Cancer: Unit 3

How does a normal cell become cancerous?

Unit 2 used the analogy of cells as productive citizens in a community of organs and tissues. Unit 3 will now focus on the normal functions of a cell that get disrupted when it becomes cancerous. It examines the role of DNA mutations in cancer, and how cancer progression is a product of cellular evolution.

Lesson 1

How is our DNA organized?

As an introduction to this unit, students will extend their understanding of molecular dogma to investigate how the genome is organized into gene and non-gene regions and how some of these different regions function to either produce proteins or regulate when and where genes are expressed. The lesson introduces a new concept -‘transposons’- which comprise repeating sequences of DNA that contain promoters and can jump around the genome. In small groups, students will use an online genome browser to investigate the genomic organization of certain genes that are commonly mutated in cancer.

Objectives – Explain how the eukaryotic genome is organized.
– Explain the function of introns and exons.
– Explain how repeat-ing sequences in the genome called transposons can dynamically affect genome structure and dysregulate normal genes leading to hyperproliferation.
Activities Examination of human genome using UCSC genome browser
Materials Printed Materials:
– Lesson worksheet
– HW worksheet

Other Materials:
– Computer Lab
Homework Worksheet: Reading on how repeating DNA sequences are involved in cancer and answer questions.

Lesson 2

Lesson 3

Lesson 4

Lesson 5

Teacher Prep: Unit 3 Lesson Overview Videos

In the YouTube embed below, click the order listing in the upper right to toggle the display for the full playlist.