Jodi Miller

Susanna Hoffman
Science Methods
December 17, 2014
Mendelian Genetics
10th Grade Biology
Unit Overview
Day
Lesson
1
Lesson
2
Lesson
3
Lesson
4

Topic
Intro to Heredity
Mendelian Ratios

Concepts
Visible traits
Mendels pea plants
Gummy Bear Lab

Dominant and
Recessive Traits
Homozygous and
Heterozygous

Gummy Bear Lab debrief

Pedigree
Genotype versus phenotype
Homozygous versus heterozygous

Lesson
5

Intro to Punnett
Squares

Lesson
6

Selective Breeding

Lesson
7

Test Crosses

Lesson
8

Genetic Counselor

Punnett Squares introduced

Stations activity matching parents to
offspring
Breeders select for certain traits
Selective breeding in chickens and
cows
Debate
Punnett squares
Function and application of test
crosses
Students advise hypothetical
parents whether or not to have a
family

Lesson
9

Autosomal Versus
Sex-Linked

Lesson
10

Genetic Disorder
Research

Lesson
11

Poster Day

Lesson
12

Genetic Disorder
Presentations

Assessment MI
Argumentation

Color-blindness test
X-linked inheritance
Introduction to final project
Groups research genetic disorder

Components

Groups create posters presenting

their genetic disorder.
Groups present their genetic
disorders. Students complete peer
evaluations on one presentation.

Differentiation

Inquiry Real World Connection

Lesson 1

Intro to Genetics

Essential Questions:
What is a trait?
How is genetics relevant to our lives?
Who is Gregor Mendel? What did he do?
Objectives
SWBAT identify what a trait is and provide an example of certain traits that they do and
do not possess.
SWBAT describe Gregor Mendels contributions to the field of genetics.
Do Now
What are three traits that you have?
Where do these traits come from?
This Do Now, which students will have three minutes to work on, will serve as our
diagnostic assessment. The first question will evaluate both student knowledge of what a trait is
in general, as well as whether they can apply this definition to specific examples. The second
question will reveal any student misconceptions about the basis of heredity, allowing us to more
effectively frame the upcoming discussion.
Body
Discussion on traits
We will have a very brief conversation with the class during which we talk about traits. Students
will be asked to come up with a definition for the term trait on their Trait Inventory Handout
(see Appendix). We will then ask for volunteers to share their ideas before posting the definition
we would like students to all have in their notes. Before we dive into the trait inventory, we will
review the Do Now, so students can share what traits they get from their parents.
This brief group discussion is a nice way to foster a feeling of community in our student-centered
class, since everyone can share at least one trait they have in common with a sibling,
grandparent, or parent.
Student Inventory and Chart Creation
Students will fill out an inventory in order to develop a more comprehensive understanding of
what a trait is and how the concept relates to their life. We will give learners approximately 7
minutes to complete the inventory before we come together as a group to create a chart. The chart
will look at the traits listed on the inventory and keep track of which phenotypes are most
common. We will not introduce the concept of phenotype yet, but for the purposes of this
explanation I used the term. On the chart we will also classify traits as either physical or
behavioral.
The creation of the chart has a few purposes. First, we will come back to this data as we move
through the unit. It will be nice to have it displayed somewhere rather than only mentioned in
vague. Second, the act of creating a group inventory will help us foster a sense of community

among our learners. It will be a nice opportunity to emphasize the fact that we are a team
working together towards a greater understanding.
Reflection
Once the chart is complete, students will take 10 minutes to reflect in their journals about the
benefits of being made from two parents instead of one. Learners will be asked to consider the
advantages and disadvantages associated with being genetically different from parents rather than
being genetically identical.
This activity will accomplish a few key goals. First, it encourages the students to write, which is
something that they do not get to do enough. Second, by reflecting on the question, we are giving
them an alternative medium through which they can explore their understanding of heredity. If
they find that they have concerns, this process will hopefully allow them to identify about what
exactly they are confused. Third, a benefit of utilizing journals is that students can move at their
own pace. They do not have to feel pressured to work as quickly as their peers. The silence will
give each individual the opportunity to reason through his or her ideas as well as providing us
with a chance to check in with students who may seem puzzled. Lastly, the use of reflection allows
us to ensure 100% participation. If we only posed the question orally, then inevitably some
students would opt out of answering.
Introduction to Gregor Mendel
After journaling, we will ask students to return their attention to the front of the room, so we can
begin our discussion on Gregor Mendel. We will start our presentation in the form of a narrative
in order to humanize Gregor Mendel. Students rarely learn about scientists and almost never see
them depicted as people rather than just names in a textbook. In our brief lecture, we will describe
Mendels history as a monk and what he did with the pea plants. We will identify the seven
different traits he examined and the results he found. In order to reach our auditory and visual
learners, we will utilize a powerpoint accompanied by Cornell Notes, found in the appendix. [B]
Exit Ticket
What is a trait? Looking at the class chart and reviewing our discussion on Mendels results, take
five minutes to write about whether you think traits are inherited at the same rate or at different
rates.
This exit ticket is our third form of assessment after the Do Now and the journal. Though brief,
the assignment will require students to demonstrate an understanding of how we define the word
trait. They will also be challenged to analyze data, a very important skill for learners to develop.
Differentiation
Throughout this lesson there will be opportunities for us to differentiate our plans. For students
who appear to be struggling with the journals, we can provide them with additional scaffolding
questions. The additional structure may help them develop a better understanding of the
expectations and how they can meet them. For the brief lecture, we can cater to the needs of our
diverse population by adjusting the questions on the left hand side. Individuals that need a
challenge may be asked an additional question in order to prevent him or her from becoming
bored. Learners who need extra support can select a slightly less dense set of notes, if they
believe these would help them synthesize the material.

