An investigation into the molecular basis of sickle cell disease
This unit will introduce students to the genetic disease, sickle cell anemia. Students will analyze and develop questions about the disease while looking at blood smear for healthy and sickle patients.
Throughout the unit, students will analyze pieces of evidence (collected and provided data sets) to answer their questions and eventually come to understand the mechanism of sickle cell anemia.
Looking for the mobile laboratory version of The Mystery of Crooked Cell? Click here.
Looking for the answer keys for this activity bundle? Complete this form to gain the password to our Activity Keys webpage.
Learning Objectives
Standards Alignments + Connections
Introductory Phenomenon
Students are introduced to these two blood smears and develop initial questions.
(Download Both Images Above)
Questions may include:
Why are there more red blood cells in sample 1 than in sample 2?
Why are there more white blood cells in sample 2 than in sample 1?
Why are there red blood cells that aren’t circles in sample 2?
Activities to Gather Evidence
The Mystery of the Crooked Cell was written by Donald A. DeRosa and B. Leslie Wolfe and adapted by Learning Undefeated.
Students will perform protein purification using column chromatography to gain a greater understanding of the biomanufacturing process of going from a cell to a protein to a product.
Students will engage in a STEM challenge to design a truck powered by a chemical reaction that will have to stop within a specific drop-off zone. Teams will be challenged with various payloads to earn bonus points if they can stop in the drop-off zone.
