Curated OER
Sex-Linked Genes
Students review the concepts of incomplete dominance, co-dominance and multiple alleles. As a class, they are introduced to the concept of sex-linked genes and how they are passed to offspring. To end the lesson, they examine possible...
Curated OER
Genetics of Parenthood
Young scholars participate in an activity where they flip coins to determine which allele they pass on to the F1 generation and draw the resulting child's face. They identify several inheritance patterns including dominant, recessive,...
Serendip
Should States Repeal Their Laws Banning First Cousin Marriage?
Around half of the states in the US ban first cousin marriage, but does science support that ban? Scholars work through genetic analysis of the risks to understand if more states should ban the practice—or if some should remove it. They...
Curated OER
Recovering the Romanovs
Students use DNA to solve an identity mystery. In this biology lesson, students use the Internet to gather information about sex-linked disorders and complete a Punnett square for hemophilia, then examine a handwriting analysis, ear...
Curated OER
Karyotypes and Inheritance of Chromosomes
Students explore the mode of inheritance of chromosomes. Given a scenario, students use the Human Genome sheet to determine inherited chromosomes. They illustrate the difference between genotype and phenotype. Students develop a model...
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The Molecular Biology of Mutations and Muscular Dystrophy
Different types of mutations cause unique types and degrees of muscular dystrophy. Scholars learn about the types of mutations and the impact on the body. They compare the location of the mutations and draw conclusions about how it is...
Curated OER
Genetics & Pedigrees
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.
Serendip
Soap Opera Genetics – Genetics to Resolve Family Arguments
Did she cheat on her husband? Did the hospital switch the babies? Should they have children? As much as this sounds like the plot for a soap opera, all of these questions fit into a single lesson on genetics. Scholars read about three...
Curated OER
Human Inheritance
High schoolers analyze genetic characteristics in a given family tree through the F2 generation. Students apply prior knowledge from Gregor Mendel's study with pea plants and his Laws of Heredity to answer questions.
Curated OER
Dragon Genetics Lab-Principles of Mendelian Genetics
Students study genetic traits using popsicle sticks as chromosomes. In this biology instructional activity, students explain how traits are inherited from parents. They differentiate dominant and recessive genes.
National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science
In Sickness and in Health
Based on family history, how likely is it that a couple's children will have a recessive disease? In an in-depth, but easy-to-follow case study, future geneticists learn the story of Greg and Olga, who are hoping to have children, but...
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
Mendelian and Non-Mendelian Heredity
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...
Curated OER
The Genetic Basis of Neurological Disorders
Students explore neurological disorders. They examine the presence and absence of discernible genes. Students describe neruological diseases and draw faces of affected persons. They play a human neurology disorders learning game.
Curated OER
Biology - Life Cycles Game
Students develop a working vocabulary of terms related to the life cycle. In small groups, students play the life cycle's game which consists of matching and defining vocabulary. Directions for creating the game board are included with...
Curated OER
The Genetic Basis of Neurological Disorders
Students describe some aspects of known genetic defects on the human neurological condition. They participate in a variety of exercises including drawings, games, and analogies.
Curated OER
Drosophila Melanogaster
Students cross wild type flies and mutants, both purchased from a biological supply house (Carolina Biological Supply or Wards, for example) in groups from instructional activity one.
Curated OER
Cells and Cancer
Students idenitfy that cancer is a growth of mutated cells and that cancer cells are only one type of cell that causes disease in our body. They also identify that all eukaryotic cells contain a nucleus, cytoskeleton, and a cell...