Learning Exercise
Self-Classification
Students will work in groups to examine their own bodies for the presence of Mendelian traits.
They will Classify themselves with respect to the following traits listed on the following URL. Students will work together to determine each others phenotype. Students will make a list of similar/different inherited traits amongst group
members. Groups will present thier findings and answer assigned questions.
They will Classify themselves with respect to the following traits listed on the following URL. Students will work together to determine each others phenotype. Students will make a list of similar/different inherited traits amongst group
members. Groups will present thier findings and answer assigned questions.
Course: Biology
- Material:
- Introduction to Genetics
- Date last modified:
- June 30, 2005
- Created by:
- Katherine Vazquez
- License:
-
Share
Definitions and Terms,"Blending" Theory of Inheritance, Mendel's Experiments, Mendel's Observations, Punnett Squares:... see more
Exercise
Write following questions on the board and assign a question to each group:
1) What is an analogy for the versatility of genes? (e.g A gene is like a single note in
a song.)
2) What does it mean to be dominant, to be recessive? (explain this in terms of
alleles)
3) If your mother had blond, curly hair AND your father had brown straight hair, would your hair be a mixture of the two types? Do genes blend? (why or why not?)
4) The physical appearance of a gene is called its phenotype. What is the genotype?
During the group activity ask the following questions based on the lesson and the activity to check for comprehension:
1) What is the phenotype of Juans hair? Can you determine the genotype?
2) If Tt (where T is dominant and represents curly hair/t is recessive and pertains to straight hair) is the genotype for Emilys hair type, what is the phenotype?
3) Summarize your neighbors phenotype with respect to the traits provided.
4) Explain why CC and Cc give the same phenotype.
5) What dominant traits do you express? What recessive traits do you express?
6) In your own words define a gene? Define an allele?
7) What does it mean to be homozygous recessive for tongue curling?
After group activity/group presentations open discussion with following questions:
1) Why cant you differentiate between a homozygous dominant or a heterozygous
dominant pair of alleles (e.g. MM/Mm)? How might you be more certain of the
genotype?
2) Does this help you understand why every person (except for identical twins) is so
different? Explain your answer.
Journal Entry: Write about something new that you learned today.How is this new knowledge valuable to you?
1) What is an analogy for the versatility of genes? (e.g A gene is like a single note in
a song.)
2) What does it mean to be dominant, to be recessive? (explain this in terms of
alleles)
3) If your mother had blond, curly hair AND your father had brown straight hair, would your hair be a mixture of the two types? Do genes blend? (why or why not?)
4) The physical appearance of a gene is called its phenotype. What is the genotype?
During the group activity ask the following questions based on the lesson and the activity to check for comprehension:
1) What is the phenotype of Juans hair? Can you determine the genotype?
2) If Tt (where T is dominant and represents curly hair/t is recessive and pertains to straight hair) is the genotype for Emilys hair type, what is the phenotype?
3) Summarize your neighbors phenotype with respect to the traits provided.
4) Explain why CC and Cc give the same phenotype.
5) What dominant traits do you express? What recessive traits do you express?
6) In your own words define a gene? Define an allele?
7) What does it mean to be homozygous recessive for tongue curling?
After group activity/group presentations open discussion with following questions:
1) Why cant you differentiate between a homozygous dominant or a heterozygous
dominant pair of alleles (e.g. MM/Mm)? How might you be more certain of the
genotype?
2) Does this help you understand why every person (except for identical twins) is so
different? Explain your answer.
Journal Entry: Write about something new that you learned today.How is this new knowledge valuable to you?
Disciplines
Audience
Technical Notes
(I have provided some sample questions and a sample journal entry under "Text of Assignment".
Topics
Type of Task
Learning Objectives
2) Distinguish between dominant and recessive traits
3) Explain the difference between gene and allele
4) Determine phenotype according to genotype
5) State Mendels two laws
6) Identify own and others traits (phenotype) and approximate genotype