Grade:7-9

Time Frame:2 weeks plus research at home

Goal:Students will demonstrate how genes are passed from parents to offspring.

Overview:

During a unit on genetics, students will examine the genetic traits they exhibit, research inherited diseases and show how they can pass their physical traits to an offspring produced with a randomly assigned partner.

Materials:

Internet, worksheet on collecting genetic data, worksheet to answer internet questions, materials to produce an offspring (white paper, chromosome chart, birth certificate)

Invitation:

After a unit on DNA, mitosis and meiosis, students will be familiar with organisms' methods of cell division. In the new unit on genetics, students will have already studied basic genetic vocabulary and Punnett squares at this point.

Students will use this website for help with learning the vocabulary, building models of DNA:

http://gslc.genetics.utah.edu/primer/inheritance.swf

Students will create a concept map explaining mitosis, meiosis, DNA, chromosomes and proteins.

Then, students will work in a group of 4 to examine inherited traits. Some traits that will be examined include widow's peak, ear lobes, eye color, hair color, handedness and tongue-rolling. They will gather data on all group members and then as a class, post it at:

http://cleo.terc.edu/cleo/participate/template/part-homepage.cfm

After finishing the chart, their Homework will be to research their family members' traits and be ready to share at the next class.

Exploration:

In the computer lab, as a class we will go to:

http://gslc.genetics.utah.edu/thematic/nf1/proteinrole/index.html

Then answer the following questions:

1. When do genes cause a medical condition?

2. If you have the gene for a disease, does that mean you will get it?

Click on the "want to know more" and then

3. Name the 3 types of mutations.

4. How are the proteins in your cells like cars?

Click on NF1 and families button. Then click on Finding a gene on the chromosome map.

5. How does the child get their genes?

6. Answer the three questions at the bottom of this page.

After discovering their traits, students will examine how they are passed from parents to offspring by learning about karyotyping at the following website:

http://www.biology.arizona.edu/human_bio/activities/karyotyping/karyotyping.html

Here, they will learn to match chromosomes and examine the patient's karyotype for possible genetic diseases.

A1) What notation would you use to show Patient A's karyotype?

A2) What diagnosis would you make?

B1) What notation would you use to show Patient B's karyotype?

B2) What diagnosis would you make?

C1) What notation would you use to show Patient C's karyotype?

C2) What diagnosis would you make?

Explanation:

 http://www.quia.com/jg/65753.html

Students will use this website to review vocabulary and get ready for a test on Genetics.

Take Action:

To apply their knowledge of genetics, students will be randomly assigned a marriage partner. Using their new knowledge of a karyotype and genetically inherited disease, the happy couple will:

ß construct an offspring with randomly assigned phenotypes by flipping chromosomes.

After the karyotype is discovered, they will

ß make a birth announcement

ß make a birth certificate describing their inherited traits.

Lastly, each partner will draw a picture (separately) showing their offspring at twelve years old. The marriage partners will then try to determine which picture matches their offspring by examining the physical traits exhibited by the drawings.