Science Scavenger Hunt

Senior Remediation

Mrs. Mohr

Why is Science Important to Me?

1. Recognize scientific bias

2. Evaluate science sources

3. New scientific technologies- Health- Medicine- Nutrition- Standard of living

DHMOPros and cons of DHMO

Di = 2

H = hydrogen

Mono = 1

O = oxygen

BIAS

Research Source Evaluation

1. Credibility trustworthy sourceinclude author’s credentialsEvidence of quality controlknown or respected authorityorganizational support

GOAL – an authoritative source, a source that supplies some good evidence that allows you to trust it

Research Source Evaluation

2. Accuracy

up-to-date

factual

detailed and exact

comprehensive

audience and purpose reflect intentions of completeness and accuracy

GOAL – a source that is correct today (not yesterday) and gives the whole truth

Research Source Evaluation

3. Reasonablenessfairbalancedobjectiveno conflict of interestabsence of fallacies or slanted tone

GOAL – A source that engages the subject thoughtfully and reasonably, concerns with the truth

Research Source Evaluation

4. Supportlisted sourcescontact informationavailable corroborationclaims supporteddocumentation supplied

GOAL – provides convincing evidence of the claims made and can find at least two other sources that support it

Evaluate These Sources

• http://able2know.org/topic/55762-2• http://hill.troy.k12.mi.us/staff/bnewingham/mywe

b3/• http://blog.peta.org/archives/2009/04/peta_backs

_buff.php• http://www.crh.noaa.gov/ilx/• http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/baby/divi_text.ht

ml• http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/• http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/ghr/conditionsByName

Science Scavenger Hunt

Science Scavenger Hunt

• 1. What is the process involved in the development of a new medicine from its very first creation, experimental trials and finally to its use by people? Who is involved in each of these steps and what approvals or regulations are involved? (key words – FDA, drug approval, process) Be extremely specific. http://www.msd-australia.com.au/page.asp?e_page=380459&3570=448413&section=376569&subsection=448416&article=448413

Phases of Product Development

1. Drug Discovery

2. Preclinical Testing

3. ClinicalPhase I

Phase II

Phase III

Phase IV

4. Government Review and Registration

Why use the Scientific Method of Investigation?

• FDA• Food and Drug Administration• “FDA’s primary mission for over 90 years has

been to promote and protect the public health…”• NIH• National Institutes of Health• “Its mission …knowledge about the nature and

behavior of living systems…extend healthy life and reduce the burdens of illness and disability.”

Source: http://www.hhs.gov/asl/testify/t040401.html April 1, 2004

http://www.nih.gov/about/index.html

Science Scavenger Hunt

• 2. Learn about stem cell research? Why is it? How could stem cell research change the future of medicine and thus our health? Why is stem cell research controversial? http://stemcells.nih.gov/

Science Scavenger Hunt

• 3. Go to Learn.Genetics from the Genetic Science Learning Center. Click on gene therapy on the right side. Read through this site. What is gene therapy? How is gene therapy done? How does gene therapy work? What benefits may be realized through gene therapy? What is cystic fibrosis? (genetics, inheritance, how it affects a person’s life) How do scientists hope that gene therapy will change Cystic Fibrosis? http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/tech/genetherapy/

Gene Therapy

• Imagine that you accidentally broke one of your neighbor's windows. What would you do? You could:

A. Stay silent: no one will ever find out that you are guilty, but the window doesn't get fixed.

B. Try to repair the cracked window with some tape: not the best long-term solution.

C. Put in a new window: not only do you solve the problem, but also you do the honorable thing.

http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/units/genetherapy/whatisgt/ 09/21/07

Science Scavenger Hunt

• 4. Go to Learn.Genetics from the Genetic Science Learning Center. Click on gene therapy on the right side. Read through this site. What is gene therapy? How is gene therapy done? How does gene therapy work? What benefits may be realized through gene therapy? Go to http://targen.adhostclient.com/DOCS/FINAL_tgAAC94%20Graphic.pdf. Explain how gene therapy could impact rheumatoid arthritis.

Science Scavenger Hunt

• Go to http://targen.adhostclient.com/DOCS/FINAL_tgAAC94%20Graphic.pdf. Explain how gene therapy could impact rheumatoid arthritis.

• 5. What is Leber’s congenital amaurosis (LCA)? http://www.tfrr.org/

“Cubs star Derrek Lee takes a break before batting practice at Wrigley Field. The slugger has spearheaded a drive to cure Leber's Congenital Amaurosis, a genetic eye disease that has stricken his daughter.”

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/nl/cubs/2007-09-05-lee_N.htm

Leber’s congenital amaurosis

“…progressive deterioration in vision, due to an abnormality in a particular gene called RPE65.”

LCA prevents normal retinal function

Source: ScienceDaily: Gene Therapy for Childhood Blindness in First Clinical Trial 5/07

In an LCA retina, there is a slight reduction in the size of the blood vessels and a slight reduction in the image quality.

The retina contains photoceptor cells that sense light and send signals to the brain to form an image.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/nl/cubs/2007-09-05-lee_N.htm

Normal Retina RCA Retina

Science Scavenger Hunt

• 6. There is currently a cholera epidemic in Zimbabwe. What is cholera? How is it spread? How is it treated? What are scientists doing to stop cholera?

Science Scavenger Hunt

• 7. On the news it recently reported that one billion people in the world go hungry every day. Where are these people located? Why do they go hungry? What is being done to decrease hunger and malnutrition in the world? http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/worldbalance/

Science Scavenger Hunt

• 8. Describe each of the tests that are listed on the next two pages. What could an abnormal result be an indictor of? Why is it important to get bloodwork done on a regular basis?

Science Scavenger Hunt

• 9. What is the National Institutes of Health? What is their purpose? How do they carry out their mission? http://www.nih.gov/about/NIHoverview.html

Science Scavenger Hunt

• 10. What is the Centers for Disease Control? What is their purpose? How do they carry out their mission?

• http://www.cdc.gov/

Science Scavenger Hunt

• 11. What are viruses? Describe their life cycle. Describe how they reproduce. Can viruses be killed or stopped by antibiotics?

• http://www.microbeworld.org/microbes/virus/

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virus

Science Scavenger Hunt

• 12. How does the standard of living in the United States compare with the standard of living in China or other third world countries? What factors have contributed to this difference? http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/worldmap/cida/cidaworldmap.aspx

Science Scavenger Hunt

• 13. Read over the “20 New Biotech Breakthroughts that Will Change Medicine” from the March 2009 issue of Popular Mechanics. Choose one or two to further research and learn more about them. http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/health_medicine/4303407.html

Science Scavenger Hunt

• 14. Why is science important to you? Give at least three well-explained reasons.

• http://www.newstarget.com/019987.html