Download Genetics Unit Plan

Genetics Unit Plan
Unit Goals:
Students will gain an understanding of how genetic material carries information
about their observable traits. They will be able to show how traits are passed down from
one generation to the next.
National Science Standards:
1. Every organism requires a set of instructions for specifying its traits. Heredity
is the passage of these instructions from one generation to another.
2. Heredity information is contained in genes, located in the chromosomes of each
cell. Each gene carries a single unit of information. An inherited trait of an
individual can be determined by one or by many genes, and a single gene can
influence more than one trait. A human cell contains many thousands of
different genes.
3. The characteristics of an organism can be described in terms of a combination of
traits. Some traits are inherited and others result from interactions with the
environment.
Unit Objectives:
1. Students will be able to identify the differences between genotype and
phenotype.
2. Students will be able to identify genetic differences between them and their
peers.
3. Students will be able to use a Punnett square to predict genotype and
phenotype of traits.
4. Students will be able to identify dominant and recessive traits and how
phenotypes are determined by genotype.
5. Students will be able to compare the differences between mitosis and meiosis.
6. Students will be able to create a pedigree of their family traits.
7. Students will be able to use the inquiry process to find out more about heredity.
Rationale:
Middle school students are going through many biological and physical changes.
They are very curious to find out more about how and why these changes occur. Through
an understanding of genetics, students can learn about these changes and why they
may have certain physical characteristics. Students will be able to understand where
their traits come from and how genetics determines the diversity of life around them.
Connection
to KMS Science Curriculum:
th
In 7 grade science, students are focused on studying about living organisms
and their environment. Students practice basic science skills by learning about plants,
animals, and ecology. In this unit, students will learn about how genetics plays a role in
determining the uniqueness of all living organisms.
It is important for students to understand heredity when looking at the diversity
of living plants and animals. After learning about genetics, students will use this
information to make connections to show how different living organisms survive,
reproduce, and are related to one another. Genetic concepts will be applied as students
further their knowledge through the study of plants, animals, and ecology.
Assessment:
Students will be assessed through the completion of labs, participation in class
and group work, worksheets, homework, and class discussion. The culminating activity
will be the creation of a family pedigree that will show the inheritance of at least 1
genetic trait. This pedigree will be displayed through the Pili Ia‘u website in connection
with the team “About Me” project. In addition to their pedigree, students will create a
model of their future baby based on what they discovered about their own genetic traits.