Genetic Diseases Lesson Plans

Students are introduced to genetics along with genetic diseases and heredity. In groups, they complete a Punnett Square to determine the dominant and recessive genes. After viewing diagrams, they identify the characteristics of DNA and demonstrate the processes of Meiosis and Mitosis. To end the lesson, they discover the factors that cause genes to mutate.

Students use a karyotype to determine characteristics of the "baby" created in the lab activity. In this karyotyping lesson plan, students analyze the traits and characteristics that can be determined from a karyotype such as the sex of the baby and particular traits identified by letters on the karyotype. Students answer general questions about genetic diseases, traits on chromosomes and sex linked traits.

Learners explore and can explain genetic diseases, and how the central dogma plays a key role in genetic diseases. They comprehend what DNA probe is and how it is created and that there is an ethical component to biotechnology.

Seventh graders create a DNA model in class and discuss how nitrogen bases would pair up. In this biology lesson, 7th graders research about a genetic disease assigned to them. They create a presentation about their findings and share it with the class.

Students observe a video on sickle cell disease and research an assigned genetic disease.  In this investigative lesson students watch a video, break into groups and research a genetic disorder then create a poster. 

Eighth graders engage inn role-playing activities as families caring for babies with genetic defects. A partial list of activities include: dressing the babies ( raw eggs), designing birth certificates, and recording a log of care, therapies, and other treatments. After researching the disease and composing letters to scientists and genetic counselors, 8th graders assemble all their information into Powerpoint presentations or Web pages.

Students explore genes and inheritance. After listening to a story describing a rare genetic disease, students discuss inheritance and how living things pass on traits to their children. In groups students, students decipher code problems, draw each problem, and predict what would happen if the codes were changed.

Students describe genetics as if they were explaining it to a young child. After reading an article, they discover new discoveries in the human genome project. Using the internet, they research a pair of genetic terms and develop a skit. They perform the skits for their classmates.

Tenth graders discuss their physical features, and why they look the way they do. They listen as the teacher discusses DNA, alleles, and dominant or recessive genes. Students perform an experiment with different colored markers representing alleles to determine genotypic and henotypic ratios among offspring.

Students examine the goals of the Human Genome Project. They research issues of the project such as scientific, potential and ethical implications of the project. In addition, they create a presentation to present their findings.