Download APSU Lesson Plan Format

Lesson Plan ~ Who Do I Look Like?
Who Do I Look Like?
STATE
STANDARD
5.4.1 Explain that for offspring to resemble their parents there must be
a reliable way to transfer information from one generation to the next.
PURPOSE
Science
2.5 Hours
Students will explore some of the ways offspring resemble their
parents and discover that there must be a reliable way to transfer
information from one generation to the next.
PREREQUISITE
Title:
Subject Area(s):
Time Frame:
Students should know that genes determine characteristics such as
hair color. They should also know that each person receives genes
from their mother and father and sharing genes with their parents
means that they will also share some of their parents’ characteristics.
LESSON
DESCRIPTION
Name: Marlene Owens
Grade Level: Fifth Grade
School District: Gary Community
Students will take characteristics of a mom and dad and determine
what their baby will look like. For each characteristic, students will flip
a coin to determine if the baby gets the characteristic from the mom or
the dad (head = mom, tails = dad).
1
ACTIVITY
ASSESSMENT
1. Pre-Activity Preparation
2. Genetic Inheritance
3. Acquired Characteristics
1. Distribute a copy of the BLM Who Do I Look Like? and a penny
to each student.
2. Tell students to read the instructions and complete the BLM.
3. Allow ample time for students to complete the BLM.
4. Class Discussion.
5. Review Questions.
2
ACTIVITIES
Pre-Activity Preparation
1. Ask Students: “ Do you look like your parents? Do offspring generally look like
their parents?”
2. Ask students what determines the hair color they have or how tall they will be
when they grow up.
3. Explain that we have genes that determine characteristics such as hair color.
4. Ask students where their genes come from.
5. Explain that each person received genes from their mother and father. Sharing
genes with their parents means that they will also share some of their parents’
characteristics. Explain that this is how information is passed from one
generation to another.
Genetic Inheritance
1. Draw a table on the board with columns for the following characteristics: tongue
rolling, ear lobes.
2. Explain that there is a gene for both of these characteristics.
3. Tell students to stick out their tongues and try to roll the edges toward the center.
4. Record in the table how many students are and are not able to roll their tongues.
5. Ask students if their earlobes are attached to their cheek or if they hang free.
6. Record in the table how many students have detached and attached earlobes.
7. Explain that each student has the trait they do because of the genes they
received from their parents.
Acquired Characteristics
1. Tell students that not all of a person’s characteristics are determined by their
genes.
2. Have students name characteristics that are not determined by genes (e.g, dyed
hair, broken bones, shaved head, scars, pierced ears, having permanent teeth
pulled, missing tonsils or appendix).
3. Record their answers on the board.
3
4. Discuss with students whether characteristics that are not determined by genes
can be passed on to offspring.
4
ASSESSMENT
Class Discussion
1. Have students share their completed BLMs.
2. Discuss with students how their drawings are different because it was up to
chance what characteristic each person’s, baby got. Explain that this is similar to
what happens in nature. (which is one of the reasons siblings are not identical).
3. Ask students: “Which characteristics of the mom and dad could not be passed to
the baby? Did these characteristics come from genes?”
4. Discuss again how offspring resemble their parents because some information is
transferred from one generation to the next through genes.
Review Questions
1. Why do offspring look like their parents?
2. Do people’s characteristics all come from genes? How do you know?
3. In addition to flipping the coin, how did you decide what characteristics the baby
would have?
4. Can broken teeth be passed from a parent to its offspring? How do you know?
5