From crime to paternity, DNA fingerprinting has revolutionized how the world views inherited traits. Science sleuths investigate the facts about DNA profiling through a variety of activities. The Teacher's Guide includes printable...

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...

Before a cell replicates, its DNA must replicate. Take advantage of a hands-on guided lesson to teach budding scientists how this happens. Using a set of nucleotide cards, learners become the DNA and work to create matching strands...

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...

This is mostly an exploration of race through an interactive website, class readings, and discussion. Individuals take an online quiz about race, they answer questions on a worksheet by visiting another website, and discover that race is...

You may not know if that zebrafish in your fish tank is a model citizen—but it is definitely a model organism! What can we learn about ourselves from a tiny zebrafish? Discover more about the polygenic trait of skin color through a...

Selective breeding has resulted in some novel and beautiful or useful dogs over the years. Using the American Foxhound as an example, genetics learners find out how and why they came about. Then, in small groups, they select breeds to...

Learners analyze genetic patterns. In this pedigree lesson, students determine dominant or recessive inheritance. They construct a human pedigree from genetic information.

Students explore heredity by examining how traits are passed from parent to offspring. Genetic terminology is examined and examples of inherited traits discussed. calculating genetic probability is also investigated in this instructional...

Tell case study story of EMS-induced chlorophyll polka-dots in C-ferns. You will need to be familiar with the experiment, as there are some slides that have only photos, no text and no presenter's notes. By using this presentation,...

Some traits only exist in males and some only in females. Pupils learn how the location of genes on sex chromosomes determines them using an interactive lesson. An animation illustrates how scientists know this to be true and shows how...

Whether or not you think mice are nice, you'll love the colorful activity! Scholars examine evidence for evolution in the rock pocket mouse through video, discussion, and collaborative work. Learners watch a video regarding variation in...

Find out the science behind ancestry testing! Investigators watch a video exploring how ancestry works before participating in a hands-on group activity. Scholars role play scientists while learning about testing protocols and test...

How did that turkey get from the early Aztec culture to your table? Learn about the history of wild and domesticated turkeys in North America, as well as their inclusion in Thanksgiving traditions, with a two-part agricultural science...

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...

Designed to accompany the 13-minute video The Making of the Fittest: The Birth and Death of Genes, this handout serves as both a viewing guide during the video and an analysis of how the adaptations of the icefish might help treat...

For this biology worksheet, students track and record the passage of colored pom pom traits through three generations of ginger-bread people. Then they describe that traits are passed from parents to offspring and that siblings may or...

In this genetics worksheet, students answer a variety of questions about inheritance, DNA, the genetic code, genes, sexual and asexual reproduction, mutations, protein synthesis and genetic engineering.

In this genetics learning exercise, learners complete a crossword puzzle by determining the terms associated with the 24 clues given. Students review terms such as phenotype, genotype, alleles, and Mendel.

Sixth graders list traits that all sixth graders share. They receive worksheets "Tracking Down Traits," working in groups to complete the chart. Students share results with the class and a class summary is tallied. Students discuss the...

Young scholars model traits on genes using colored paper and tongue depressors to represent chromosomes. In this heredity lesson plan, students use their "chromosome sticks" to understand chromosome pairs, genes, dominant traits,...

Young learners examine how different traits could give one organism an advantage over another. In groups, they view two different organisms in different environments. To end the lesson, they complete a Venn Diagram on the two organisms...

Students explore natural selection. For this genetic adaptation lesson, students discover why certain traits continue and some traits disappear. Students discover how species evolve and change. Resources are provided.

In this biology activity, 9th graders create a Punnett square to show the possible offspring of a carrier female and a normal male for color blindness. Then they draw a pedigree for the family and indicate whether the daughter is...