Download in Genes Activity

Name
Class
Date
IT’S ALL IN THE GENES
Background Information:
Heredity is the passing on of traits (identifying characteristics) from one generation to
the next. Traits can be either dominant (always shown), or recessive (sometimes hidden).
Sometimes we can make predictions about how offspring will look (how something looks is called
phenotype) just by observing how the parents look. Which types of traits are easy to predict?
Will all traits continue to be passed on from generation to generation?
Objectives:



To identify some of your genetic traits.
Compare and contrast your data with your classmates.
Analyze your data and draw conclusions about heredity, genetic traits and factors that
influence these traits.
Problem: Which traits (dominant or recessive) have the best probability of being passed on to
the next generation?
Hypothesis:
Procedure: (Write a summary of what you did to complete the activity.)
Data: (Record all data in the table below.)
Characteristic
Dominant
Trait
Hair Form
Cheeks
Tongue
Widow’s Peak
Earlobes
Hair Color
Eye Color
(blue/not blue)
Color Vision
Eyesight (Near
or Far/Normal)
Freckles
Handedness
Thumb
Taste (PTC)
Curly
Dimples
Roller
Present
Free
Dark
Not Blue
Your
Phenotype
# of Students
with Dominant
Trait
# of Students
with Recessive
Trait
Normal
Near/Far
sighted
Freckles
Right
Hitchhiker
Can taste
Note: After completing your phenotype in our data chart, go to the blackboard and in the Class
Data Table place a check in the appropriate column for each of your traits. Record the class
results in your data table.
Graph:
Using the Class Data Table, create a bar graph to show the comparison of the dominant
and recessive traits present in the class.
Conclusion: (Based on your data; was your hypothesis correct? How do you know?)
Summary: (Using complete sentences create a summary. Notice special instructions below.
Be sure your summary follows this format and answers all the questions listed.)
First paragraph:
State what you were doing and why you were doing it.
Second paragraph:
a. What is the difference between genotype and phenotype?
b. Which first determines our traits – genotype or phenotype?
c. Who provides us with our individual genotype?
Third paragraph:
a. Which traits in the class data table were the 3 most common?
b. Which traits in the class data table were the 3 least common?
c. Compare and contrast the number of students expressing the dominant and
recessive traits.
d. Why do we all express different phenotypes?
Fourth paragraph:
a. Do you think the environment (ex. the sun) has an effect on any of the traits in
the data table? If so, which ones?
b. Is there a period of time when these, environmental traits, are expressed? Can
these traits benefit a person?
c. What can affect the phenotypes that are expressed in you?
Fifth paragraph:
State what you learned and how this information relates to your real life.