| Lesson Plan |
| Grade: |
Date: 25/02/2026 |
| Subject: Biology |
| Lesson Topic: explain how gene expression may be confirmed by the use of marker genes coding for fluorescent products |
Learning Objective/s:
- Describe what a marker gene is and why fluorescent proteins are used as reporters.
- Explain the step‑by‑step process of constructing and introducing a fluorescent‑protein fusion construct.
- Interpret fluorescence observations to confirm promoter activity and gene expression.
- Evaluate the advantages and limitations of fluorescent marker genes in experimental design.
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Materials Needed:
- Projector and screen
- PowerPoint/Google Slides presentation
public handout of the experimental workflow
- Fluorescence microscope (or video simulation)
- Plasmid map diagrams and primer‑design worksheets
- Laptops with basic bioinformatics software
- Safety goggles and lab coat (for demonstration)
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Introduction:
Imagine watching a gene turn on in real time as a cell glows green. Students will recall how promoters control transcription and how cloning vectors are built. Success will be measured by their ability to outline a fluorescent reporter strategy by the end of the lesson.
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Lesson Structure:
- Do‑now (5') – Quick quiz on promoter function and transcription basics.
- Mini‑lecture (10') – Introduce marker genes and fluorescent proteins, show examples (GFP, YFP, RFP).
- Guided walkthrough (15') – Using slides, demonstrate construction of a promoter‑fluorescent fusion and discuss transformation methods.
- Hands‑on activity (20') – Students design primers and sketch a cloning plan on worksheets; peer‑review pairs provide feedback.
- Demonstration (10') – Video of fluorescence microscopy; discuss detection equipment, excitation/emission filters, and interpretation of results.
- Check for understanding (5') – Exit‑ticket question: “How does observing fluorescence confirm that a promoter is active?”
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Conclusion:
We recap the workflow from promoter fusion to fluorescence detection and highlight key advantages and pitfalls. Students submit an exit ticket summarising the confirmation process, and for homework they read a short case study and write a paragraph recommending an appropriate fluorescent marker for a given experiment.
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