Interactive
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

Genes Don't Blend

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Yellow and blue make green—unless you're studying the inheritance of genetic traits. An interactive lesson explains the difference between blended traits and pure traits and gives examples of their occurrence. The resource includes a...
Lesson Plan
Beyond Benign

Punnett Square Possibilities

For Students 6th - 8th
Discover possible genetic outcomes through Punnett Squares. Learners continue studying genetic traits in the 10th lesson plan in the 17-part series. After determining the father of Sparky's kittens, scholars now attempt to predict the...
Lesson Plan
Serendip

Should States Repeal Their Laws Banning First Cousin Marriage?

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
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...
Unit Plan
Anthropological Association

Race: Teacher Guide: Race

For Teachers 6th - 8th
How has the concept of race changed over time? Explore the genetic, cultural, and social aspects of race through a series of impactful activities. Scholars discover how race is influenced by inherited traits, examine census records to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Genetics of Parenthood

For Teachers 9th - 12th
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...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Mendelian Inheritance of Human Traits

For Students 9th - Higher Ed
In this Mendelian inheritance worksheet, students will use a pedigree to complete 4 short answer questions about recessive and dominant traits. Then students will create a Punnett square. Finally, students will match 5 genetic disorders...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Genome: A Tour and Genetic Disorder Brochure

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Learners use the Internet to gather information about genetics, then research a genetic disorder. In this biology lesson, students listen to an interview with a geneticist, watch an animation of "chromosome coiling", then research and...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Zork Genetics

For Students 9th - 12th
In this genetics worksheet, learners 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...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Genetics Challenge

For Students 9th - 12th
In this genetics worksheet, students fill in the blanks with terms related to genes, alleles, genotypes, phenotypes and heredity. They use their answers to complete a joke.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Human Genetic Disorder Probabilities

For Students 9th - 12th
In this genetic disorders worksheet, students complete punnett squares for six different human genetic disorders. They predict the outcome of the offspring including the phenotypes and genotypes of each.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Cell Reproduction and Inheritance

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students determine their inherited characteristics from their parents. In this biology lesson, students study the life of Mendel using an interactive website. They differentiate dominant and recessive characteristics.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Pea Plant Punnett Square Worksheet

For Students 7th - 12th
How often do you find a science worksheet that comes with separate teacher's instructions? Here is one of those rare instances. Goals and objectives, materials, and evaluation guidelines precede the actual assignment. Biology leaners...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Heredity Worksheet #4

For Students 9th - Higher Ed
For this genetics worksheet, students use a pedigree to determine if any of the offspring carry a recessive trait. This worksheet has 5 fill in the blank and 5 short answer questions.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pedigrees

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine various inheritance patterns using pedigrees. In groups, they predict what might happen to the offspring of a woman with normal vision and carries the recessive allele gene. They determine the genotypes of the man and...
Activity
Biology Corner

Pipe Cleaner Babies

For Students 9th - 12th
Ever been told you have your father's eyes? How did it happen? Young biologists get a hands-on experience in meiotic gene expression with a fun pairs-based activity. Participants use pipe cleaner chromosomes with trait beads to make...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rock, Paper, Scissors

For Teachers 5th
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.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Using the Internet: Punnett Squares

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders discuss their own genetic traits. Using computers, they research the creation of Punnett Squares. They preform online experiments with peas, predicting the appearances of the offspring. They determine how genetic traits...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Genes

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students explore the history, inheritance and mutations of genetics.  In this genetic lesson students complete experiments on DNA sequences.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Look Into the Past

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners 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

Variety is the Spice of Life

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Learners 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

Reproduction and Heredity

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders investigate how traits are passed from parents to their offspring. They list things they have in common with family members, read key vocabulary terms, create a poster of shared physical and personality traits, and watch...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Your Body, Your Health

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students study sickle cell anemia and other genetic disorders.  In this investigative lesson students create a poster and present it to the class on a certain disorder. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Karyotypes and Inheritance of Chromosomes

For Teachers 10th - 12th
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...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Genetics - The Study of Inheritance

For Students 9th - 12th
In this genetics worksheet, students will compare four pea plants with different alleles that control flower color and complete 5 short answer questions. Then students will read 8 statements about genetic mutations and determine if the...