Synthetic Biology and the High School Curriculum: Essay

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Essay Topic
Synthetic biology has emerged only recently as an engineering discipline. At this point, the field has more potential than accomplishment. Some people see an incredible potential that includes cures for diseases, biosynthetic fuels and houses that are grown from gourds. Other people question the safety of a process that involves altering genomes. Your assignment is to investigate synthetic biology using the following resources:

What is synthetic biology?([[Media:What is Synthetic Biology Davidson.pdf| pdf]])

A Life of Its Own ([[Media:Synthetic biology and evolution The New Yorker09.pdf| pdf]])

Our Synthetic Futures

Then write an essay in which you address this question:

Do the potential contributions to society warrant the potential risks inherent in synthetic biology?

As you write the essay be sure to:


 * Provide an overview of the field of synthetic biology.


 * Describe synthetic biology's potential benefits.


 * Describe synthetic biology's potential risks.


 * Take a stand on the issue and back up your arguments.


 * Examine the Essay Rubric ([[Media:SynBio&HS EssayRubric.pdf| pdf]]) and Essay Scoresheet ([[Media:SynBio&HS EssayScoreSheet.pdf| pdf.]])

Navigation
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 * 1) Synthetic Biology and the High School Curriculum
 * 2) Synthetic Biology and the High School Curriculum: Lab 1
 * 3) Synthetic Biology and the High School Curriculum: Lab 2
 * 4) Synthetic Biology and the High School Curriculum: Lab 3
 * 5) Synthetic Biology and the High School Curriculum: Lab 4
 * 6) Synthetic Biology and the High School Curriculum: Essay
 * 7) Synthetic Biology and the High School Curriculum: Glossary
 * 8) Lab Report Rubric ([[Media:SynBio&HS LabReportRubric.pdf| pdf]]) and Lab Report ScoreSheet ([[Media:SynBio&HS LabReportScoresheet.pdf| pdf]])
 * 9) Essay Rubric ([[Media:SynBio&HS EssayRubric.pdf| pdf]]) and Essay Scoresheet ([[Media:SynBio&HS EssayScoreSheet.pdf| pdf]])
 * 10) SynBio and the HS Curriculum Teacher's Resource Room