Students will encounter puzzling mutation-related phenomena, build foundational understanding of how environmental factors can alter DNA and proteins, and develop focused, investigable research questions with testable hypotheses that will guide their week-long investigation.

Students will design a rigorous, peer-reviewed methodology to investigate how a specific environmental mutagen influences genetic mutations, ensuring their approach matches their research question, identifies variables clearly, and includes a detailed data collection and quality control plan before beginning evidence collection.

Students will systematically collect and document mutation-related data using their approved investigation plans, ensuring careful recording of conditions, variables, and anomalies to build a reliable evidence base for later analysis and claims.

Students will interpret their mutation investigation data by creating meaningful visualizations, identifying patterns and anomalies, challenging one another’s interpretations, and connecting evidence back to their original research question and hypothesis before moving to final conclusions.

Students will synthesize their investigation findings on environmental mutagens, draw evidence-based conclusions, explicitly acknowledge limitations, generate new research questions, and present and defend their claims to an authentic audience during the Mutation Fair.