Four Corners is an interactive activity that encourages open discussion and critical thinking about different topics. Traditionally, Four Corners is played in a physical space, where the corners of a […]

This lesson introduces students to the recent advances in genetics, genetic testing, and genome sequencing. It presents some of the decisions and ethical challenges an individual may face regarding the […]

PGED resources occasionally include ‘community agreements’. The purpose of these agreements is to foster a “brave space”–one that is intentionally shaped by, and inclusive of, all identities and social groups. […]

Share Your Stance on Personal Genetics (SYS) is an opinion-sharing card game for curious explorers of science, policy, technology, and identity in the genomic age. SYS will set you on […]

Our free educational resources open the door to informative, accessible, and engaging conversations about genetics. Want to help others find PGED? We’ve made it easy with our new media kit! Download […]

Share Your Stance on Personal Genetics (SYS) is an opinion-sharing card game for curious explorers of science, policy, technology, and identity in the genomic age. SYS will set you on […]

It is a common experience that people receive different ancestry testing results from different companies. And sometimes results from the same company can change over time. How can this happen? […]

DNA ancestry testing comes in several varieties, which provide different ways for people to explore their ancestry. Admixture testing analyzes a person’s DNA to estimate where their ancestors came from. […]

The development of human traits, including health, is complex. Scientific studies have found that a person’s traits are the result of their genetic makeup, environment, and interactions between these two […]

Advances in genetic technologies are accompanied by questions for society about if, where, and how to apply these tools. A new generation of genetic tools has opened a pathway to […]

Recently developed techniques to easily modify DNA, known as “genome editing,” are bringing many new possibilities as well as dilemmas to the forefront of medicine, ethics, religion and society at […]

This lesson explores the science of genetic ancestry testing. Together with pgEd’s companion lesson on Ancestry & Identity in the Genomic Age, students will also examine the impacts that direct-to-consumer […]

Technological developments are making it possible to read a person’s entire genetic code, or genome, more rapidly and at a lower cost than ever before. Personal genome sequencing is allowing […]

This pgEd presentation gives an overview of the rapidly evolving field of genome editing and one of its newest technologies called CRISPR. Our aim is to examine how advances in […]

Pedigrees are a widely used tool in medicine, research, and teaching. In the classroom, pedigrees are a helpful tool for students to learn about genetics and the various ways in […]

Athletics are often divided into men’s and women’s categories to provide fair competition, but efforts to define who qualifies to compete in the women’s events have been fraught with controversy. […]

This presentation addresses some major innovations in reproductive genetic technologies that are being used by individuals who, for a variety of reasons, wish to know and/or have some choice about […]

The collection and analysis of DNA is an important tool in law enforcement. This lesson explores the challenge of establishing ethical and legal frameworks in a timely manner to guide […]

This lesson uses various articles to explore a range of topics (e.g., HIV, public health, informed consent) that impact the 2018 story that two children were claimed to have been […]

There is an extreme shortage of organs for people who need donations and scientists are challenged with finding a solution. Using pigs, genome editing may help us create more organs […]

Chris tells us about what motivated her to become a scientist and shares her perspective on family, health, and the power of information that she has learned along the way. […]

Reproductive genetic technologies, including preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) and non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT), can allow people to learn more about the DNA of an embryo or fetus than ever before. […]

Public engagement requires us to interrogate our language and the thinking behind it. What ideas are embedded in our language about genetics? What messages are we sending? How are people […]

As part of our Congressional briefing, “The Common Thread: What genetics tells us about ancestry, health, and personal identity,” we have created an overview of the topics that our panelists […]

Sex and gender have core roles in how individuals see their identity and their place in society, as well as in how societies structure themselves. As such, the topic is […]

The lesson explores the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA), called the “first civil rights legislation of the 21st century” by former Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy. Learning about the history of […]

Spinal Muscular Atrophy is a rare genetic disorder, characterized by a loss of motor function. Researchers have developed treatments for people with this rare genetic disorder, and this lesson highlights […]

Chris reminds us how rapidly the field of genetics is changing and that education will be the key to the successful adoption of genetics in medicine. The genomic revolution is […]

The emergence of genome editing technologies, such as CRISPR, has opened new possibilities for engineering the world around us. Scientists are considering ways to apply these tools to address agricultural […]

New genetic technologies are allowing us to assess and alter our own DNA and that of other living things, which brings excitement about the potential for treating disease, as well […]

“De-extinction” is the process of reviving or creating an animal that resembles an extinct species. The woolly mammoth is a de-extinction candidate because its presence in the Arctic could slow […]

The parallels between the Jurassic Park film and real-life scientific advancements are undeniable. The plot of Jurassic Park (1993) and its sequels are based on the premise of using prehistoric […]

This lesson uses primary source documents to explore issues of race, gender and class in the 20th century. It is intended to extend the ideas explored in “Genetics, history, and […]

Personalized medicine, also referred to as precision medicine, holds great promise to improve healthcare. As the cost of genetic analysis decreases and research advances, it is becoming increasingly possible to […]

As scientists analyze DNA from more and more people, they are developing a better understanding of human genetic variation. This mini-lesson discusses what genetic variation is, and considers the questions: […]

Can genetic technology be used to rescue the Hawaiian honeycreeper birds? There is a new generation of genetic tools offering ways to change the world around us to improve human […]

