What's included
24 live meetings
18 in-class hoursHomework
1-2 hours per week. Students will be asked to complete a short "research project" each week. The purpose of this project is to encourage curiosity in science and help students understand of the importance of research. Most research topics will be chosen by the students, while some will be assigned by the instructor. Students will be asked to "present their research" to the class, or share what they learned for 1-2 minutes.Class Experience
US Grade 6 - 8
(This class also runs as a summer camp.) In this 12-week online course, students will learn basic principles of Genetics. This class will focus on concepts such as DNA structure and replication, the central dogma, heredity, genetic variation, and genetic editing. Class members will meet two times per week. The first meeting of each week will be lecture-style (with plentiful interaction) and focus on introducing the genetics concepts for the week and assigning the research project. A handout will be provided after every lecture day summarizing important points. Between meetings, students are asked to work on their research project and come ready to share what they learned on the second meeting. Generally, for their research projects I will ask students to find more information about the concept from lecture that they found most interesting. Occasionally, I will ask them to research a specific topic. The second meeting of each week will be for research presentations (1-2 minutes each) and student-led Q&A discussion. The purpose of this meeting is to share with each other what we found in our research and to discuss the concepts that students found most difficult or interesting. I will prepare practice examples to work on if students do not have many questions; otherwise, this second meeting provides a great opportunity for students to focus on learning about the aspects of the lesson they are most interested in. The curriculum for this course is as follows: Week 1: Introduction to Genetics Week 2: What is DNA? Week 3: Heredity Part 1: Mendel Week 4: DNA replication Week 5: Central Dogma Part 1: Transcription Week 6: Central Dogma Part 2: Translation Week 7: Cell Division: Meiosis Week 8: Heredity Part 2: Dihybrid Cross Week 9: Genetic Mutations Week 10: Genetic Variation & Evolution Week 11: Genetic Diseases Week 12: Genetic Editing This class is designed for the beginner to intermediate level, which includes students with some or no prior experience in genetics. I adjust my class instruction to the students' level of understanding. However, 12 weeks is a long commitment. I would encourage students who would like to sample genetics before committing to the semester class to try my one-time course titled "A Recipe for You: Introduction to Genetics". I am happy to answer any specific questions regarding class structure, teaching style, or curriculum coverage.
Learning Goals
Students will establish a strong understanding of basic genetics concepts and gain an enthusiasm for scientific research and discovery.
Other Details
Supply List
Students will need access to an internet search engine (such as Google) or books on genetics to complete their research projects.
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Teacher expertise and credentials
Bachelor's Degree in Science from Brigham Young University-Idaho
I am a recent graduate in Biomedical Science and plan to pursue graduate studies in Genetic Counseling. While I have recently completed college-level genetics classes, I restrict my content to basic genetics only. However, my background allows me to answer the difficult or complex questions that often arise.
Reviews
Live Group Class
$395
for 24 classes2x per week, 12 weeks
45 min
Completed by 5 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 11-14
2-10 learners per class