Science
SCI.III.3.1
Grade: 7
th
This benchmark is currently being taught in the 7 grade Health Class. It is the responsibility of the
7th grade science teacher to be sure this is taught. Should the Health Class be changed, this
benchmark will be taught in 7th grade science.
Strand III:
Using Scientific Knowledge in Life Science
Standard 3:
Heredity – All students will investigate and explain how characteristics of
living things are passed on through generations
Benchmark 1:
Describe how the characteristics of living things are passed on through
generations.
Constructing and Reflecting:
SCI.I.1.1 - Generate scientific questions about the world based on observation.
SCI.II.1.2 - Describe limitations in personal knowledge.
Vocabulary / Key Concepts
Context
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Common traits controlled by a single gene pair,
such as:
• wrinkled or smooth seeds in a pea plant
• color of horse hair
• human traits such as tongue rolling
reproductive cells
egg
sperm
chromosome
gene
hereditary information
Knowledge and Skills
Resources
Coloma Resources:
Prentice Hall Science Explorer Series:
Cells & Heredity
All living things transfer similar characteristics to
their offspring. Hereditary information from two
parents occurs when the sperm and the egg unite
during sexual reproduction. Sexually produced
offspring are never totally identical to either parent.
One or more genes can determine an inherited
Other Resources:
• Teacher’s Domain – Mendelian Genetics –
trait of an individual. A single gene can influence
awesome collection of videos, images and
more than one trait. Each organism has the ability
documents to augment your teaching. (1st
to pass on its inherited traits to its offspring.
hyperlink leads to free signup)
Students will:
• Explain how the traits of an individual offspring
are determined when the parents’ hereditary
information is combined
• Demonstrate that they understand that all
hereditary information is carried through genes
that are located in the chromosomes of each
cell
•
DiscoverySchool – Human Genome Project
•
Genetic Science Learning Center – University of
Utah
•
Michigan Teacher Network Resources
•
SCoPE Unit Plan - Fundamentals of Genetics
•
Michigan Science Teacher Association
•
Access Excellence – The National Health
Museum – Applied Biotechnology – Excellent!!
•
Howard Hughes Medical Institute – Education –
AWESOME resources!
•
Unique Your – AIMS
Science Explorer: Cells and Heredity – P. Hall
•
Videoconferences Available
For more information, see
www.remc11.k12.mi.us/dl or call Janine Lim
471-7725x101 or email jlim@remc11.k12.mi.us
III.3.MS.1 Describe how the characteristics of
living things are passed on through
generations.
Genetics: Mendel’s Peas from Camden
Children's Garden
Genetic Revolution from Healthspace Cleveland
Behind the Story: The Genetics of Fairytales
from Hook's Discovery and Learning Center
Instruction
Assessment
Benchmark Question: How are characteristics of
living things passed on through generations?
Focus Question: Which traits of an individual offspring
may be determined by the parents’ hereditary
information?
Students will explore the role of heredity in their lives
by examining the following traits:
• Imagine the phone ringing. Pick it up. Put it to
your ear. Notice which ear you are using.
• Interlock your fingers. Notice which thumb is
placed on top. Pull your hands apart and repeat
the process in reverse order. Notice how
difficult/awkward it is to have the opposite
thumb on top.
• Cross and re-cross your arms. Notice which is
the dominant way you cross your arms.
• Examine other physical traits you have inherited
from your parents:
• Handedness (right vs. left)
• Eye color
• Rolling your tongue in a “U” shape
• Free or attached ear lobes
• Widow’s peak (“V” hairline on forehead)
• Hair on fingers between first and second
knuckle
• Cleft chin
• Ability to taste PTC paper
Students will record their unique combination of
traits/genetic makeup. Students should begin to
understand that their unique individual traits are a
direct result of the blending of their parents’ genetic
information.
The class will collect their data and record it in a chart.
INHERITED TRAIT #1 INHERITED TRAIT #2 # FEMALES
Free ear lobes
Hair on fingers
Widow’s peak
Curly hair
Can curl tongue
Left-handed
Assessment I
Tom’s friend Shawna had two hamsters, but they
escaped from their cage. Look at the descriptions of
her two hamsters below.
Hamster #1
Black eyes
Hamster #2
Brown eyes
Thick, black fur
Thin, tan fur
Short tail
Long tail
Small ears
Long whiskers
Large ears
Short whiskers
Which hamster has the best chance of surviving
cooler temperatures?
Explain why, using at least two traits. (JCISD)
Assessment II
Using the Internet, encyclopedias, books, and
magazines, students will select pictures of two dogs.
Assuming one dog is female and the other dog is
male, students will predict either through illustration
and/or written description what traits might appear in
the offspring. Possible traits: hair color, hair length,
leg length, tail, ears, distinct markings, eye color,
nose length. (Give students rubric before activity.)
Scoring Rubric
Criteria: Completeness of explanation
Apprentice - Provides a limited explanation of
trait(s).
Basic - Provides a minimum of two traits and a
reasonable explanation for those traits.
Meets - Provides a detailed description of three
traits.
Exceeds - Provides a detailed written and visual
description of three or more traits.
# MALES
Attached ear lobes
No hair on fingers
No widow’s peak
Smooth chin
Cannot curl tongue
Right-handed
Note: Students will need to further expand their
understanding of how hereditary information is passed on
from parents to the offspring through the reproduction
process.
Instruction II
Focus Question:
Is tongue-rolling an inherited or acquired trait?
Students try tongue-rolling and discuss what they
find. Next, they hypothesize about whether the ability
to roll the tongue is an inherited or acquired trait.
Student groups then design experiments to test their
hypotheses. Groups present the research methods,
data in graphic form, and conclusions. Students are
encouraged to develop their own question about
natural phenomena and research the answer to it.
Investigation 6 -Rolling On - exploration and
assessment
http://www.mstamich.org/curriculum/SCIWEB_6_heredity.doc
Teacher Notes:
“Reproduction is a characteristic of all living systems; because no individual organism lives forever,
reproduction is essential to the continuation of every species. Some organisms reproduce asexually. Other
organisms reproduce sexually.
• In many species, including humans, females produce eggs and males produce sperm. Flowering plants also
reproduce sexually — the egg cells and sperm [pollen grains] are produced in the flowers of plants. An egg
and sperm unite to begin development of a new individual. That new individual receives genetic information
from its mother (via the egg) and its father (via the sperm). Sexually produced offspring never are identical to
either of their parents.
• Every organism requires a set of instructions for specifying its traits. Heredity is the passage of these
instructions from one generation to another.
• Hereditary 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.
• 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.” (NSES)
The first benchmark in this unit focuses on how genetic information is passed on during reproduction. It does
not require students to learn the parts of the reproductive system.