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What causes melanoma and other types of cancer?

This minds-on, analysis and discussion activity introduces students to basic cancer biology, somatic mutations, and regulation of the cell cycle.

Students view an introductory video about a teen with melanoma and then complete six sections: “What is melanoma?”, “How does a melanoma develop?”, “Why do melanoma cells divide too much?”, “Environment and inherited genes influence your risk of melanoma.”, “Different Types of Cancer”, and “Research Challenge”.

Concepts covered include cell cycle checkpoints, somatic mutations, and DNA repair enzymes

The Student Handout is available in the first two attached files and as a Google doc designed for use in online instruction and distance learning. The Teacher Notes, available in the last two attached files, provide instructional suggestions and background information and explain how this activity supports the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

AttachmentSize
Melanoma biology SHO.docx3.13 MB
Melanoma biology SHO.pdf635.84 KB
Melanoma biology TN.docx4.17 MB
Melanoma biology TN.pdf963.9 KB
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iwaldron's picture

2024 revision

Submitted by iwaldron on Thu, 02/01/2024 - 10:02am.

In the Student Handout, I have clarified and streamlined many of the questions and figures. Also, I have expanded and clarified the explanation of cell cycle checkpoints. At the end of the Student Handout, I have added a section on the biology of different types of cancer and included an opportunity for the students to research a question of interest to them.

Ingrid

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Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. To preserve the value of these learning activities for other teachers, please do not post keys for any questions from any of these activities!

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Authors

Dr. Ingrid Waldron is Professor Emerita in the Biology Department at the University of Pennsylvania. Co-authors include Dr. Jennifer Doherty, who is an Assistant Professor in the Physiology Department at Michigan State University, and Dr. Lori Spindler, who is a Lecturer in the Biology Department at the University of Pennsylvania. They have developed these activities in collaboration with colleagues at Penn and middle school and high school teachers in the Philadelphia area. We are grateful to Craig Douglas for his generous help with graphics.

 

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