Paul, a genetics educator, shares why he decided to learn about his own DNA through the Personal Genome Project. He describes what it is like to live with depression and […]

Athletics events (commonly referred to as track and field in the US) are often divided into men’s and women’s categories to provide fair competition, but efforts to define who qualifies […]

Teaching Mendelian patterns of inheritance is a useful way to introduce basic genetic concepts in the classroom. However, this framework can be unhelpful or even misleading if students do not […]

This lesson addresses some major innovations in reproductive genetic technologies that are being used by individuals who, for a variety of reasons, wish to know and/or have some choice about […]

This lesson provides students with a historical overview of the American eugenics movement and highlights some of the advances and breakthroughs that have been achieved through genetic and genomic research. […]

All athletes playing on college sports teams governed by the National College Athletic Association (NCAA) are required to confirm their Sickle Cell Trait (SCT) status by taking a blood test […]

Linda talks about the excitement in genetics and relates a personal story that illustrates why some people are fearful about scientific and medical breakthroughs. She emphasizes the need to be […]

Mapping the human genome – the Human Genome Project – was one piece of the puzzle toward understanding our health and other traits. What are the other factors that educators […]

Amy talks about the sometimes complicated intersection between genetics and faith and the value of discussions about genetics and the sticky ethical questions that can arise. The genomic revolution is […]

Alison, Chris, and Paul share some thoughts on disability, disease, and how we talk about biological differences. They talk about the real people behind the research and whether or not […]

Storytellers have long been fascinated with the moral and social implications of genetics. Many films explore different themes about genetic technologies and society, including cloning, sequencing, and gene editing. This […]

Athletics are often divided into men’s and women’s categories to provide fair competition, but efforts to define who qualifies to compete in the women’s events have been fraught with controversy. […]

Mitochondrial replacement therapy (MRT) is a new technique that enables prospective parents to avoid passing down certain serious medical conditions, called mitochondrial diseases, to their children. This therapy has drawn […]

The Science and Fiction of De-Extinction and Climate Change is a webinar presented by the SIE Society and Personal Genetics Education & Dialogue (PGED) featuring speakers Scott Z. Burns, George […]

A scientist and a social scientist discuss the power and peril of using categories to understand human differences, particularly those related to Down’s Syndrome. More broadly, they ask how useful […]

Mike shares a personal look at the opportunities to apply new genetic testing to common problems – in this case, getting drug dosage right in advance of surgery. He highlights […]

Language in biology and medicine can frame disability as a deviation from what is normal, acceptable, and welcome–a framework that can extend into classrooms. However, importing terms like “disorder” or […]

Our ‘Introduction to Personal Genetics’ gives an overview of how genetics may become relevant to our everyday lives. We aim to examine how new advances in personal genetics may impact […]

Gene editing is a form of genetic engineering in which DNA is inserted, deleted, or altered in an organism’s genome. One popular gene editing technology is called CRISPR. This booth […]

In the past decade, scientists have developed new tools for editing the DNA of living organisms, and these tools can be applied to all living organisms including the food supply. […]

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic condition caused by the inheritance of a gene variation. Some people are interested in understanding their risk for passing on cystic fibrosis or other […]

Enrique, a teacher in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Boyle Heights and a champion of the i.am.angel foundation, shares his excitement about the potential of genetics to transform the world […]

Elizabeth, a high school science teacher, explains why she makes time to engage her students on the ethical and societal dimensions of biology. The genomic revolution is unlocking opportunities and […]

Allison describes the revealing choices made by a young teenager whose mother died from breast cancer and seeks to help her see why her mother’s experience may not be her […]

Genetic ancestry testing is often framed as a means to understanding who we are and where we came from. But what, exactly, do the results of these tests mean? Why […]

Why might families affected by a rare genetic disorder look to genetic testing and advances in genetic research? In the lesson, students learn about the successes and challenges facing families […]

Advances in genetics have given researchers new tools for analyzing people’s DNA to gain insights into the ancestral histories of human populations. The rise of low-cost DNA ancestry tests marketed […]

Social worker Allison shares her thoughts about working with teenagers who have a family history of cancer, and the connections adolescents sometimes make about disease risk, their futures, and their […]

Advances in genetic technologies are accompanied by questions for society about if, where, and how to apply these tools. A new generation of genetic tools has opened a pathway to […]

The collection and analysis of DNA is an important tool in law enforcement. A key question that is woven through this presentation is how we as a society can use […]

Genetic tests can provide useful information for making healthcare decisions. However, patients often find it difficult to understand what the tests are looking for and what the results mean. How […]

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is caused by a common genetic variation that affects a person’s red blood cells. This SNAPSHOT explores why the variant that can cause red blood cells […]

GINA (the Genetic Information Non-discrimination Act) is a U.S. law to protect people’s genetic information at work and in the health insurance market (with some exceptions). Students consider that since […]

This lesson examines the many reasons a person may choose to learn about their genetic information. For some, a difficult-to-diagnose disease might be identified thanks to genetic testing, while others […]

It is increasingly possible for individuals to learn about their genetic ancestry through low-cost DNA tests marketed to consumers. Ancestry tests are nuanced, and the results are subject to limitations. […]

Can genetic technology be used to predict athletic performance or enhance the safety of athletes? What are the limits to using genetics in this way? What are some of the […]

This lesson provides students the opportunity to explore the excitement and challenges related to the direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing industry. How do consumers react to genetic information gleaned from DTC […]