SEP Curriculum
At Fred Hutch, we support engaging, challenging and relevant classroom learning experiences for all students by providing access to high-quality instructional materials developed by teachers and scientists. Our free, open-source lessons and units are geared towards high school biotech and biology teachers and focus on giving students opportunities to explore biotechnology and the social dimensions of research science.
Elephant Conservation: Ivory Cache
Students follow a storyline that highlights both scientific and sociopolitical aspects of the elephant poaching problem. Students also become detectives, using gel electrophoresis to determine the source of a mock illegal ivory cache. This unit culminates in a stakeholder discussion and student proposals for solutions to poaching that demonstrate consideration for the needs of various stakeholders.
DETAILS
12 Lessons
Remote or In Classroom
KITS NEEDED TO TEACH UNIT:
Gel Electrophoresis Kit
Elephant Trunk Accessory Kit
Race, Racism, and Genetics
What is race? Students learn about the role of race as an important part of social identity before examining race as a social and political construct influenced and reinforced by bias and structural racism. Analysis of human variation demonstrates that there are no genetic features that are present in all members of one "race" group and not in others. While race is not a genetically meaningful category, it can still impact biology through the enactment of racist policies and practices - which result in inequities in areas such as healthcare.
DETAILS
10 Lessons
Remote or In Classroom
mRNA Vaccines & COVID-19 Testing
In these two lesson sequences, students explore phenomena associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. The Vaccine Confidence lessons provide an opportunity to introduce or reinforce the concept of central dogma while having students explore what vaccines do and how they protect our communities. In the COVID-19 Testing lessons, students learn about the various testing methods for COVID-19 (PCR and antigen testing) through case studies and evaluate bioethical concerns related to the pandemic.
DETAILS
3 Lessons - mRNA Vaccine Confidence
7 Lessons - COVID-19 Testing and Inequities
Remote or In Classroom
DNA Exonerations
This unit uses multiple real DNA exoneration case studies as a way for students to explore modern day forensics, the criminal justice system, and mass incarceration in the U.S.
DETAILS
7 Lessons
Remote or In Classroom
KITS NEEDED TO TEACH UNIT:
Gel Electrophoresis Kit
Intro to Cancer: Leukemia & Hina's Story
This unit investigates the case of Hina Marsey, an eleven-year old girl, who is diagnosed with leukemia. By exploring Hina’s case, students develop conceptual models on cell growth/development, cancer, and cancer treatments. Students have opportunities for collaborative model building, discussions about health inequities in cancer, and evidence-based argumentation.
DETAILS
Intro Biology
10 Lesson Plans
Remote or In Classroom
Immunotherapy
This unit focuses on the topic of cancer, leukemia, and immunotherapies as a way to explore concepts such as the cell cycle, cell growth, the immune system, and genetic mutations. Over the seven lessons, students are introduced to a case study featuring Kristin K., a woman diagnosed with a treatment-resistant form of leukemia and for whom a stem cell donor match could not be found.
DETAILS
Advanced Biology & Biotechnology
7 Lesson Plans
Remote or In Classroom
A Twist on Strawberry DNA Extraction
This lesson challenges students to design their own experimental protocol to extract DNA from strawberries. By developing their own protocol and presenting their findings in a lab meeting, students learn the importance of making claims with evidence and reasoning and communicating those claims.
DETAILS
1 Lesson
Remote or In Classroom
KITS NEEDED TO TEACH UNIT:
DNA Extraction Kit
Elephants & Cancer
Elephants are the largest land mammals, with huge bodies that are made up of exponentially more cells than smaller organisms – cells that could mutate over their long lifespan. And yet, elephants rarely get cancer. This is thought to be due in part to their extra TP53 tumor suppressor genes, which code for the p53 protein. Through a comparison of elephants, humans, and four other organisms, students learn why elephants’ genetic makeup makes them less susceptible to cancer. Includes a gel electrophoresis lab.
DETAILS
Intro Biology, Advanced Biology, AP Biology
4 Lessons
Remote or In Classroom
Illuminating Cancer with Cancer Fighting Proteins (In Development)
This lesson set focuses on protein folding and structure/ function through a cancer storyline. Student investigate a patient named Cory, who has a brain tumor. They then learn how nature-sourced peptides are candidates for cancer treatments. Using toobers to model protein folding students build protein models.
DETAILS
2 Lesson Plans
Taster PCR
In this lesson, students will predict their phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) Taster Gene status using a bitter food quiz and analyze their own DNA from cheek cells for the presence of the TAS2R38 gene variant that make them able to taste bitterness.
DETAILS
1 Lesson Plan
KITS NEEDED TO TEACH UNIT:
PCR Kit
Gel Electrophoresis Kit
yEvo - Fitness Competition/ Yeast Maddness
yEvo is an authentic research experience designed for high school students to observe the process of evolution in their classrooms using yeast as a model organism. This project was created by the Dunham Lab at University of Washington Genome Sciences. SEP is currently supporting yEvo's Azole Resistance Module 4: Fitness Competition/ Yeast Maddness.
DETAILS
1 Lesson
Classic SEP Lessons
This page contains all of the classic SEP lessons around biotechnology tools and techniques. Including various lessons on micropipetting, gel electrophoresis, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), and bacterial transformation.
Careers in Cancer
The Frontiers in Cancer Research - Career Profiles Website has been developed as a tool for high school students to accompany the Frontiers in Cancer Research curriculum units. The site features profiles of real professionals working in fields related to cancer research, cancer treatment, and patient care. These people work across many disciplines of science, social sciences, medicine, and healthcare. Their stories represent a variety of career and educational pathways, diverse backgrounds, and various career stages. This is a GoogleSite which may be restricted in school districts. We are currently working on an alternative.
Related Pages
Teaching Tools/Resources
Compiled resources for teaching science virtually and argumentation and discourse strategies for the science classroom.
SEP Teacher Sharing
We have set up a Google folder for teachers to share resources.
- The Google folder contains a several subfolders on SEP kit-related topics shared by SEP teachers. There is also a subfolder on CRISPR resources, videos, and lessons.
- Create new folders to add other resources you'd like to share but model the general structure in the CRISPR folder (for example, articles and videos are probably easiest to share in a hyperlinked document and SEP Teacher Lessons in their own folder).
- Indicate your name on any lessons that you have developed.
Kit Loan Program & Supplies
Program participants have access to the Kit Loan Program developed and maintained by SEP. Fred Hutch and other funders provide these kits to teachers, free of cost.
These kits offer SEP teachers the opportunity to share hands-on laboratory experiences with students in their classrooms, giving students a unique chance to engage in an authentic, problem-solving approach to science using the same tools and concepts utilized by researchers.