Download Martian Aardvark Bumping Day

Martian Aardvark Gene Swapping Day!!!
Instructions:
Choose a partner from within the classroom. Remember, Aardvarks are asexual critters so it does not matter if
two “males” or two “females” gene swap. Randomly select a “gene pool” bag and pull out the strips of paper
which simulate several genes found in Aardvarks.
Arrange the genes in order, that is put the A with the a, M with m, etc. After both partners have done this, flip
the strips over so you cannot see them. Randomly, shuffle the two strips (alleles) and then flip one over in front
of your partner. Have your partner do the same. This is the genotype of your first aardvark child. One of the
two partners circle this genotype on the chart below and then circle the phenotype that it corresponds to. Turn
your strips back over and repeat to get the second child which will be the other partner’s. Repeat these steps for
all the genes.
After you have completed this, place your strips back into the back and then use your chart to build your babies!
After you have constructed it, if there is time, find another partner and use your genotype from your previous
session and repeat the process to create another aardvark. This will be a good demonstration of how genes can
“disappear” and “reappear”. You may keep building if materials are left.
Aardvark Gene Chart
Genotype
Phenotype
Body Part
AA or Aa
aa
1 antenna
2 antenna
toothpicks
MM or Mm
mm
2 hump
3 humps
small marshmallows
QQ or Qq
qq
1 nose
no nose
thumb tack
TT or Tt
tt
curly tail
straight tail
pipe cleaner
pipe cleaner
EE or Ee
ee
big eyes
small eyes
google eyes
LL or Ll
ll
4 legs
6 legs
paperclips
DD or Dd
dd
3 body segments
2 body segments
large marshmallows
Activity-Related Questions:
1) Write the genotype of your aardvark. Remember, genotypes are letters!
2) What is the phenotype of your aardvark? Write down all the traits!
3) What is the probability that if your aardvark “swapped” with your partner’s aardvark that the offspring would
have 6 legs? Show your cross!!!
4) Let’s assume that a female aardvark is QQ and the male is Qq. What is the probability an aardvark born will
not have a nose? Show your cross!!!
6) Let’s assume that in the realm of aardvarks it is more advantageous to have a nose (for locating bugs you eat)
than not to have a nose. Aardvarks without a nose cannot locate food and in turn die from starvation! So
sad! What would happen to the classroom population of aardvarks without a nose if we allowed them to
randomly breed with one another for five generations? That is, assume that in our class we started with seven
aardvarks without a nose versus eighteen with a nose. What would happen to the population over time?
7) a) Explain why your aardvark might have turned out ugly while your neighbors may not have? b) Did you
control what your child became? c) Did your parents control what you looked like?