Multiple Intelligences
On this day, we plan to reach our visual and auditory learners. Between the charts and Cornell
notes, we are careful to present enough visual stimuli for those who prefer to see the material.
The conversation about traits and the brief lecture will cater to the needs of auditory learners.
Lesson 2
Mendelian Ratios
Essential Questions:
How do traits get passed down from parents to offspring?
Objectives:
SWBAT Communicate the patterns of inheritance observed in the Gummy Bear Lab.
SWBAT hypothesize explanations for their observations.
Do Now:
Choose two physical traits that you have. Do one or both of your parents have this trait?
If you have siblings, do they have this trait as well? How many of them have it, how many
dont?
Students will have five minutes to answer the above questions in their notebooks. The
instructor will circulate to check student answers, making note of any prior knowledge or
misconceptions that are revealed. This Do Now will assess whether the objective from day 1
SWBAT identify a trait and give examples was successfully completed. This will serve as a
formative assessment, allowing us to reinforce the concept of a trait if necessary. The questions
about whether the traits are also possessed by parents and siblings will prompt students to begin
considering why they may possess one characteristic that their brother/sister does not. This sets
up students to learn from the gummy bear lab that traits are passed down in specific Mendelian
ratios.
Body:
Gummy Bear Lab (Appendix [C]):
Students will be divided into groups to complete the Gummy Bear Lab. Groups will receive a
Family of gummy bears. Each family has a parents, kids, and grandkids generation. Parents
will either be two red gummy bears or a red and white gummy bear. The kids generation will
contain red and white gummy bears that adhere to a Mendelian ratio according to the parent
cross, and the grandkids generation will contain red and white gummy bears that adhere to a
Mendelian ratio according to a cross of two kids. Groups will complete the lab handout and create
a pedigree (Appendix [D]) displaying their findings. Groups will be composed of students of
varied abilities, in order to promote collaboration in the classroom. Because the activity is not
heavily dependent on language skills, students with learning disabilities and English Language
Learners should be able to contribute as much to the group as typical students. This activity will
serve as a teacher-guided inquiry for the students into the outcomes of genetic crosses. Students
will observe first-hand the way in which a single trait (Gummy bear color) gets passed down
through multiple generations. They will create model of this process using the pedigree
guidelines. Questions at the end of the lab will elicit thoughts about why the same cross (two red
bears, for example) could result in different colored offspring.
Lesson 3
Dominant and Recessive Alleles
Do Now:

What does it mean to be dominant? Have you ever talked to someone who dominated the
conversation? How did they act? What happened to the other people in the conversation?
Students will have 5 minutes to answer these questions in their notebook. This Do Now is
meant to reveal what students already know about the term dominant. An understanding of the
word in a social context will make it easier to describe what it means in the field of genetics. If
students do not understand the term, our discussion of what it means for an allele to be dominant
or recessive will be more in depth. This Do Now also emphasizes the experiences of the students
by allowing them to examine a situation that they remember from their own lives. This
opportunity helps create a learner-centered classroom, in which learning is based on the beliefs
and experiences of the students.
Body:
Pedigree Gallery Walk:
At the end of Lesson 2s Gummy Bear lab, every group completed a pedigree displaying the
results of their lab. I will post these pedigrees around the room at the beginning of Lesson 3. After
the Do Now, students will have 10 minutes to walk around the room writing down observations
about the pedigrees. They will be prompted to look for patterns, and pattern-breaking
occurrences.
This activity serves multiple purposes. First, it gives students an opportunity to return to a
product of their work from the previous class. This will promote a sense of pride and value in
their work, as it is not something that gets turned in and forgotten. This exercise also engages
students in data analysis and interpretation, a scientific practice that is fundamental in the field
and recommended by NGSS. Finally, this activity gives students evidence that they can use to
argue in the upcoming sensemaking discussion.
Sensemaking Discussion about the Gummy Bear Lab:
Instructor Questions for Facilitation:
What did you observe in the Gummy Bear lab?
Did the same combination of parents always result in the same combination of offspring?
(After figuring out the answer to ^ is no) Why not? How could two red bears have all red bears in
one Family, and have three red bears and one white bear in a different family?
If I told you that some traits are dominant, what would you think that means?
Which would you say is dominant, red fur or white fur?
I will use the above questions to facilitate a sensemaking discussion about student
observations in the Gummy Bear Lab. I would like students to come to the idea that there must be
more going on with the traits than we can see by their fur color. This will lead into direct
instruction on genotype/phenotype and dominant and recessive alleles. During this lesson the
instructor and class will refer back to the chart from Lesson 1 displaying visible student trait
frequencies.
By starting a lesson on dominant and recessive traits with a discussion, students are able to
ground their knowledge in their own observations from the lab they completed. This furthers
student exposure to scientific practices by encouraging students to construct explanations and
communicate information to their peers. It also provides an opportunity for scientific
argumentation in the chance that students disagree about explanations for what they observe.
The concept of dominant and recessive alleles is integral to the unit of Mendelian Genetics.
Because the lesson will be constructed from a class discussion and students original ideas,
students will feel ownership of the knowledge and be more likely to remember and understand it.
By returning to the original chart of class phenotypes from Lesson 1 throughout the discussion,
we maintain the learner-centered aspect of the class, grounding new knowledge in personal
characteristics that the students are already familiar with.
DIFFERENTIATION:
Dominant and Recessive Alleles Worksheet (Appendix [E])

The sensemaking discussion described above will introduce the class to the concept of dominant
and recessive traits, as well as phenotype and genotype. Some students do not attend as well to
discussions as they do to hands-on learning. We created the Dominant and Recessive Alleles
worksheet for these students to complete. This can be completed as an accompaniment to the
discussion or instead of it. Students will receive the same content from either activity. The
worksheet is largely based on pictures and diagrams in order to cater to multiple intelligences,
for students who do not absorb information from text as well as from visual representations. The
differentiation will allow students with different strengths to master the same content.
Assign the Genotype Worksheet (Appendix [F]):
Students will have the rest of the period to complete a worksheet practicing their new
knowledge of genotype/phenotype and dominant and recessive alleles. In this worksheet they will
use genetic crosses to determine the possible genotypes of Mendels pea plants.
This worksheet serves to reinforce the knowledge students received earlier in the lesson. The
hands on practice will promote retention of the information. The worksheet provides visual
representations of the concepts of dominant and recessive traits. By providing this information in
multiple modes (discussion, lecture, visual worksheet), we make the content accessible to multiple
intelligences. The worksheet uses Mendels pea plants as an example to reinforce the idea that
scientific discoveries are connected to specific people and narratives, and dont exist in a
vacuum.
Lesson 4
Homozygous and Heterozygous
Essential Questions:
How does one distinguish heterozygous and homozygous genotypes?
How does the zygosity of a genotype affect an organisms phenotype?
Objectives:
SWBAT distinguish heterozygous and homozygous genotypes.
SWBAT assign possible genotypes based on an observed phenotype.
Do Now:
What do the letters that make up an organisms genotype represent?
How can you determine which allele in a genotype is dominant and which is recessive?
Do two organisms with the same phenotype necessarily have the same genotype?
Students will have 5 minutes to answer the above questions.
The purpose of this Do Now is to review and reinforce concepts that the students learned for the
first time in Lesson 3. These concepts are fundamental to Mendelian genetics, and serve as the
foundation of the concepts of homozygosity and heterozygosity that students will learn in the
following lesson. This Do Now acts as a formative assessment, allowing the instructor to observe
gaps in student knowledge and review content accordingly.
Body:
Direct instruction on homozygosity and heterozygosity
The instructor will briefly explain the concept of a homozygous genotype and a heterozygous
genotype. Because students have already learned about alleles, dominant and recessive traits,
and the difference between genotype and phenotype, the concept of homozygous and
heterozygous genotypes will be a minor addition to their knowledge. The instructor will lecture
for 5 to 10 minutes, and then practice the concept with students by displaying a series of
genotypes, and asking students to classify them as homozygous or heterozygous.

Genotype to Phenotype (Appendix [G])

Students will play a genetics card game created by the instructor called Genotype to
Phenotype. The structure of the game is similar to Apples to Apples. Every student has a set of
five Genotype Cards. Each genotype card displays a two letter genotype on it (examples: FF, tt,
Jj). In the middle of the circle is a pile of Phenotype cards. Each Phenotype card displays an
animal with one of two forms of a certain phenotype. The Phenotype card also has a key
explaining the genotype. Students will take turns flipping over a Phenotype card. Any player who
has a genotype that could code for the Phenotype can play a Genotype card. The first student to
play all of their cards wins.
Some Phenotype cards display a genetics term instead of a picture. The terms are:
homozygous, heterozygous, dominant phenotype, and recessive phenotype. When one of these
cards is flipped over, students will be able to play a Genotype card that fits the genetics term. For
example, if the card flipped over says Homozygous, a student can play a card that reads FF.
The Genotype to Phenotype game provides an opportunity for students to practice most of
the concepts they have learned so far in Mendelian Genetics. The game reinforces the
relationship between genotype and phenotype, the effect of dominant and recessive alleles on
phenotype, and the definitions of homozygous and heterozygous. We chose to use a game to
reinforce these concepts as students are more likely to absorb the information if they enjoy the
learning process. The visual and kinesthetic nature of the game caters to multiple intelligences.
The game will also provide an opportunity for socialization and bonding between students. It is
important for this process to occur in a learner-centered classroom, as students will feel more
comfortable and empowered if they are learning as part of a strong community. Finally, the

game will serve as a formative assessment, as the instructor will be able to observe
whether students are playing correctly and resolve misconceptions.

Lesson 5

Punnett Squares

Essential Questions
What is a Punnett Square?
What is the relationship between the Law of Segregation and the Punnett Square?
How can you predict the outcome of a genetic cross?
Objectives
SWBAT use a Punnett Square to predict genotypic and phenotypic ratios of a cross.

SWBAT explain the relationship between the Law of Segregation and Punnett Squares.
Do Now
On the top of your Cornell Notes, write out the definition of the word segregate. Based
on your knowledge of alleles and the word segregation, explain what you think the Law of
Segregation refers to in genetics.
This Do Now serves to accomplish two goals. First, we are challenging students to look
for context clues. Many, if not all, have heard the term segregate before, By encouraging them to
apply their prior knowledge of the term to Mendels Law, we hope to foster a greater
understanding of the phenomenon. Second, the Do Now is a form of assessment, because students
are getting introduced to the Law of Segregation of Day 4. This will serve as a review for the
students and a formative measure to determine how well learners comprehend the Law of
Segregation.
Body
Introducing Punnett Squares
On Day 4 the students will learn to identify homozygous and heterozygous organisms. They will
discuss the Law of Segregation, so on Day 5, we will take their understanding one step further.
We will briefly review Mendels law and then introduce Punnett Squares. Through the use of a
Powerpoint and Cornell Notes (Appendix [H]), we hope to appeal to the visual as well as
auditory learners. The lecture portion should take no longer than 10 minutes as we discuss not
only how to use the Punnett Square, but how it is related to the Law of Segregation. We will
explain how because the alleles are separated from each parent, we separate them into each box
of the Punnett Square. Before moving on to the next step, the simulation, we will complete a
Punnett Square as a class, and then have students work individually to finish one. This is also our
opportunity to introduce the sex chromosomes X and Y.
Snurfle Simulation (Appendix [I])
For the next part of our lesson, students will work with a partner to go through the Snurfle
simulation. We believe the fun and interactive activity will help learners understand how to use
Punnett Squares. On the appendix you will find a copy of the accompanying worksheet, which
will guide the students through the simulation. At the end of the lesson, students will submit their
worksheet as a form of assessment.
Stations (Appendix [J])
In this activity, we will be reinforcing students ability to perform Punnett Squares. There will be
a total of 10 stations, although students will only be responsible for going to 4. At each station,
the students will be given the information for a different family. The combination of information
will vary. For example, at stations 1 and 2, the learners will receive the genotype for mom and
dad and they must find the chances of producing a certain offspring. At stations 3 and 4, the
learners will receive information about the mother and offspring and must determine the fathers
genotype. Stations 5 and 6 are similar to 3 and 4, except the learners will receive information
about the father and offspring. At stations 7 and 8, the learners will receive information about the
mother and two offspring. This will be more challenging, so individuals who are struggling can
opt to go to stations 9 and 10, which will be more scaffolded. Worksheets and station information
can be found in the appendix.

We chose to have stations because it appeals to visual and kinesthetic learners, the latter of
whom we rarely get to address. Another benefit of this setup is that the partners, students will be
working in pairs, will be able to move at their own pace.
Differentiation
Brief Lecture
As we discussed on day 1, we will differentiate our notes for the needs of our learners. For
example, we can add scaffolds for the practice Punnett Squares found on the notes, or we can
condense some of the notes so they feel more manageable.
Snurfle Simulation
For the Snurfle simulation, we believe there are sufficient supports in place. However, in the
event that we notice certain individuals struggling with Punnett Squares, we can provide
additional structure by including the parents alleles on the worksheet. Having them there may
reduce some of the anxiety certain students may experience when trying to complete their first
few Punnett Squares.
Stations
The stations are designed to be differentiated. Students will be asked to attend 4 out of the 10. In
the event that there is additional time, they are welcome to try more, however, we insist they at
least get to four. Learners who are exhibiting difficulties with the concepts will start at station 9
or 10. These stations are designed to walk students through the process. This will hopefully
prepare them for more independence as they move on to the next station. Learners who still are
having trouble can do both station 9 and 10 before attempting slightly more difficult problems.
For individuals in need of a challenge, we have incorporated two stations, 5 and 6, that contain
sex-linked traits. Though we have not discussed these at length, they are scaffolded enough that
they are still do-able without overwhelming the students.
Multiple Intelligences
On this day, we reach our auditory, visual and kinesthetic learners. The act of drawing Punnett
Squares and moving around the stations will appeal to the latter two, while the lecture supports
the individuals who prefer auditory stimuli.

Lesson 6
Selective Breeding and the Law of Independent Assortment
Essential Questions:
How do scientists use genetics to improve our daily lives?
What is the Law of Independent Assortment?
How does the Law of Independent Assortment affect the outcome of a genetic cross?
Objectives:
SWBAT explain how genetics affects our daily lives.
SWBAT define the Law of Independent Assortment and explain its implications.

Do Now:
What does it mean to be selective? If you could choose what your kids would look and act like
before they were born, would you? Why or why not?
Students will have 5 minutes to answer the Do Now questions.
The first question will give the instructor information about how to explain the term selective
breeding, depending on what associations students already have with the word selective. The
following questions introduce students to the concept of ethics in science. They are presented with
an ethical question and are encouraged to draw on their own beliefs and values to answer it. This
focus on the students personal experiences will make the learning that occurs more salient to the
student, as it will be grounded in their own beliefs. The question also keeps the classroom focused
on the student as the learner.
Body:
Selective Breeding Worksheet (Differentiated) Appendix [K] and [L]
Students will practice using Punnett Squares to predict the outcome of genetic crosses. The
crosses are introduced in the context of a dog breeder trying to select for floppy-ears. There are
two versions of the worksheet with differing amounts of scaffolding.
This worksheet will serve as a formative assessment to evaluate whether students have
mastered the Punnett Square. Because this skill is essential in Mendelian genetics, it is important
that every student be assessed individually. The worksheet also introduces the concept of
selective breeding, allowing students to understand the socioeconomic pressures that resulted in
the development of selective breeding. This gives students more of a narrative of the science of
genetics, and prevents students from viewing science as separate from the rest of the world.
The differentiated worksheet provides the grid and genotypes for the Punnett Squares, to
ensure that students who have not yet mastered the concept of the Punnett Square learn its
purpose and how to apply it.
Selective Breeding Case Study (Appendix [M] normal and [N] differentiated):
Students will read the case study discussing the effects of selective breeding on certain
species of chickens and cows. There is a differentiated handout that has less extra information, as
well as questions that check for understanding. Students will then argue for or against selective
breeding. The class will be divided into several small groups, each of which will choose its
position on the subject and have 5 to 10 minutes to present an argument for or against selective
breeding.
This case study serves to remind students that science exists in the real world of agriculture
and economics, and not in a vacuum. Selective breeding is a phenomenon that the students are
engaging with daily without their knowledge. This case study gives them an opportunity to
become informed about the practices they are supporting by buying meat and eggs.
Requiring students to form an opinion on the topic emphasizes the relevance of this subject to
their everyday lives. Because their knowledge of selective breeding will be grounded in their
emotions and opinions they are more likely to absorb the content. The debate also provides an
important opportunity for scientific argumentation. Students will have to use evidence from the
reading to support the claims they make about selective breeding and persuade their classmates.
The opportunity to display argumentation skills makes this exercise accessible to multiple
intelligences. The differentiated handout is for students with weaker reading or English skills.
The information is more condensed, so students have more time to spend comprehending the
content. The questions that check for understanding will help students follow the information,
and will allow the instructor to resolve any apparent misconceptions.
Lesson 7

Test Crosses

Essential Questions

What is a test cross?

