Genetics

These activities help students to understand the basic principles of genetics, including Punnett squares and pedigree analysis. These hands-on activities should immediately follow the Mitosis, Meiosis and Fertilization found on TN Curriculum web site and/or http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/sci_edu/waldron/ These resources study albinism to learn how traits are inherited and students use two-sided coins to simulate how genes behave. Students study sex determination, Sickle Cell anemia and learn how to illustrate the inheritance of a gene within a family by using a pedigree chart. Very detailed teacher notes and background infomration are at this site: http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/sci_edu/waldron/pdf/GeneticsTeachPrep.pdf teacher

Standards & Objectives

Learning objectives: 

To answer this question, we will investigate:

  • how genes influence our characteristics and
  • how genes are inherited by children from their parents.
Essential and guiding questions: 
  • Why do parents and their children have similar characteristics? 

Lesson Variations

Blooms taxonomy level: 
Applying

References

Contributors: