In Your Blood
GENETICS & INHERITANCE STORYLINE THREE
Arthur joined the track team recently, but had to quit abruptly due to sudden pains in his joints. He wants to figure out what might be causing these pains and finds out that he is a carrier for sickle cell, which runs in his biological family. This storyline addresses the reasons why some diseases seem to affect certain races or ethnicities more than others.
NGSS Alignment
This storyline aligns with the Next Generation Science Standards at MS-LS3-1.
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Real World Connections
This storyline concerns inherited illnesses and contains a social justice component that explains why some genetic illnesses are more prevalent in certain ethnic groups.
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Storyline Walkthrough Overview
All In the Family
Arthur decides to look into his family history to see where these sickled cells may have come from. Sure enough, the sickle cell gene is present in Arthur's family. Students learn that while sickle cell anemia requires two sickle cell alleles to present all of its symptoms, people who have only one allele--carriers--can still experience sickle cell symptoms under certain circumstances.
The Lesser of Two Evils
Students compare areas of the world that experience high rates of malaria with areas of the world where sickle cell is most common, and learn that sickle cell carriership actually provides partial immunity against this even deadlier disease. Students also learn that this phenomenon isn't confined to Sub-Saharan Africa; cystic fibrosis, which is most commonly seen in Caucasians, may have risen to prominence in response to the European tuberculosis epidemics of the 1800s.