Understanding Mutations

Throughout the past couple of weeks, Derrick, Kim, and I chose to maintain the topic of cellular biology and its implications on genetic diversity. In this week’s assignment, we had to pick three words that related to our readings. We chose Golgi apparatus, mutation, and cell as our three words to dig into deeper. These words are common in science, particularly in biology at any grade level. The Golgi apparatus represents an organelle and is taught in further detail in cell biology. Mutation relates to cell biology with a focus in genetics, DNA structure, and function. Cell is the basis of biology because a cell is the smallest unit of life and biology is the study of life. Because of those reasons, we thought it would be appropriate for each of us to discuss each word in greater detail.

Biology encompasses many vocabulary words that can be difficult for students to understand. Graphic organizers can help us as teachers teach students new terms. Graphic organizers are visual representations of ideas (McLaughlin, 2015). There are many benefits for using such organizers to teach vocabulary and one of them being it helps students better retain the information that is associated with each term. Graphic organizers promote class discussions as it can be assigned in small groups or to the whole class. Lastly, the ideas from the graphic organizers can then help students write about the term and topic. Graphic organizers that help promote vocabulary learning include Semantic Maps, Semantic Question Maps, Concept of Definition Maps, and Semantic Feature Analysis Charts just to name a few (McLaughlin, 2015). All of these organizers will be useful in biology and will allow students to really understand the term and topic.

The word I chose to focus on was mutation and the graphic organizer I used was the Semantic Question Map. The Semantic Question Map is a helpful way to introduce new words and activate prior knowledge as the purpose of a Semantic Question Map is to raise specific questions while activating prior knowledge (McLaughlin, 2015). Semantic question maps are often used when students need to focus on a particular aspect of a topic (McLaughlin, 2015). In this case, the focus was mutation and it was the focus word for the map. I then had 4 questions that extended from mutation. Questions should relate to the definition, major concepts, and implications. The questions I included related to the definition, basic principles/cause, types of mutations, and implications. Below the questions were words or short phrases that help answer the question. Here is my completed Semantic Question Map:

Overall, I thought this map was helpful in a variety ways of helping better understand the term “mutation.” Not only did it activate my prior knowledge, but I was able to ask questions and then answer them. In a teaching setting, this is a good exercise to use before reading anything to help promote discussion and it will also allow students to ask questions that will enable them to reach a deeper level of understanding. It will help determine a starting point for where to start teaching so it can be a good formative assessment. Since questions are traced back to the focus word using a line, students can offer answers which are written below it as words or short phrases. Using this semantic question map alongside a text is a good way for students to verify their answers (McLaughlin, 2015). This is a good exercise that can allow students to work together in pairs and tackle different questions or work together as a whole class.

Reference

McLaughlin, M., (2015). Content Area Reading: Teaching and Learning for College and Career Readiness. Boston: Pearson.