Outcome: 5.8.2 Watson-Crick model of DNA
e) identify the role of genes and environmental factors in determining
the features of an organism.
GENETICS- The Vegetable People
Aim: To investigate what kind of children Ma and Pa vegetable will have.
Introduction: The vegetable people consist of vegetable body parts. There are two sexes, potatoes
and onions, and each may differ in FOUR main ways. See the following table {Figure 1}. The body
parts are attached with toothpicks. A toothpick is inserted at the back to help stand up. Ma and Pa are
the two parents and have been made for you. The containers in front of each parent contain their
genes and sex chromosomes. See the table{Figure 2}for their phenotype and genotype.
Figure 1- Body Parts
Characteristic
Phenotype
Eyes
Red Grapes
Green Grapes
Arms
Celery strip –Long
Celery strip -Short
Legs
Carrot Strips
Baby Corn
Hair
Sprouts
Shredded Cabbage
Figure 2- Ma and Pa
People
Ma {Potato}
Responsible Genes
R{dominant}
r{recessive}
L{dominant}
l{recessive}
C{dominant}
c{recessive}
S{dominant}
s{recessive}
Genotype
rr
ll
Cc
Ss
XX
Rr
LL
CC
Ss
XY
Pa {Onion}
1.
Genotype
RR or Rr
rr
LL or Ll
ll
CC or Cc
cc
SS or Ss
ss
Phenotype
Green Eyes
Short Arms
Carrot Legs
Sprouts Hair
Female ♀
Red Eyes
Long Arms
Carrot Legs
Sprouts Hair
Male ♂
Method:
Complete the following “punnet squares” for each characteristic. This will help to
decide the features of your ‘vegetable baby’. {Leave the last table at this stage}
EYES
Allele from
Allele
♂
from ♀
ARMS
R
r
Allele
from ♀
Allele from
♂
r
l
r
l
L
L
Risk Analysis:
Risk
Contamination of Vegetables and
Poisoning
Cuts from Knifes
{and other tools}
Precaution
No eating under any circumstances. Wash hands upon completion of task. Correctly
dispose of all food parts on completion of lesson, including ‘babies’.
Use cutting boards. Take care when using tools. NEVER PRESS TOO HARD. Take
special care when moving around the room with tools. Be careful when cleaning tools.
LEGS
Allele
from ♀
HAIR
Allele from
♂
Allele
from ♀
Characteristic Genotype
SEX
Allele from
Allele
♂
from ♀
X
X
Allele from
♂
X
Y
Vegetable to
use
Eyes
Arms
Legs
Hair
Sex
2. Now go back to each table you have just completed. Highlight or circle one box at
random from each punnet square. These highlighted genotypes will form your
‘Vegetable baby’.
3. Complete the final table for YOUR vegetable person.
4. Construct your vegetable person. Use the toothpicks to join the body parts and to
help support the person. Give your baby a name tag and place it on the front desk
with the others in the class.
Class Results: Complete the following table, showing the characteristics of all
vegetable people. Ma and Pa have been done for you. Calculate the total of each
column and record at the bottom.
Name
Eyes
Arms
Legs
Hair
Sex
Red Green Long Short Carrot Corn Sprouts Cabbage Potato Onion
Ma
x
x
x
x
x
Pa
x
x
x
x
x
Totals
Graphing Class Results
Construct a column graph of the information collected from the class results.
TITLE:
Total
Number
Red
Green
EYES
Long Short
ARMS
Carrot Corn
LEGS
Sprouts Cabbage
HAIR
Male Female
SEX
Vege Person Characteristics
Extension Questions:
1. When organisms reproduce sexually such as the vege people, what do you observe about
their offspring?
2. What is the chance of getting a female {XX} or male{XY} vegetable baby?
3. Do the following crosses using your knowledge of vegetable people
a} A girl with cabbage hair crossed with a boy who has homozygous sprouts hair?
b} A girl with corn legs crossed with a boy who has heterozygous carrot legs?
Pa
Ma
Pa
Ma