Lesson Plan
Curated OER

My Family and Me: Our Similarities and Differences

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Young scholars are introduced to basic genetic information to discover how they acquired the traits they have. Individually, they develop a family tree and identify the similarities and differences between two poeple. In groups, they...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Look Into the Past

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students practice looking at their genetics to inquire about their past. In groups, they determine their recessive and dominant genes and plot their height on a graph. They compare and contrast the processes of meiosis and mitosis. ...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Genetics, Birth Disorders, and Pregnancy

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students in an alternative school setting for pregnant teens examine various facets of pregnancy including prenatal and postpartum testing, genetic influences, and additional risk factors. Through videos, hands-on activities, and small...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

I Wear My Genes Inside Out: The Genetic Characteristics of Animals

For Teachers K - 2nd
Young scholars create mixed breed dogs using paper illustrations of various breeds. They label dogs created by students using the Genetics Center and discuss the aspects of genetics that affect the outcome of the various projects.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

DNA Isolation from Plant Tissue

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students perform an experiment to extract and observe DNA from plant Tissue. They read about the procedure and relate it to the procedure used to isolate DNA from an endangered plant species. This is lesson three in a nine lesson unit...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Making Babies

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Learners participate in a genetics activity in which they determine genotypes and phenotypes for given traits. They work with a partner and create babies based on their genotypes. Once traits for babies are determined, they write...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Genetics

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students explain the difference between dominant and recessive genes, identify what causes differences in the traits of parents and their offspring, and explain how sex is determined. They will also improve their reading and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Life Cycle of a Frog

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students read a book about a frog and the stages of its life. They read the description cards given and work in groups to study all of the wells of the frog life cycle. Finally, students identify and interpret various slides and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Who's Who and How Do You Know for Sure?

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students investigate the applications of DNA fingerprinting, They read crime scenarios and using the details of the crime and laboratory experimentation decide the suspects guilt or innocence.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Genetics & Pedigrees

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students examine genetic inheritance patterns and pedigrees. After discussing sex-linked genes, students use pedigrees to determine the genotypes of parents in the P1 generation. They complete worksheets and disuss the results.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Genetics Mendelian

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore genetic terms, the Law of Dominance and the contributions of Gregor Mendel. After discussing Mendel's lab and his pea plants students observe examples of a phenotype chart. Afterward, they conduct their own lab to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Natural Selection And Evolution

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students investigate the concept of evolution and how natural selection is used as an indicator that evolution has happened. They recognize the three effects it has on diversity and how adaptations can develop. Diversity is explained as...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Natural Selection And Evolution

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders investigate the concept of natural selection and its relationship to the theory of evolution. They conduct research using a variety of resources and use the information to create a class presentation and open up the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Color is Your Colony?

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
Learners conduct an experiment to change the color of E. coli bacteria using genetic engineering. They work in small groups to add a plasmid containing a gene for red pigment to the bacteria and culture the bacteria to see if it ...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Variety is the Spice of Life

For Teachers 5th - 8th
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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Just Like Me

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students review genetic concept of traits, define and discuss phenotypes and genotypes, examine differences between single gene traits and multiple gene traits, and compare and record phenotypes with every other student in class.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Genetic Engineering

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners are introduced to the concept of genetic engineering. In groups, they participate in a variety of experiments, in which they analyze the effect of chemicals on different substances. Using the internet, they research gossypol,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Real Family Genetics

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students research genetic disease and mutation causing traits in family pedigrees simulated in a class activity. Students are each assigned a genetic trait and a "spouse" and must conduct research on their traits and the probability of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Edible DNA

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Learners use multicolored soft candies (gumdrops and candy orange slices) and toothpicks to create models of DNA structures. They discuss the fact that DNA must copy itself before splitting into two cells. Students demonstrate this by...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fun With Genetics!

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students use the internet to research a specific type of genetic problem they have read about. In groups, they use their textbook to analyze the characteristics of new vocabulary and concepts. They develop a solution to the genetics...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Genetics and Heredity

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers study genetics and heredity. They explore the structure of DNA and genes through a series of activities that includes watching videos, conducting online research, and making vocabulary books. They investigate DNA,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Genetics and Heredity

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore genetics and heredity. They study meiosis and view videos and create vocabulary flashcards. They create a graphic organizer that compares and contrasts sexual and asexual reproduction in each of the six kingdoms. They...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Genetic Disorders with Cultural Roots: International Insects

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students recognize that certain populations have specific genetic disorders that could benefit or harm them in their environment, work out punnett square problems and infer offspring probabilities from results, and provide advantages and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Heredity (Mendelian Genetics)

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students observe and record observations of whether a person is a taster or nontaster. They test selected individuals from their families and peer groups and chart all findings to determine which trait (e.g. taster or non-taster) is...