Curated OER
Variety is the Spice of Life
Students explore Gregor Mendel's work with genetics. They complete a survey of their friends and family in order to identify dominant and recessive traits. Once their surveys are complete, students discuss the ways in which dominant...
Curated OER
Taster of Non-Taster?
Students investigate their own inherited traits by using taste papers. In this genetic traits lesson, students test their ability to taste various substances, which is determined by inherited genetic traits. They take home taste papers...
Curated OER
Rock, Paper, Scissors
Fifth graders explore genetic traits. In this genetic traits lesson, 5th graders investigate dominant and recessive traits. Students identify similar traits between a parent organism and its offspring.
Biology Junction
Mendelian Genetics
Over the course of seven years, Gregor Mendel grew more than 28,000 pea plants. The large amount of data he collected led him to postulate the rules of genetics as we understand them today. Scholars learn about Mendel, genetics, and...
Science Friday
Colorful Chromosomes
Everything is in the genes. Individuals observe 14 different traits of themselves. Using pipe cleaners and beads, the learners create models of a chromosome representing their traits. The class then compares and contrasts everyone's...
Curated OER
The Genetics of Parenthood
Students draws the child's face and compares "mother's" and "father's" perception of characteristics. One student draws the child's face; partner writes a biography of the child at age 30- what is the child like, what have they...
Curated OER
Human Genetic Traits
Students investigate dominant and recessive traits by studying their schoolmates. In this genetics lesson, students analyze specific traits of other children in school and create a database of information based on whom carries which...
US National Library of Medicine
Genetic Traits in Harry Potter
Explore human genetics through the world of Harry Potter. A thorough lesson develops the introductory concepts of genetics using characters of the popular book series. Learners study topics from DNA and chromosomes to Punnett Squares and...
Curated OER
Dragon Genetics ~ Independent Assortment and Genetic Linkage
Imagine a pair of dragons that produce offspring. What percentage of the hatchlings have wings and large antlers? An engaging activity draws genetics learners in, introduces them to alleles, meiosis, phenotypes, genotypes, and teaches...
Curated OER
World-wide Search for the Dominant Trait
Students receive instruction on dominant/recessive traits, access World-Wide Search for the Dominant Trait and download information on which traits to assess. They collect data on at least 20 people and prepare a data chart.
Curated OER
Where'd You Get Those Genes?
Really a unit, this resource exposes middle schoolers to genetics at their level. They read interviews and biographies, trace a family tree, play games that simulate inheritance concepts, and more! Teacher's procedures, student...
Serendip
Genetics
A handout on genetic inheritance begins with a reading on alleles and how they can result in albinism. Junior geneticists learn to complete Punnett squares and participate in a coin toss simulation of allele pairing. They also learn...
Curated OER
"Easter" Egg Genetics
Using plastic Easter eggs to represent parent phenotypes, genetics enthusiasts simulate the passing of alleles. They record the phenotype of each half of the egg, one representing the mother's and one representing the father's. They...
Curated OER
Raven Chapter 13 Guided Notes: Patterns of Inheritance
In this short space, it would be impossible to describe the breadth of this seven-page genetics worksheet. Geared toward AP or college biology learners, they explore not only the basic vocabulary and concepts, but also the Law of...
US National Library of Medicine
Genetics in Harry Potter’s World Lesson 1
By the end of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, we know Harry and Ginny get married, but what will their kids look like? This presentation introduces viewers to Punnett Squares and how to use them to determine both dominant and...
Science 4 Inquiry
Monster Mash-Up of Genetics
It's alive! Young mad scientists create monsters as they explore the probabilities of genetic traits during a well-structured inquiry lesson. Pairs travel from station to station, rolling the dice and adding traits to their creations as...
Kenan Fellows
A Farmer’s Challenge to Breed to the Greatest of Grapes
What does your class know about GMOs? Are they savvy to selective breeding? Challenge young minds to engineer the greatest crop of all time using a hands-on genetics unit. Learners discover the good and bad details of selective breeding,...
Curated OER
Genetics
Students create a checklist of traits common in all of their families. Uisng a table, they compare and contrast their family members to non-family members. They also review dominant and recessive traits and discuss how knowing about...
Curated OER
Zork Genetics
In this genetics worksheet, students use an imaginary species and a list of genetic traits and the alleles that code for each trait to determine the genotype and phenotype probabilities of offspring. Students complete nine monohybrid...
Curated OER
Mendel's Laws of Heredity
In this heredity worksheet, students will review the work Mendel did on predicting how traits were passed down from generation to generation. Then students will review monohybrid and dihybrid crosses and Punnett squares. This worksheet...
Curated OER
Fun with Heredity
Students explore basic concepts of heredity and collaborate to see genetics in action through several activities provided in the lesson. Inherited traits are examined and identified as dominant or recessive.
Curated OER
Heredity Worksheet #1
In this genetics worksheet, students review the experiments on pea plants that Mendel used to explain dominant and recessive alleles. This worksheet has 10 fill in the blank questions.
Curated OER
What is Genetics?
In this biology worksheet, 9th graders identify which seed color is dominant in the given chart and explain why it is. Then they create a Punnett square showing the alleles of the parent plants and first generation of offspring.
Curated OER
Heredity Worksheet #2
In this genetics instructional activity, learners use a diagram showing the genetic offspring of plants with different types of seeds to answer 4 short answer questions. Then students determine the traits of offspring of different...