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Chromosomes
Students explore genetics, chromosomes and DNA. In this genetics lesson students design a chromosome and identify a family tree through genetics.
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Wearing My Genes: Basic Principles of Heredity
Students explore heredity. In this science lesson plan, students examine what heredity is, distinguish the difference between the dominant and recessive genes, explain the difference between phenotype and genotype, and predict the...
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Perplexing Polka Dots
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,...
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Human Genetics
This is a worksheet regarding human genetics where students can poll the class regarding specific traits.
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The Genetic Basis of Neurological Disorders
Learners 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.
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Basic Human Inheritance Patterns
Young scholars study the stages of the cell division (meiosis) which results in the formation of gametes and study topics as crossing over, gene linkage, and human inheritance patterns in certain diseases.
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Genetic Pamphlet with a Purpose
Students design a human genetic condition pamphlet which they present to the class and then take to a doctor's or pediatrician's office.
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A Tasteless Tasty Test
Students review the inheritance patterns of simple dominant and recessive traits in humans. They use PTC tasting as a model trait. Each student determines whether or not they are a taster using PTC paper then they compile and discuss the...
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Chromosomes and Genetic Mapping
Students create models of chromosomes using clay, coins, beads, or marbles. They complete a worksheet regarding their crossover frequencies they created with their chromosomes and gene models. They read an essay on sex chromosomes and...
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TECH: Geneticist
A brief PowerPoint is used to introduce the class to the field of genetics by explaining the fields of work, the education required, and the job prospects. A trait inventory worksheet is completed by individuals, and then they gather...
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Genetics and Molecular Biology
Students create DNA models using colored construction papers. In this biology instructional activity, students identify enzyme restriction sites. They model how DNA plasmids replicate when taken up by a bacterial cell.
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Designing Babies
Learners analyze current and emerging techniques used to select specific characteristics in offspring. They examine specific case studies and make ethical decisions based upon the Ethical Decision-Making Model.
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Nature vs. Nurture
Eighth graders investigate the concept of nature versus nurture in human development through this series of lessons.
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Beyond Mendel's Laws of Inheritance
Mendels laws of Genetics are extended here with examples of traits that are completely controlled by just one gene. Malfunctions such as albinism and baldness can therefore be tracked and will demonstrate inheritance patterns to your...
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...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
A Lesson on the Nature of Science
If you are looking for a great way to present natural selection in humans, look no further. This handout is intended to accompany the 14-minute video The Making of the Fittest: Natural Selection in Humans, which can be found on the...
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Natural Selection in Protected And Unprotected Populations
Studnets compare how two elephant seal populations fare during successive generations. They participate in a simulation using a card game to look at the differences in two populations, one that is protected from mortality by human...
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Life Cycles
Students identify inherited traits. In this heredity lesson plan, students watch a video and construct a genetic description of themselves.
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Nature and Nurture
Students look into the role both nature and nurture play in determining an individual's traits. They examine how genes and the environment affect personality
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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 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.
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Artificial Selection
The second lesson in the series begins with a starter activity discussing wild versus domesticated animals. Then, scholars play a card game, with optional variations, to emphasize artificial selection. Next, they attend a field trip to a...
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Heredity, Genetics, Traits
Eighth graders study how an embryo develops into a fetus by undergoing many physical changes which they observe on a poster. They examine the metamorphosis of fruit flies as they develop through a series of changes. They record the...
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Designer Genes
Young scholars view a video on DNA. They discuss mitosis, meiosis and fertilization. They use strips of paper to simulate fertilization and analyze the genotype and phenotype of the combined chromosomes.