Download Lesson Four, Theory: An Introduction to Mendelian Genetics Lesson

Lesson Four, Theory: An Introduction to Mendelian Genetics
Lesson Goals
Content Objectives
The student will know
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why heredity initially posed a challenge to Darwin's theory of evolution via natural
selection, and know the model of heredity that Darwin eventually settled on;
Mendel's breeding experiments with pea plants;
what a gene is, what an allele is, and what it means to say that the alleles of a gene are
dominant or recessive;
what the terms homozygous or heterozygous mean;
the principles of segregation and independent assortment; and
how a monohybrid cross differs from a dihybrid cross.
Skill Objectives
The student will be able to
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be able to distinguish between a genotype and a phenotype;
be able to use a Punnett square to make predictions about inheritance in monohybrid
crosses and dihybrid crosses;
be able to design and analyze the results of a genetic test cross; and
recognize the phenotypic results of a genetic cross and use this information to infer the
inheritance pattern for a trait.
Essential Questions
The student will explore these questions:
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Why are the sciences of genetics and evolution foundational to modern biology?
How is heredity understood by modern scientists?
Why might a knowledge of genetics be useful to modern scientists?
Essential Understandings
The student will understand these concepts, ideas, and themes:
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By quantifying his observations, Mendel was able to elucidate some mechanisms of
heredity.
Mendel's laws allow us to make predictions about how traits are passed from generation
to generation.
The theory of evolution by natural selection must include a model of heredity.
Foundations of Modern Biology: Genetics, Evolution, and Ethics.
© 2008 Duke University Talent Identification Program
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