I used this case at the end of a semester-long non-majors course on Heredity, Evolution, and Society. We spent about two hours on this case. Students were split into groups of four or five with each group having at least one strong student. I also let each group know that it was important for everybody in the group to understand the problems and answers since I could call on anybody to give the consensus answer.

My students loved this case study since it really helped to tie in concepts that we had gone over all semester and that they had trouble with. In particular, the idea of X-linked versus recessive, writing genotypes, and identifying carriers. This was a great way to have them construct pedigrees and go over the basic concepts of genetics in time for the final.

Thanks for writing this well-designed case.

Comments submitted 05/15/2006 by:

Chaya Nanavati
Department of Biology
Ohlone College
Fremont, CA
cnanavati@ohlone.edu