Why do scientists use test crosses?
Objectives
SWBAT explain how the test cross and how Mendel used them
SWBAT apply their understandings of the Law of Dominance and the Law of
Segregation to the test cross
Do Now: Worksheet
See Appendix [O]
The Do Now is a worksheet designed to reinforce students understanding of the Law of
Dominance and the Law of Segregation. It serves as a review of the material covered in the past
few days as well as an introduction to the test cross, which will be the focus of todays lesson. We
liked the idea of presenting the material in this way because the students are seeing what a
testcross looks like and why scientists use it without even realizing what exactly they are seeing.
The goal is that the Do Now will have more context as the lesson progresses.
Step 1: Review of Do Now
Students will be given fifteen minutes to complete the worksheet. Once they have used up the
allotted time, we will come together as a group and discuss the warm up. Though our questions
will mostly be closed due to the nature of our goal, they will hopefully foster a sense of
interdependence among the learners as they share their rationale with each other.
The questions we will use will include the following:
Before you looked at the images in depth, what could you determine using the
information provided to you in the prompt?
How could two sets of parents with the same phenotypes produce offspring with different
phenotypes?
How did you go about determining the genotype of the mother and father for each
family?
What obstacles did you encounter as your worked through this problem?
What clues did you utilize to help answer the questions?
How did the Law of Dominance inform your thinking about how to solve the problem?
How did the Law of Segregation inform your thinking about how to solve the problem?
Step 2: Introducing the Test Cross
At this point in the lesson, we would like to briefly discuss the test cross, how Mendel used it and
why it is a helpful tool. Though the students just saw the test cross in action, we would like to
help them make the connection between the definition and its application. For the sake of clarity,
we will introduce this material using a powerpoint with accompanying Cornell notes (Appendix
[O]). Ideally this portion of the lesson would not last longer than 15 minutes. Once we have
discussed the test cross, we will mention probability and pedigrees in order to prepare students
for tomorrows activity. The last question on the Cornell Notes in particular is designed to get
learners thinking about the implications of pedigrees for their lives.
Step 3: Worksheet Practicing the Test Cross and Pedigree (Appendix [P])
On this worksheet, students will be asked to practice two test crosses and then interpret a
pedigree. For both of the test cross questions, learners will be challenged to identify the
probability of achieving certain outcomes. They will also be asked to confront the reality that
sometimes the reality does not match the probability. We
Before we start applying the students understanding of probability and the pedigree, we would
like to reinforce these concepts through guided practice. The use of a worksheet will allow
learners to move at their own pace, and will free us up to circulate as needed. We can use the
time to check in with individuals who may need some assistance.

Lesson 7

Test Crosses

Essential Questions
What is a test cross?
Why do scientists use test crosses?
Objectives
SWBAT explain how the test cross and how Mendel used them
SWBAT apply their understandings of the Law of Dominance and the Law of
Segregation to the test cross
Do Now: Worksheet
See Appendix (Lesson 7 Warm Up)
The Do Now is a worksheet designed to reinforce students understanding of the Law of
Dominance and the Law of Segregation. It serves as a review of the material covered in the past
few days as well as an introduction to the test cross, which will be the focus of todays lesson. We
liked the idea of presenting the material in this way because the students are seeing what a
testcross looks like and why scientists use it without even realizing what exactly they are seeing.
The goal is that the Do Now will have more context as the lesson progresses.
Review of Do Now
Students will be given fifteen minutes to complete the worksheet. Once they have used up the
allotted time, we will come together as a group and discuss the warm up.
Though our questions will mostly be closed due to the nature of our goal, they will hopefully
foster a sense of interdependence among the learners as they share their rationale with each
other.
The questions we will use will include the following:
Before you looked at the images in depth, what could you determine using the
information provided to you in the prompt?
How could two sets of parents with the same phenotypes produce offspring with different
phenotypes?
How did you go about determining the genotype of the mother and father for each
family?
What obstacles did you encounter as your worked through this problem?
What clues did you utilize to help answer the questions?
How did the Law of Dominance inform your thinking about how to solve the problem?
How did the Law of Segregation inform your thinking about how to solve the problem?
Introducing the Test Cross
At this point in the lesson, we would like to briefly discuss the test cross, how Mendel used it and
why it is a helpful tool. Though the students just saw the test cross in action, we would like to
help them make the connection between the definition and its application. For the sake of clarity,
we will introduce this material using a powerpoint with accompanying Cornell notes. Ideally this
portion of the lesson would not last longer than 15 minutes. Once we have discussed the test
cross, we will mention probability and pedigrees in order to prepare students for tomorrows

