarah Allen

A Junior Library Guild Selection

Olivia is on the road trip of her dreams, with her trusty camera and her big sister Ruth by her side. Three years ago, before their family moved from California to Tennessee, Olivia and Ruth buried a time capsule on their favorite beach. Now, they’re taking an RV back across the country to uncover the memories they left behind. But Ruth’s depression has been getting worse, so Olivia has created a plan to help her remember how life used to be: a makeshift scavenger hunt across the country, like pirates hunting for treasure, taking pictures and making memories along the way.

All she wants is to take the picture that makes her sister smile. But what if things can never go back to how they used to be? What if they never find the treasure they’re seeking? Through all the questions, loving her sister, not changing her, is all Olivia can do–and maybe it’s enough.

Far from Fair by Elana K. Arnold

Odette Zyskowski has a list: Things That Aren’t Fair. At the top of the list is her parents’ decision to take the family on the road in an ugly RV they’ve nicknamed the Coach. There’s nothing fair about leaving California and living in the cramped Coach with her par­ents and exasperating younger brother, sharing one stupid cell phone among the four of them. And there’s definitely nothing fair about what they find when they reach Grandma Sissy’s house, hundreds of miles later. Most days it seems as if everything in Odette’s life is far from fair. Is there a way for her to make things right? 

Wrong Way Summer by Heidi Lang

A Junior Library Guild Selection

A moving summer road-trip story for fans of Crenshaw and The Someday Birds

Claire used to love her dad’s fantastical stories, especially tales about her absent mom–who could be off with the circus or stolen by the troll king, depending on the day. But now that she’s 12, Claire thinks she’s old enough to know the truth. When her dad sells the house and moves her and her brother into a converted van, she’s tired of the tall tales and refuses to pretend it’s all some grand adventure, despite how enthusiastically her little brother embraces this newest fantasy. Claire is faced with a choice: Will she play along with the stories her dad is spinning for her little brother, or will she force her family to face reality once and for all? Equal parts heartwarming and heartbreaking, Wrong Way Summer is a road-trip journey and coming-of-age story about one girl’s struggle to understand when a lie is really a lie and when it’s something more: hope.

The Someday Birds by Sally J. Pla

Winner of the 2018 Dolly Gray Children’s Literature Award * Two starred reviews * A New York Public Library Best Kids Book of 2017 * A Bank Street Best Children’s Book of 2017 

Charlie’s perfectly ordinary life has been unraveling ever since his war journalist father was injured in Afghanistan.

When his father heads from California to Virginia for medical treatment, Charlie reluctantly travels cross-country with his boy-crazy sister, unruly brothers, and a mysterious new family friend. He decides that if he can spot all the birds that he and his father were hoping to see someday along the way, then everything might just turn out okay.

Debut author Sally J. Pla has written a tale that is equal parts madcap road trip, coming-of-age story for an autistic boy who feels he doesn’t understand the world, and an uplifting portrait of a family overcoming a crisis.

Clean Getaway by Nic Stone

How to Go on an Unplanned Road Trip with Your Grandma:
– Grab a Suitcase: Prepacked from the big spring break trip that got CANCELLED.
– Fasten Your Seatbelt: G’ma’s never conventional, so this trip won’t be either.
– Use the Green Book: G’ma’s most treasured possession. It holds history, memories, and most important, the way home.

What Not to Bring:
– A Cell Phone: Avoid contact with Dad at all costs. Even when G’ma starts acting stranger than usual.

Take a trip through the American South with the New York Times bestselling author Nic Stone and an eleven-year-old boy who is about to discover that the world hasn’t always been a welcoming place for kids like him, and things aren’t always what they seem–his G’ma included.

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