By:
Wandaliz Torres-Garcia
USF STARS Graduate Fellow
Processes of Life
• Standard 2:
• The student understands the process and
importance of genetic diversity. (SC.F.2.2)
• Benchmark: 1. knows that many
characteristics of an organism are inherited
from the parents of the organism, but that
other characteristics are learned from an
individual’s interactions with the environment.
Grade Level Expectations
•
•
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understands how body systems interact (for example, how bones and muscles work
together for movement).
uses magnifying tools to identify similar cells and different kinds of structures.
knows the parts of plants and animal cells.
understands how similar cells are organized to form structures (for example, tissue,
organs) in plants and animals.
• knows that many characteristics of an organism are
inherited from the genetic ancestors of the organism
(for example, eye color, flower color).
• knows that some characteristics result from the
organism’s interactions with the environment (for
example, flamingos eat a certain crustacean that causes
their feathers to be pink).
General View
Environment
Nurture
Genetics
Nature
Living
Organisms
Outline
Genetics and
Environment
Lesson 1
Traits Exploration
Lesson 2
Mice Crossing
Lesson 3
DNA Twist
Lesson 4
Out of here!
Inherited and
Learned Traits
Probability and
Genetics
DNA Structure
Environment
Both
Pure Genetics
Environment
Outline
• Part 1: Pre Test [shouldn’t take more than 10 min]
• Part 2: Lessons
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Lesson 1: “Traits Exploration”  Genes and Environment
Lesson 2: “Mice Crossing” Probability and Genetics
Lesson 3: “DNA Twist”  DNA: Blueprint of life
Lesson 4: “Out of here!”  Learning and Adaptation
Lesson Development
• All lessons contains a short review of concepts and the vocabulary
related to the activity
• Every lesson is designed for [1 or 2] periods of science classes
• Part 3: Review [1 class period]
• Part 4: Quiz (Post Test) [1 class period]
• Full Implementation Time: It might vary (probably a
maximum of 6 school days)
• Lessons can be implemented independently
Guide to Material Developed
• The material to be
presented has being
designed for students
at the 5th grade level.
• Additional information
is presented for
teachers and fellows
Lesson 1
Lesson 1: Traits Exploration
• Introductory Lesson
• Objective:
– Students will
• define the terms "genes"
and "heredity";
• identify learned and
inherited behaviors; and
• describe and compare
family traits and
characteristics.
• Activity
Lesson 1: Traits Exploration
• Create a classroom
discussion on Nature and
Nurture
• Genes are a framework
– Some characteristics can be
changed or molded by the
surroundings
– Other cannot be changed
• Ex. Eye color
• In most cases it is not genes
alone but genes and
environment
• Discuss pages 20-21
from book Genes and DNA
Lesson 1: Trait Exploration
• What are genes and genetics?
• What traits, do animals pass
to their offspring?
• What human behaviors are
inherited?
• What behaviors are learned?
• What do we inherit from our
parents?
Lesson 1: Trait Exploration
Vocabulary
• Traits
– Ways of looking, thinking, or being.
– Traits could be inherited or learned.
– Traits that are genetic are passed down
through the genes from parents to offspring.
• Heredity
– The passing of inherited and/or learned
characteristics from parents to offspring.
– Offspring is the descendants of a person, plant,
or animal.
• Gene
– A piece of DNA that contains the code, or directions, for
building the proteins that make our body function
Lesson 1: Activity Part 1
Part1: Single-Gene Traits in Humans
Dominant
Recessive
Tongue roller
Non tongue roller
Crossed hands:
Left thumb on top
Crossed hands:
Right thumb on top
Widow’s peak
No widow’s peak
Can wiggle ears
Cannot wiggle ears
No hitchhiker’s thumb
hitchhiker’s thumb
Bent pinky
Straight pinky
Free ear lobes
Attached ear lobes
Hair on middle finger
segment
No hair on middle
finger segment
Dimples on face
No dimples on face
Lesson 1: Activity Part 2
Traits
eye color
hair color
hair type (curly, straight, wavy)
skin color (fair, olive, dark)
face shape (heart shaped,
round, long)
height
foot size
moles or birthmarks (few, many,
none)
sex (male or female)
diseases or conditions
mannerisms (body language)
favorite sport
favorite food
favorite school subject
favorite color
Yourself
Family
member
Lesson 2
Lesson 2: Mice Crossing
• Probability and Genetics
• Objective:
– Students will
• MATH: Perform a probability
study
• Understand genetics and Punnet
square method
• Genetic Information:
• http://gslc.genetics.utah.edu/
units/basics/tour/
• Activity
Interesting Fact!