activity. The last question on the Cornell Notes in particular is designed to get learners thinking
about the implications of pedigrees for their lives.
Worksheet Practicing the Test Cross and Pedigree
On this worksheet, students will be asked to work with a partner to practice two test crosses and
then interpret a pedigree. For both of the test cross questions, learners will be challenged to
identify the probability of achieving certain outcomes. They will also be asked to confront the
reality that sometimes the outcome does not match the probability. In order to prepare students for
the activity that will follow, we wanted to have them try to interpret a pedigree with a partner.
This is an opportunity to challenge students to try something that is out of their comfort zone. It is
a student-centered activity, as they begin to apply knowledge they have accumulated over the past
week.
Before we start applying the students understanding of probability and the pedigree, we would
like to reinforce these concepts through guided practice. The use of a worksheet will allow
learners to move at their own pace, and will free us up to circulate as needed. We can use the
time to check in with individuals who may need some assistance. The worksheet will also serve as
a form of assessment. We will be able to check whether or not the learners understand before
embarking on a the next challenge.
Differentiation
Do Now
For learners who need additional support, we will provide more scaffolds for the Do Now. As it
is, the opening exercise has a lot of structure in order to help the learners attempt to master new
skills. We have including many guiding questions that will lead the students in the right direction.
Test Cross
Our strategies for differentiation will match the same ones discussed on days 1 and 5.
Worksheet
In order to help support our learners, we will slightly adjust the Guided Practice worksheet. For
example, in the first problem, the ratio of offspring will match the expected ratio. Another way we
will help learners is by including Punnett Square diagrams labeled mother and father. This will
hopefully guide them in their approach to solving the problems. Question number 3 introduces
learners to a pedigree for the first time. We can differentiate this part of the worksheet by
including the genotype of the members of the first generation. Our hope is that with this
information the students can then determine the other genotypes without feeling too overwhelmed
or discouraged.
Multiple Intelligences
In this lesson, we are catering to the needs of visual and auditory learners. By including the
diagrams of the pedigrees as well as Cornell Notes, we are helping our visual students following
along. Similarly, the brief introduction will hopefully serve to root our auditory learners in the
material.
Lesson 8
Genetic Counselor Simulation (Appendix [R])

Essential Questions
How can genetic counselors use pedigrees to give advice to expecting parents?
Objectives
SWBAT apply their understanding of probability to interpret a pedigree.
Do Now:
Draw a pedigree of your family starting with your grandparents and including you and your
siblings. Use a square to represent males and a circle to represent females. For individuals in your
family with a recessive trait (blonde hair, green/blue eyes, widows peak, cleft chin, dimples)
shade in their circle.
This Do Now has a few benefits. First, we are making the material personal for students. They
get to apply what they have learned in class to their families. Second, by drawing a pedigree of
their families, the learners are demonstrating an understanding of the scientific tool and its
implications. They comprehend the Law of Dominance and how that influences the phenotype of
their family members. In this manner, the Do Now serves as a formative assessment. If we notice
that learners are struggling to complete the task, we can review a pedigree as a class in order to
prepare them for the activity.
Body:
Being Genetic Counselors
Learners will all receive three pedigrees of increasing complexity. With two partners, they will
have to interpret the data presented to them and try to answer the following: how many
individuals have the given disorder? Is the disorder dominant or recessive? What is the
probability of a particular couple passing on the trait for the disorder to their offspring? Once
students address these questions, they will be asked to provide their expert opinion as Genetic
Counselors. What advice would they offer the prospective parents? Should they try to procreate
given the probabilities? The learners will work on all three of the pedigrees and then at the end
we will come together to have a conversation. Before we start the discussion, we will explain the
format we would like learners to use when presenting their thoughts.
This activity has a few benefits. First, we believe it is student-centered, as the teacher plays a
very small role. We really just facilitate the conversation, while the students act as researchers to
analyze data and form opinions. Second, this activity challenges students to apply their
knowledge of the Law of Dominance and the use of a pedigree to a real life scenario. This
exercise contextualizes the material. Doctors, researchers and counselors rely on the tools that
we are trying to teach to our learners. It hopefully will make learning about genetics more
exciting.
Discussion
After the students analyze the three different pedigrees, we will come together as a group to talk
about the challenges associated with being a counselor. From here I want to segue into the more
scientific argument about what the students would recommend as counselors. As they move
through the worksheet, we challenge them to consider a variety of different scenarios, but wait
until the discussion to flesh out their ideas. At the bottom of the worksheet, we provide an outline
of how they should construct their argument. As this is probably one of the first times they will

