Kate McDaniel

Professor Karen Rowe

EDUC 450

15 Nov 2022

Interdisciplinary Project Lessons: English

Lesson 1 of 5:

Warm up: Watch Meghan Trainer's Genetics lyric video and introduce the topic of genetics,

writing poetry, creating music from poetry, and discuss how the unit and project will

look.

Mini lesson: Review word play, metaphor, rhythm, symbolism, and simile using Genetics by

Jaqueline Woodson, Bardic Genetics by Rodney Koeneke, and poems on pages 1 and 5-6

in Dante Medema’s The Truth Project.

Activity/work time: Read The Truth Project by Dante Medema

Materials: The Truth Project by Dante Medema, Meghan Trainer's Genetics lyric video, TV and

computer, Genetics by Jaqueline Woodson, Bardic Genetics by Rodney Koenek

Homework: Read The Truth Project by Dante Medema to page 94, think of topic for genetics

poem for next class

Lesson 2 of 5:

Warm up: Look at and discuss quotes listed below one at a time focusing on how these quotes

connect to the history of Eugenics.

“Three generations of imbeciles are enough.” Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.

 “Genetic engineering has never been about saving the world, it's about controlling the

world.” Vandana Shiva

Mini lesson: Look at primary source of Eugenics U.S. Laws and listen to an audio recording of a

eugenics lecture interrupted by protestors and have a discussion on the connections to

genetics, eugenics, and the history of the U.S. in the early to mid 20th century.

Activity/work time: Read The Truth Project by Dante Medema, read Uglies: Shay's Story

graphic novel by Scott Westerfeld, begin writing genetics poems

Materials: The Truth Project by Dante Medema, computer with Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. and

Vandana Shiva quotes ready, Eugenics U.S. Laws, an audio recording of a eugenics

lecture interrupted by protestors, laptops

Homework: Read The Truth Project by Dante Medema to page 190, begin writing genetics poem

Lesson 3 of 5:

Warm up: Rewatch part of Meghan Trainer's Genetics lyric video and discuss the formatting of

the song and how to make lyrics follow a rhythm that we, as a class, can apply to our own

poems.

Mini lesson: Have a discussion on Dante’s The Truth Project focusing on identity, genetics, and

nature vs nurture. Also discuss the formatting of the poem and different literary elements

these poems use to narrate a story to use within the poem we write for the unit.

Activity/work time: Read The Truth Project by Dante Medema, work on writing genetics poems,

work on cover letters for genetics poems explaining connection to science and history as well as

a self reflection
Materials: The Truth Project by Dante Medema, Meghan Trainer's Genetics lyric video,

computer and TV, written questions on identity, genetics, and nature vs nurture, laptops,

genetics poems

Homework: Read The Truth Project by Dante Medema to page 265, have first draft of poem

ready next class

Lesson 4 of 5:

Warm up: Look at Obesity Gene and Genetic Markers cartoons and discuss genotype vs

phenotype and how these concepts play a role in The Truth Project.

Mini lesson: Provide summary of chapters 1-2 of Uglies: Shay's Story graphic novel by Scott

Westerfeld and Devin Grayson (illustrated by Steven Cummings), read chapters 4-5 (12

pages) as class, summarize chapters 6-8, read chapter 9 (9 pages) as class, and have a

small discussion on genetics and genotypes and phenotypes, individuality, dystopias, and

society in the graphic novel, tying it to The Truth Project.

Activity/work time: Give peer feedback on two genetics poems, edit and revise genetics poems

read The Truth Project by Dante Medema, work on cover letters for genetics poems

explaining connection to science and history as well as a self reflection

Materials: The Truth Project by Dante Medema, Uglies: Shay's Story graphic novel by Scott

Westerfeld and Devin Grayson (illustrated by Steven Cummings), genetics poems,

pens/pencils, laptops

Homework: Read The Truth Project by Dante Medema to page 341, edit and revise genetics

poems and finalize it for next class, work on cover letters for genetics poems explaining

connection to science and history as well as a self reflection

Lesson 5 of 5:

Warm up: Have students get in small groups of 4 to do ice breaker questions before reading

genetics poems to each other.

1. What is your most prominent emotion today and why?

2. What topic, person, or character did you write your poems about?

3. What is your favorite part about your poems or what was your favorite part about

creating these poems?

Mini lesson: Have students in small groups of 4 share genetics poems with others in group, give

students about 5 minutes each to do so and check in with them on the time they need for

discussion.

Activity/work time: Read The Truth Project by Dante Medema to end/page 383, have brief

discussion on the ending of The Truth Project for about 10 minutes before end of class if

students are ready to discuss (if not, save this brief discussion for next class).
Materials: The Truth Project by Dante Medema, finalized genetics poems

Homework: Finish last details on summative assessment if needed.

 Works Cited

Cartoonstock. “Chromosome Cartoons and Comics - Funny Pictures from Cartoonstock.”

CartoonStock, 2022, https://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/c/chromosome.asp.

Cartoonstock. “Genetics Cartoons and Comics - Funny Pictures from Cartoonstock.”

CartoonStock, 2022, https://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/g/genetics.asp.

DPLA. “An Excerpt from a Book about Eugenics Laws in the United States, 1930.” An Excerpt

from a Book about Eugenics Laws in the United States, 1930. | DPLA,

https://dp.la/primary-source-sets/eugenics-movement-in-the-united-states/sources/1627.

DPLA. “An Illustration of Everyday Girls' Fashions from the 1860s.” An Illustration of Everyday

Girls' Fashions from the 1860s. | DPLA,

https://dp.la/primary-source-sets/eugenics-movement-in-the-united-states/sources/163.

The Famous People. “Thought-Provoking Quotes by Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., the Great

Dissenter.” Famous Quotes - Inspirational Quotes To Fire You Up With Motivation,

https://quotes.thefamouspeople.com/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr-31278.php#:~:text=Three

%20generations%20of%20imbeciles%20are%20enough.%20Oliver%20Wendell,which%

20to%20steer.%20Will%20Oliver%20Wendell%20Holmes%2C%20Jr.

Koeneke, Rodney. “Bardic Genetics by Rodney Koeneke | Poetry Foundation.”

Poetryfoundation.org, Poetry Foundation,

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/56982/bardic-genetics.

Medema, Dante. The Truth Project. HarperCollins, 2022.

“Meghan Trainor - Genetics (Lyrics).” YouTube, YouTube, 13 Sept. 2019,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YXpHvfn2Ng.

Quotlr. “The Most Tempting Vandana Shiva Quotes to Discover and Learn by Heart.” The Most

Tempting VANDANA SHIVA Quotes To Discover And Learn By Heart,

https://quotlr.com/author/vandana-shiva.

Westerfeld, Scott, et al. Uglies: Shay's Story. Ballantine Books, 2012.

Woodson, Jacqueline. “Genetics by Jacqueline Woodson.” Poetry Foundation, Poetry

Foundation, https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/58420/genetics.