Lesson 2: Mice Crossing
Vocabulary
• Probability - Mathematical likelihood that
an event will occur
• Dominant trait – A genetic characteristic
that produces an obvious visible effect in
an organism; one or both parents also
display the same visible characteristic.
• Recessive trait – A genetic characteristic
that is invisible in an organism unless two
copies of the recessive gene are present; a
recessive gene may be masked by a
dominant gene.
Lesson 1: Trait Exploration
Vocabulary
• Cell – The smallest structural and functional unit
of an organism; DNA is located in cells.
• Chromosomes – Structures that contain
compacted DNA molecules; humans have 46
chromosomes and every species has it own
unique number.
• Double helix – The physical “twisted ladder”
structure of DNA.
• DNA – Deoxyribose nucleic acid; double helix
shaped molecules located in the cell nucleus
that provide the code for a living organism to
grow and function.
• Gene – A piece of DNA that contains the code,
or directions, for building the proteins that make
our body function.
• Protein -Molecular compounds that are produced by
•
genes; proteins create all the structures and
functions within every living organism.
• LOOK AT YOUR WORKSHEET:
Genetics and Inheritance
gene
Lesson 2: Activity
Mice Crossing Activity
Punnet Square
A Punnett square is a tool in genetics
developed by British geneticist
Reginald Punnett, and which biologists
still use to predict the probability of
possible genotypes of offspring.
•Follow worksheet:
•http://www.uga.edu/srel/kidsdoscience/kidsdoscience-genetics-puppets.htm
Lesson 3
Lesson 3: DNA Twist
• DNA Structure and
Importance
• Objective:
– Students will
• Study the DNA parts and its
importance
• Genetic Information:
• http://gslc.genetics.utah.edu/
units/basics/tour/
• In 1953: James Watson and
Francis Crick
• DNA is 6 feet long!!!
• Activity
Lesson 3: DNA Twist
• Interesting Facts
– In 1953: James Watson
and Francis Crick
– DNA is 6 feet long!!!
– DNA is a molecule
• SUGARS
• PHOPHATES
Lesson 3: DNA Twist
Vocabulary
• DNA – Deoxyribose nucleic acid; double
helix shaped molecules located in the cell
nucleus that provide the code for a living
organism to grow and function.
• DNA is formed by 4 nucleotides.
• There are restrictions for binding:
ONLY
BINDING
ALLOWED
ONLY
BINDING
ALLOWED
Lesson 3: Activity
Build you own DNA and Eat it!
Follow the worksheet
Lesson 4
Lesson 4: Out of here!!!
• Environment
• Objective:
– Students will
• Write 10-20 learned characteristics in
a piece of paper
• Rewrite how many those
characteristics will change if they
have lived in another country
• Choose the country of their
preference, but the country should
be somehow different in weather,
culture, language, etc.
• Compare their findings
• If possible students could work in
pair (students from two different
countries)
• Activity
Lesson 4: Out of here!!!
• Environment factors
– Diet
– Education
– Health care
– Wealth
– Way of life
Lesson 4: Wrap up!
• In class, ask
student volunteers
to share interesting
details learned
about their findings
Further Topics
• Identical Twins
– Exactly the same genes
– Researchers study them to
gather information about
the environment influences
– Video:
http://school.discovery.com/
lessonplans/programs/multi
pleintelligences/videoclip.ht
ml
• Mutations
• Cancer
• Genetic Technology
– DNA Fingerprinting
– Tracing Ancestors
– Genetic Engineering-alters
an organisms DNA
(CONTROVERSIAL)
• Examples
– Screening for diseases
– Bug-Free corn and
golden rice
– Gene Therapy –
replacement of genes
– Cloning
» Extinct and
Endangered
– Spare Parts
References
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Lessons:
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http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/programs/lifecycles/
www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/publicat/gen
echoice/glossary.html
http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/programs/lifecycles/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heredity
http://www.uga.edu/srel/kidsdoscience/genetics/geneticsdefinitions.pdf
http://gslc.genetics.utah.edu
Genes and DNA book by Richard Walker
Nobel Prize for Kids:
http://nobelprize.org/chemistry/educational/dna/b/replicatio
n/index.html
GlaxoSmithkline for Kids
http://www.genetics.gsk.com/kids/index_kids.htm
Library Quest for Kids
http://library.thinkquest.org/3696/index2.htm
http://tiki.oneworld.net/penguin/genetics/home.html
http://www.nature.ca/genome/03/a/03a_e.cfm
Questions