receive this structure, we wanted to have the three parts: claim, evidence and reasoning, laid out
for them to review.
This part of the lesson will allow us to assess the students in their thinking. We get the
opportunity to ensure they understand the Law of Dominance and how to interpret pedigrees
based on their answer. Additionally, this is one of the first times we get to come together for a
class discussion utilizing argumentation. We have previously convened as a group throughout the
unit, but never with so much structure. The learners are expected to present their claim with
evidence and their reasoning. Since it is important to help students become comfortable with this
framework, we wanted to make space in the unit for argumentation, and believe this application
allows us to do so naturally.
Differentiation
We will differentiate the pedigree activity by providing students with only two of the examples.
Instead of overwhelming them with three different families, we will encourage them to engage
more deeply with the Jones and Nelson families. For the first pedigree, the Jones family, we will
even provide the genotypes for the first generation. This information will hopefully serve as a
jumping off point for the learners to complete the rest of the task. We will also provide them with
a few Punnett Squares, so they are encouraged to utilize this tool to guide them through their
reasoning.
Multiple Intelligences
We hope to cater to our visual learners in this activity by including pictures rather than just
descriptions of the family history. The discussion in the end will also benefit our auditory
learners.
Lesson 9
Autosomal Versus Sex-Linked Genes
Essential Questions:
Do all traits follow the same patterns of inheritance?
Why do some traits occur more frequently in specific populations?
Objectives:
SWBAT explain the importance of understanding genetics to our everyday lives.
SWBAT predict the inheritance of a sex-linked trait.
Do Now:
What is a genetic disorder? Do you or someone you know have a genetic disorder? If someone
has a genetic disorder, will their kids have that disorder?
These questions prompt students to consider the real-world implications of the study of
genetics by relating it to a medical condition. By asking about the students experiences with
genetic disorders, it also grounds the concept in the students own life, making it more relevant to
the student. The question of whether someone with a genetic disorder will have children with a
genetic disorder suggests another application of genetics to the real-world.
Body:

Color-blindness test
Students are told that color-blindness is a recessive trait. They will take a color blindness test
online (http://enchroma.com/test/instructions/). Everyone will report on whether they passed the
test or not. If a student is color-blind, we will discuss whether anyone else in his/her family is
color-blind as well.
Students will feel empowered that they now understand the genetic explanation for a
condition they have most likely heard about or encountered before in their lives. Beginning the
lesson by having students assess their own color vision will be fun, and should promote
excitement and curiosity for the upcoming lesson. It also serves to ground the lesson in the
learner and the learners personal experiences, making the content more relevant and salient to
the students.
Color-blindness pedigree
Students will be split into groups of three. Every group will receive a pedigree displaying the
inheritance of color-blindness in a family (Appendix [S]). Groups will have ten minutes to
examine the pedigree and answer questions about it on the front of the handout (Appendix [T]).
After students have answered questions on the front, they will flip to the back of the handout
where they will be led to understand the concept of X-linked traits.
Looking for patterns in inheritance is a practice that would be performed by real scientists,
and gives students exercise in analyzing data and making inferences. Using a pedigree to
communicate the data reinforces the importance of modeling in science. The opportunity to work
in groups will allow quicker students to guide slower students, as well as foster relationships
among classmates to improve the learning atmosphere of the class. Because students will
discover the pattern of X-linked inheritance on their own through this guided inquiry, the
implications of the concept will be more memorable to them. They will also feel agency over the
knowledge because they discovered it using skills of analysis, rather than having it explained by
an instructor.
Introduce the Research Project (Appendix [U])
For their final assessment, students will be researching and presenting about a genetic
disorder. Students will complete the research project and presentation and groups. They will
individually complete peer evaluations of their classmates projects in which they will be
prompted to demonstrate their genetics knowledge.
This project encourages students to see connections between science class and the real
world. It also gives students an idea of how scientists use genetics to interact with real-world
problems like genetic disorders. Completing this teacher-guided inquiry as a group helps foster
relationships between students, and teachers students to collaborate on work, the way scientists
do in the field. The format of the project research followed by a presentation mimics the
practices that scientists employ when communicating a new experiment or discovery. The
opportunity to display creative, artistic, and performance skills makes this assignment accessible
to multiple intelligences.
There are a number of reasons for using this project as the unit assessment. The focus of this
unit was on student-centered learning. It is therefore fitting to end with a final assessment that
gives so much agency to the student they choose their own topic, mode of presentation, and
presentation to evaluate. The unit also emphasized the real-world application of genetic concepts
and skills. This assessment furthers that theme, by allowing students to demonstrate the
knowledge they acquired throughout the unit by applying it to a real disorder. The peerevaluation aspect also encourages students to hold each other accountable, further promoting the
productive learning environment and community of learners we have been striving towards
throughout the unit.

Students will research their disorder, create their presentation,

and perform presentations and peer evaluations over Lessons
10, 11, and 12.