Rough draft.This research track is under review with Dr. Atit's lab. Content and sequence may still change.
Craniofacial Research Track
Session 3The Case Opens, SeptemberLens: PBS
What a cleft is, and why timing matters
Discovery question
Mateo's twin cousin developed a complete lip and . What was different about the timing or the for Mateo?
A is a step that did not finish in time; understanding the step points us toward the cause and, one day, the correction.
The plan
Prerequisite check
Before this page, you should know
- Five prominences (one frontonasal, two maxillary, two mandibular) grow and fuse to form the face.
- The five prominences are a simplified map. The upper lip and primary depend especially on among the maxillary and the medial nasal prominences; the mandibular prominences mainly form the lower jaw.
If not, review
Today's new idea is only
A is a step that did not finish in time; understanding the step points us toward the cause and, one day, the correction.
Learn first
What to learn
Goal: Explain a as an interrupted event and preview how a gene like IRF6 connects to it.
Know by the end
- A is the result when a step does not complete during its critical window.
- Clefts can be (one side) or (both sides), and can involve lip only, only, or both.
- Genes provide the instructions cells need to fuse; IRF6 is one gene with a clear job in this process.
- Knowing the exact failed step is the first move toward correcting it.
The plan
Guided notes
1
Naming the difference
Model start: means one side; Mateo's lip is on the left side only.
- Define and , and label which Mateo has.
- Sort three example cases into lip only, only, or both.
2
A step that did not finish
Model start: A happens when two edges do not fuse during their critical window.
- Complete the sentence: A happens when ____ does not ____ during its critical window.
- Explain why the same outcome (a ) can have more than one cause.
3
A first look at a cause
Model start: IRF6 carries the instruction for a that the skin-like cells of the lip and need in order to fuse.
- Open the IRF6 gene card and write, in one line, what IRF6 does.
- Predict how a broken instruction for IRF6 could leave a .
Explore
Reading the Research
What to read
Read the overview section at the top of the page only. IRF6 gene (plain-language gene card)
Why this source matters
This is the published evidence behind today's idea: A is a step that did not finish in time; understanding the step points us toward the cause and, one day, the correction.
Words to unlock first
Reading moves
- Skim the title and abstract first to get the gist.
- Circle the one sentence that states the main claim.
- Box the evidence the authors give for that claim.
- Mark one sentence that confuses you, and move on.
Stop point
You do not need every detail on the page. Stay with the parts that connect to Mateo.
Your output
Write one claim-evidence sentence: what this source claims, and the one piece of evidence that backs it up.
Lab day
Using the database (what to capture)
MedlinePlus
Open the tool Plain-language explanations of a gene or condition, written for patients and families.
When you use this: Use this when a research paper is too dense, or when you need to explain a finding to Mateo's family in everyday words.
What the screen looks like
Step by step
- 1Open medlineplus.gov/genetics and search the gene or condition (IRF6).
- 2Read the summary written in everyday words.
- 3Note the conditions the gene is linked to at the bottom of the page.
Capture these fields
- Topic: IRF6 gene
- Plain-language summary: IRF6 helps the tissues of the face join correctly before birth.
- Linked conditions: Van der Woude syndrome; nonsyndromic cleft
How to read it: Start here when a research paper is too dense. MedlinePlus gives you the gist in everyday words so you can go back to the harder source knowing what it is about.
Lost? About MedlinePlus Genetics NCBI Gene
Open the tool The full reference record for a gene: its official symbol, ID, location, and what it does.
When you use this: Use this first, when you have a gene name and need its official ID and address. It is the home base every other database points back to.
What the screen looks like
Step by step
- 1Go to ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene and type the gene symbol IRF6 in the search box, then press Search.
- 2Open the top result whose organism is Homo sapiens (human).
- 3At the top of the record, read three things and write them down: the official symbol, the Gene ID number, and the location ( band).
Capture these fields
- Symbol (official gene name): IRF6
- Gene ID (the stable number): 3664
- Location (chromosome band): 1q32.2
- Summary (one line on its job): A transcription factor needed for the skin-surface cells that let the lip and palate fuse.
How to read it: The symbol and Gene ID let you find the exact same gene in every other database. The location should match the band you mapped (1q32). The summary tells you the gene's job in one sentence.
Lost? NCBI Gene help manual (how to use the Gene database)Learn first
Pick your level
Level 1, Guided
Use the sentence starters, a word bank from the vocabulary, a labeled diagram, and the exact source link.
Level 2, Collaborative
Complete a partly blank model or table and explain it.
Level 3, Independent
Make a claim from a new example or an unfamiliar entry in the same database.
The plan
Work as a research team
Team roles
- Manager: keeps the group moving
- Recorder: writes the shared model or table
- Evidence checker: verifies each claim against the source
- Reporter: explains the group's reasoning
Process reflection
- What evidence changed your thinking today?
- What did your group disagree about, and how did you resolve it?
- What question is still unresolved?
Check yourself
Demonstration of learning
By the end of this session, submit ONE of: a labeled diagram with a 2-sentence explanation; a claim, evidence, reasoning paragraph; a completed data table from a real database; or a one-question exit ticket using today's vocabulary.
Meets standard if your explanation correctly connects structure, timing, gene or protein function, or evidence source to Mateo's case: Explain a cleft as an interrupted fusion event and preview how a gene like IRF6 connects to it.
How this is graded (rubric)
For: Explain a cleft as an interrupted fusion event and preview how a gene like IRF6 connects to it.
| Criterion | Proficient | Developing | Beginning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Complete | Every required part of the artifact is present and filled in. | Most parts are present, but one is missing or left blank. | Several parts are missing. |
| Accurate | The science and data are correct and match the evidence. | Mostly correct, with a small factual slip. | Key science or data is wrong. |
| Scientific reasoning (CER) | States a claim, backs it with specific evidence, and explains the reasoning. | Has a claim and evidence, but the reasoning is thin or missing. | Gives an answer with no evidence or reasoning. |
| Professional communication | Clear, organized, and labeled the way a clinician or scientist would write it. | Readable but disorganized or missing labels. | Hard to follow. |
| Submitted | Turned in the right way (Schoology for routine work) and confirmed. | Turned in, but in the wrong place or unconfirmed. | Not turned in. |
How the model answer scores against this rubric
- CompleteProficient: Nothing is left blank: the model fills every part of "Explain a cleft as an interrupted fusion event and preview how a gene like IRF6 connects to it.".
- AccurateProficient: Every number and claim matches the case evidence.
- Scientific reasoning (CER)Proficient: It names a claim, cites the specific evidence, and explains the reasoning, not just the answer.
- Professional communicationProficient: It is organized and labeled like a real chart note.
- SubmittedProficient: It would be turned in on Schoology and confirmed.