GTAC Programs

MYS102 LABORATORY WORKSHOP - SCHOOL GROUPS ONLY

GTAC Student Program “The Green Gene”

(Available on Mondays Only By Arrangement)

This program offers Year 7 students a unique opportunity to work in small groups with their own young research scientist as “mentor”. The learning environment is highly structured to ensure student participation and to facilitate dialogue. Students use research quality equipment, in a state of the art teaching laboratory. Teaching instruction supports student learning by introducing them to the biological concepts involved in the laboratory work and promoting discussion of the ethics surrounding related scientific research. Students receive comprehensive notes and work sheets that could form the basis of a final report to be submitted for assessment.

09.30	Arrival and Registration Students deposit school bags in cloakroom
09.35 – 10.45	Body Code Take a journey into the molecular world of the cell as we view ‘Body Code’ an animated video by Drew Berry. GTAC staff will draw links between cells, proteins, chromosomes, genes and DNA. Students will use state of the art models to explore the structure of DNA and crack the genetic code.
09.35 – 10.45	Recess break
11.00– 13.00	Task 1 – A Transformation! Some Jellyfish contain a gene for a protein called Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP). The GFP protein gives off green fluorescent light when it is exposed to UV rays from the sun. In this experiment students will introduce the gene for GFP into bacteria. They transform bacteria using a recombinant plasmid containing the GFP gene and interpret their experimental results. Task 2 - Extracting DNA from Kiwi Fruit Students learn that DNA is the molecule of life and perform an experiment to extract DNA from Kiwi fruit. Students can take home a sample of their Kiwi fruit DNA.
13.00 – 14.00	Lunch Home school supervision
14.00 – 14.45	GMO Issues Students discuss the ethical issues surrounding a hypothetical scenario related to GMO technology in small groups guided by their scientist mentor. They will explore the four principles of ethical debate; beneficence, non-maleficence, individual rights, and justice and equity. The class will then participate in informed debate on the issue.
14.45	Evaluation and departure

Cost/Student: $12.00 (exGST)
Click here to view booking procedures.