7th

Grade Genetics Introduction

Objective:

Students create Punnett squares to determine the probability of expressed traits of offspring and

analyze how this probability affects real world observable traits.

Materials Needed:

Laptop with internet access (blog or forum set up on school website or learning platform)

Science Explorer Life Science (Prentice Hall, 2005)

The Little Book of Medical Breakthroughs (Craft, 2008)

Blackout activity sheets (attached)

Procedures:

Day 1 Bellwork:

Students log onto http://labcenter.dnalc.org/labs/mendeliangenetics/media/unique.html

Students choose pictures that best depict their personal traits and are able to find out how many

other participants have the same combination of traits. The number of participants is almost

100,000. Students then write about their uniqueness and compare themselves to others in their

group and in the room. This will lead us into our round table discussion based on the following

questions. Why do they have traits that differ from other students and siblings, and how did their

body know which traits to make?

At the end of the conversation, I will read from The Little Book of Medical Breakthroughs about

“Mendel and The Birth of Genetics”. This short passage shares the history of genetics, and the

discovery that traits are passed through generations on chromosomes.

Reading:

Students read pages 110-115 from Science Explorer Life Science while focusing on the

underlying question “Can a short pea plant ever be a hybrid?”.

Discussion:

Students pair share when finished and try to answer the question “Can a short pea plant ever be a

hybrid?” Remind them to support their answer with the information read. Invite children to

discuss their ideas in a large group setting.

Day 2 Bellwork:

A forum is an extension of the learning in the class and gives students a chance to think critically

about real world genetics and debate the predictions of others. Students join the blog or forum

after reading “Blue eyes are increasingly rare in America”. This article can be found online at

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/18/world/americas/18iht-web.1018eyes.3199975.html. The

forum question is “If Brown eyes are dominant (B) and blue eyes recessive (b), do you think

there’ll ever be a day when blue eyes completely vanish from the Earth?” Students can be given

a participation grade for joining the forum with a statement of their own belief and commenting

on another students statement.

Reading:

Students open http://www.sumanasinc.com/webcontent/animations/content/mendel/mendel.html.

This lesson explains how probability plays a part in genetics, and how Punnett squares are used

to determine the probability of certain allele combinations occurring. Students are introduced to

useful vocabulary, such as homozygous and heterozygous and examine how these combinations

affect resulting phenotypes. As students read the digital passage about Mendel they are

synthesizing knowledge and applying it interactively to fill out the different Punnett squares and

analyze resulting traits. The animation will only continue when correct answers are inserted.

Blackout Activity: (attached)

The blackout reading takes the learning a step further by connecting it to real world genetic

issues. Students can choose which article to take as their activity sheet, “Horse color genetics in

simple laymen terms: Basics” or “Twins don’t share everything”. First working individually

then partnering to share ideas for blackened words, groups will self check by accessing the

original article (see below). An ending conversation will allow for students to share what they

learned about genetics from the articles. In addition, students will discuss words that were

difficult to figure out. Other students may comment about context clues that helped them

decipher a word or phrase.

http://www.examiner.com/article/horse-color-genetics-simple-laymen-terms-basics

http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2012/07/twins-carry-different-flags-on-their-dna-even-from-

birth

Assessment:

Students are informally assessed on the interactive Mendel website, which will not continue

unless correct Punnett squares have been completed. Blackout activities and forums also provide

informal formative assessments. A more formal assessment will be given at the end of the unit

on genetics and, again, during ITBS.

Professional Standards

21st Century Skills:

http://www.p21.org/overview/skills-framework

Students will work on learning and innovation skills through reasoning effectively and

collaborating with others; Students will work on information, media and technology skills as

they apply technology effectively; and Students will work on life and career skills as they

manage their goals and time while working independently, and interact effectively with others.

Iowa Core:

http://www.educateiowa.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2463&Itemid=4

560

Students will understand and apply knowledge of how different organisms pass on their traits

(heredity).

ISTE Standards:

http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-students/nets-student-standards-2007

Students will use digital environments to communicate and work collaboratively

(communication and collaboration); Students will apply digital tools to gather and use

information (research and information fluency), Students will practice safe and responsible use

of information and technology and will exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology that

supports collaboration and learning (digital citizenship).

7th

Grade Life Science Benchmarks: (attached)

Students will demonstrate an understanding of reproduction and heredity through understanding

sexual reproduction produces offspring that are genetically different from both mother and

father. Organisms require a set of instructions for specifying traits and these traits are passed

from one generation to another. Students will understand that many individuals from various

cultures have contributed to the traditions of science. Students will develop predictions using

evidence.

School Mission:

http://www.glenwoodschools.org/education/components/scrapbook/default.php?sectiondetailid=

16054&

The mission of the Glenwood Community School District is to develop in all students the

knowledge and competencies required of responsible citizens of a global society. This will be

accomplished by solving problems creatively and resourcefully, working productively, learning

constantly, communicating effectively, acting responsibly, and using technology capably.

Digital collaboration and communication is required in this lesson, along with working

productively and acting responsibly.

“So What” for Students:

This lesson should be appealing to students who need to be actively involved throughout the

lesson. The interactive Mendelian website has short pieces of information followed by self

assessing activities to be completed by the student. The student not only needs to set up the

Punnett squares with alleles, but also needs to interpret which traits the combination would

create. Throughout the lesson there are also questions which should take students to a deeper

level and allow them to apply and defend their new found knowledge in online and classroom

discussions. Reading excerpts are short but meaningful to the students. Also, the forum

provides a chance for students to defend their own prediction about whether or not blue eyes will

one day be extinct.

“So What” for Teacher:

I like the way this lesson is set up because it gets us away from always using the science book as

the reading source. Also, this lesson allows for article choices based on different interests. I can

save this lesson and next year add more articles, and possibly other questions on the forum, to

give students more choices while allowing for success at different academic levels. I’m not sure

if I like the idea of the blackout activity yet until I actually try it in the classroom, but the idea of

ending certain lessons with current articles to read should interest the children in real world

science while developing their reading comprehension skills. Also, this lesson emphasizes the

importance of higher order questioning whether it offers a focus during reading or a topic for

discussion and debate afterward.