STEM CHALLENGE #3 – Genetic Engineers
STEM CHALLENGE #3
Genetic Engineers
Dear Sir or Madam:
We are excited to announce that our Theme Park is well under way. We have designed an interactive
petting zoo to be a primary attraction in our children’s section. After speaking to many animal husbandry
specialists, we have developed areas to house the following species of animal. 1-Cows, 2-Llamas, 3Camels, 4-Horses/Ponies, 5-Pigs, 6-Goats, and 7-Rabbits. Based on our research, these animals all thrive
on very similar diets and tend to be excellent additions to this type of environment.
We would like for your firm to develop a special breed of these animals unique to our petting zoo!
Children should be standing in line to see our special and unique animals. We would prefer that each
animal be Purebred for their unique traits so that we can have our own breeding program as a way for
the petting zoo to be especially profitable and self-supporting.
STEM CHALLENGE #3
Genetic Engineers
Dear Sir or Madam:
We are excited to announce that our Theme Park is well under way. We have designed an interactive
petting zoo to be a primary attraction in our children’s section. After speaking to many animal husbandry
specialists, we have developed areas to house the following species of animal. 1-Cows, 2-Llamas, 3Camels, 4-Horses/Ponies, 5-Pigs, 6-Goats, and 7-Rabbits. Based on our research, these animals all thrive
on very similar diets and tend to be excellent additions to this type of environment.
We would like for your firm to develop a special breed of these animals unique to our petting zoo!
Children should be standing in line to see our special and unique animals. We would prefer that each
animal be Purebred for their unique traits so that we can have our own breeding program as a way for
the petting zoo to be especially profitable and self-supporting.
STEM CHALLENGE #3 – Genetic Engineers
1. Draw an Animal Genotype card and find the other Genetic Engineers who have been assigned
your species.
2. Review the Trait Chart for that particular animal species together.
3. Decide on the unique phenotypes your group would like to produce in your animals for the
petting zoo project.
4. Fill out Challenge Paper and record these desired phenotypes.
5. Analyze genotypes of given breeding stock and choose the two animals most likely to produce
those phenotypes.
6. Fill out the Challenge paper for each of the four breeding stock animals.
7. Fill out the Challenge paper for the two animals you selected to breed to produce your F1
generation.
8. Do a Punnett square for each of the given 5 traits to predict the probability (in percentages) of
each trait in the first generation of offspring.
9. Once you have your resultant phenotypes you will toss a coin to determine which genotypes
your offspring will have. If you have a heterozygous cross you will have BB = 25%, Bb – 50%,
bb – 25%.
a. Toss the coin once.
i. Heads = Heterozygous
ii. Tails = One of the Homozygous traits
b. If you get Tails and need a second toss
i. Heads = Homozygous Dominant
ii. Tails = Homozygous Recessive
10. Record your genotypes and phenotypes of the offspring in F1 Chart
11. Repeat process 8-10 for F2 generation using one offspring and an animal from your original
breeding stock to continue your breeding program in order to obtain true breeding animals for
the traits you desire.
12. If necessary, repeat process 8-10 for an F3 generation using one F2 offspring and an F1
offspring or an animal from your original breeding stock to continue your breeding program in
order to obtain true breeding animals for the traits you desire.
13. Record the genotypes and phenotypes for the two or three animals you will be sending to
ACME to become part of their Punnett Petting Zoo.
Because of our timeline to produce animals for ACME Theme Parks, you are not
allowed to breed past an F3 generation. Whatever animals you have produced at that
point will be sent as possible candidates for the petting zoo.
STEM CHALLENGE #3 – Genetic Engineers
Writing Analysis
Paragraph 1
In your own words, explain (in detail) how successful your group was at completing the
breeding project for ACME theme parks.
 How many generations did you breed? Why?
 If you stopped at F3, how many more generations of offspring do you think would
have been necessary to reach your goal?
Paragraph 2
 Do you think selective breeding specifically to looks is a good idea? Why?/Why
not?
 How can selective breeding of organisms (single or multicellular) be beneficial?
 What are some unintended consequences that may arise from selective breeding
for specific traits?
Paragraph 3
Describe how well your group worked together.
 Was everyone willing to listen to other’s opinions?
 How knowledgeable about the process were each of your group members?
 Was anyone particularly helpful or hard to work with? Why? Give specific
examples of how they were/weren’t helpful to the process.
 How would you rate your own performance?