Name Game Activity

Background

Metagenomic analysis is used to group the DNA sequences that are collected in a

sample, and identify which species or genus the DNA belongs to and a single sample

can contain the pooled DNA from an entire microbiome of thousands of different

species. The grouping of the sequences is a process that groups together sequences

that are most similar to one another. The purpose of this activity is to explore how these

groupings are made, and what information we can gain from these groupings. We can

gather two types of information by creating these groupings. We can learn qualitative

information, or categorical information about the data. We can also learn quantitative

information, or numerical information about the data. For example, if Bob runs 3 miles,

the method of transportation (biking, running, walking) would be (qualitative/quantitative)

information, and how far he travels would be (qualitative/quantitative) information.

Directions

The class will be separated into sections, and your section of the class will be given a set of name tags to sort into as many groups as your section sees fit. The name tags should be sorted based on similarity. Here is an example:

Discuss with your partners how to separate the name tags into groups. Once you have sorted all the name tags into groups, look at the population that you have been given, think about the structure of the population, and answer the questions below.

Notes and Questions

How did you separate the name tags into groups?

How large were the different groups that you formed?

What do you notice about the groups?

EXAMPLE

Hello, my name is:

How many total name tags are in your population?

Calculate the percentage of each group in your population according to this equation:

Group percent = Total number of name tags of a given group

Total number of name tags in population∗ 100%

Please list each group, and calculate that group’s percentage in the population.

What is something quantitative about your population? What’s something qualitative?

Talk to a neighboring group and compare your populations. How did that group separate the name tags into groups?

Giving a quantitative measurement, how similar are the names DAVID and DAMID?

What about EMMET and EMILY? ROMEO and REMOO?

If groupings were made based on 97% or more similarity, how many groups would be in your population?

The following questions are related to the abilities of your population. This topic

will be discussed later in class, and you will answer the questions then.

What abilities does your population have?

What abilities does the other group’s population have?

Which population will eat more pineapple?

Name Game Activity

Here’s an example of the name tag if you want to copy and paste your own.

40-ish reads of three names in this doc. You will want to print out enough so that small groups (2-3 recommended) in your class can have 10-20 name tags each. Total Counts: Susan Variations (19 total): 4 SUSAN, 3 SOSAN, 3 5USAM, 2 SU5AN, 2 SDSAN, 2 5U5AN, 2 SCSAN, 1 SVSAM Maria Variations (14 total): 3 MARIA, 3 MAPIA, 3 NARIA, 2 MKRIA, 2 MAPLA, 1 NAPIA Kenny Variations (7 total): 2 KENNY, 1 KENMY, 1 7ENNY, 1 KENNV, 1 PENNY, 1 KFNNI Ambiguous Variations: KEMAR, SUNNY, KENAN, MARNY, NYRIA, ANARI, SURIA, ENARI, KUSIA (10 total): 2 SUNNY, 2 KENAN, 2 MARNY, 2 SURIA, 2 KUSIA Other 5 letter names (Either for “Misreads,” or an expansion pack): LAURA, DAVID, MADDY, MARGE, ABBIE, VIOLA, CHRIS, KEVIN, BOBBY, ANDRE, ALVIN, ADELE, ALICE, DEBRA, EMERY, JANET, HENRY, ROMEO, WENDY, ZAYNE (8 total): 1 LAURA, 1 ALVIN, 1 MADDY, 1 VIOLA, 1 CHRIS, 1 KEVIN, 1 EMERY, 1 DEBRA

Hello, my name is

When kept as a full set: 19/58 = “SUSAN” 14/58 = “MARIA” 7/58 = “KENNY” 4/58 = SUSAN/KENNY Ambiguous 2/58 = MARIA/KENNY Ambiguous 2/58 = SUSAN/MARIA Ambiguous 2/58 = SUSAN/MARIA/KENNY Ambiguous 10/58 = Other 5 letter names

How to run the activity: Note: Because this activity is all about the grouping process based on similarity, I have

tried to avoid the word “group” when discussing a small number of students. Students

are divided into sections.

Distribute the worksheets and split the class into sections of 3 or so students each.

Explain the set-up of the activity:

You will be working in your sections to group these different names together as you see

fit. Group them based off of similarity. They should fall into one of three categories, and

each category has a special ability. For example, Maria’s ability is that she is good at

eating ice cream.

Pass out 10-20 (20 is preferred) name tags to each section. Make sure that the name

tags are shuffled, and not pre-organized by name category.

Let them do the activity and talk in their sections.

There are questions on the worksheet to guide their group discussion. There are also

sections for calculating the percentage of particular names in the sample.

Go up to the groups and ask things like how did you group them? Why did you choose

that method? How different are the individual names within a group? Also assist with

percentage calculations if needed.

After they have talked in their groups, tell them to talk with the other group, and help

each other to answer the questions on their worksheet.

Bring the class together and ask different groups what percentage they calculated for

each of the different names. You can write the different percentages that the sections

found on the board and look at them and compare. Note: it may be interesting to

accumulate statistics from classes throughout the course of a day. Once the class’

sections results are on the board you can ask the students to notice the differences

between populations. Then you can ask: Which of the populations would be best at

eating pizza? Why? If the populations went to a Frozen-themed party, where there were

all kinds of frozen foods – ice cream, popsicles, snow cones, etc. which population

would enjoy the party the most? Why? If the party drags on for weeks on end, what

might happen to the Susan’s and the Kenny’s in that population? How might they adapt?

Would they leave?

Try and get the students to understand that the populations could change over time,

especially depending on what kind of resources are available. The relative percentages

of the different microbes (names might change), or the microbes might adapt to the new

environment. For example, one student said that Susan might start eating frozen pizza.

SUSAN

Hello, my name is

SUSAN

Hello, my name is

SUSAN

Hello, my name is

SUSAN

Hello, my name is

SOSAN

Hello, my name is

SOSAN

Hello, my name is

SOSAN

Hello, my name is

5USAM

Hello, my name is

5USAM

Hello, my name is

5USAM

Hello, my name is

SU5AN

Hello, my name is

SU5AN

Hello, my name is

SDSAN

Hello, my name is

SDSAN

Hello, my name is

5U5AN

Hello, my name is

5U5AN

Hello, my name is

SCSAN

Hello, my name is

SCSAN

Hello, my name is

SVSAM

Hello, my name is

MARIA

Hello, my name is

MARIA

Hello, my name is

MARIA

Hello, my name is

MAPIA

Hello, my name is

MAPIA

Hello, my name is

MAPIA

Hello, my name is

NARIA

Hello, my name is

NARIA

Hello, my name is

NARIA

Hello, my name is

MKRIA

Hello, my name is

MKRIA

Hello, my name is

MAPLA

Hello, my name is

MAPLA

Hello, my name is

NAPIA

Hello, my name is

KENNY

Hello, my name is

KENNY

Hello, my name is

KENMY

Hello, my name is

7ENNY

Hello, my name is

KENNV

Hello, my name is

KFNNI

Hello, my name is

PENNY

Hello, my name is

SUNNY

Hello, my name is

KENAN

Hello, my name is

SUNNY

Hello, my name is

KENAN

Hello, my name is

MARNY

Hello, my name is

SURIA

Hello, my name is

MARNY

Hello, my name is

SURIA

Hello, my name is

KUSIA

Hello, my name is

KUSIA

Hello, my name is

LAURA

Hello, my name is

ALVIN

Hello, my name is

MADDY

Hello, my name is

DEBRA

Hello, my name is

EMERY

Hello, my name is

CHRIS

Hello, my name is

VIOLA

Hello, my name is

KEVIN

Hello, my name is