What Does a Baby Styrox Look Like?
Purpose: Participants will be able to create offspring based on their parents’ genetic traits.
Objectives:
1. Use genetic traits to determine the outcome of an offspring.
2. Predict the likely hood of a trait appearing in a generation.
Standards:
NCTM Standards:
Mathematics as Problem Solving
Mathematics as Communications
Mathematics as Reasoning and Proof
NSTA Standards:
Physical Science
Nature of Science
ELA Standards:
Comprehension
Communication
Arkansas Science Framework:
NS.1.3.6 Collect and analyze empirical evidence as a team and/or as individuals.
NS.1.3.7 Make and explain predictions based on prior knowledge.
NS.1.4.11 Generate conclusions based on evidences.
PS.5.2.1 Classify objects based on two or more properties.
PS.5.3.1 Compare and contrast objects based on two or more properties.
Arkansas Mathematics Framework:
A.4.2.1 Sort, classify, and label objects by three or more attributes in more than one way.
DAP.14.6.1 Formulate questions, design studies, and collect data about a characteristic
shared by two populations or different characteristics within one population.
Arkansas Literacy Framework
OV.1.4.1 Use subject related Information and vocabulary
OV.1.4.6 Communicate idea and information with clarity
OV.1.4.12 Ask and answer relevant questions and make contributions in small and large
group discussions
OV 2.4.1 Demonstrate active listening behaviors
W.4.4.1 Organize writing around one central idea
Materials: Kits per group
One small and one medium styro-foam balls
3 feathers and 2 hair sets
6 craft eyes and 4 pipe cleaners
4 pipe cleaner legs with pomp-pomp feet,
3 tails (1 curly, 1 straight, 1 wavy)
1 paper bag marked mother
1 paper bag marked father
4 chips of one color and 4 chips of another color
1 set of genetic traits (see attachment)
Trait card
Terms card
Tally charts
Large charts for class data
Terms:
 Character: heritable feature that varies among individuals, such as flower color
 Trait: each variant of character such as red or white color for flowers
 Genes: chemical factors that determine traits
 Phenotype: physical characteristics of an organism
 Genotype: genetic makeup
 Alleles: different forms of a gene (gene for flower color may be white or red)
 Homozygous organisms: two identical alleles for a particular trait (ex: flower color RR
or rr)
 Heterozygous organisms: two different alleles for a particular trait (ex: flower color Rr)
 Dominate alleles: organism with a dominate allele will always exhibit that trait.
 Recessive alleles: organism exhibit the trait of the recessive allele only when the
dominate allele is not present.
 Incomplete dominance: the heterozygous phenotype is some where in between the two
homozygous phenotypes (rr white; RR red; and Rr pink).
 Codominance: both alleles contribute to the phenotype (BB – black speckles, bb white
speckles, Bb black and white speckles).
Engaging Question: Can you describe the phenotype or physical appearance of a Baby Styrox?
Essential Question: Based on genetic makeup (genotype) of the parents, can you predict what
physical characteristics (phenotype) and genetic makeup (genotype) the offsprings?
Class arrangement: Groups of 2 or 3
If there are 3 in a group then one can draw the chips, one can record the letters, one can build the
offspring. If groups have only 2 members, then one can draw the chips and record the letters.
Launch: Read “You are a select team of scientists studying the genetics of the planet Styro. A
group of beings, called Styroxes, has been discovered. Your assignment is to look at the
genotype of the parent Styroxes and predict the phenotype and the genotype of the offsprings.
The five traits we will studying are as follows:
Character
Body Size
Shape of the tail
Body Coverings
Eye Location
Trait
Small sphere (SS /Ss)
Straight (TT)
Wavy (Tt)
Feathers (FF)
Feathers and hairs (FH)
On the body
Trait
Medium sphere (ss)
Curly (tt)
Type of Inheritance
Dominant/Recessive
Incomplete dominance
Hairs (HH)
Co-dominance
On the appendages
Guided exploration: Genotype (the genetic makeup) of both parents will be given to you.
Use: Body Size Small Sphere (Ss) for both parents, Wavy tail (Tt) for both, Feathers and Hair
(FT), wait until the type of inheritance is chosen to determine the eyes. Make the parents
identical.
Ask: “What do you think the offspring of these parents will look like?
“Will all the children look alike? “
“What do you think 12 children would look like?”
“What would be helpful to know about the parents?” (trait or genotype and the type of
inheritance)
Ask: Will each group get the same offspring?
“Each offspring receives an (only one) allele from each parent.”


Hand out the kit.
Go over the terms and hand out a card with the inheritance.
1. For the both the mother and father, place a blue and a red chip in their bags. Red for
small body and blue for medium body. They both have (Ss) body traits (genotypes)
2. Draw out only one chip from each parent (2 chips). That will be your offspring’s
genotype (SS) small, (Ss) small and (ss) medium.
“Did everyone get the same body trait?No
“This is the body size for your baby?”
How many small bodies did we get? How many medium?”
“Tally your results on your tally sheet.”
Each group should make an additional __ choices for a total of __ for each group (should have at
least 200 tallies for the class. For 12 groups they will need to do a total of 25 (200 for the class)
Record the class results on a large class chart.
Explore the combinations of genotypes for bodies for the offspring.
Ss, SS, ss
Draw the Punnett Square for the offspring results.
What if we had parents with other genotypes for their bodies? Try an SS and ss parent? Or Ss
and Ss.
Do the same exploration with the tail. Use (Tt) wavy for both parents. Ask the same type of
questions as above but for the tail, have them make a total of 25 draws from each parent and
record the results for the class.
Continue the exploration with the body covering: use (FH) feathers and hair. Ask the same
type of questions for this one and record the results for the class.
Let the class choose the inheritance for the eyes and the genotype for the parents.
Put four legs on the offspring.
Do this for the other traits. Explore coming up with a method for predicting the offspring.
The idea of Punnett Squares should emerge.
R
r
RR
Rr
RR
Rr
R
R
Extension: Let the students choose the traits of the parents and see if they can predict the
outcomes of the offspring. Or choose two offspring and predict the outcome of the offspring.
Assessment: One parent has heterozygous trait for body covering Fs (Fur, scales) and has only
fur covering his body, the other parent has the homozygous trait for body covering ss (scales,
scales). No organism has both fur and scales or a body covering that is a blend of fur and scales.
Predict what bodying coverings 20 offspring will have. Use words, pictures, and or diagrams to
explain your reasoning.
Body size: small sphere (dominate)- SS
Dominate-recessive
chip color for S ______________
Tail
Straight – TT
Icomplete dominance
Chip color for T
_______________
Chip color for F ______________
on body –
medium sphere (recessive)- ss
Chip color for s ____________________
Curly- tt
Body Covering Feathers - FF
Codominance
Eyes
small sphere- Ss
Wavy – Tt
Chip color for t _______________________
Hair – HH
Both Feathers and Hair – FH
Chip color for H __________________
on 2 “ appendage –
Dominance type ______________________________
Chip color for ____ ___________________ Chip color for ____ _____________
Body size
Genotype Tally
Total Ratio:
Genotype total
total offspring
Total
Tail
Tally
Genotype
Total
Total Ratio:
Genotype total
total offspring
Body Covering
Genotype Tally
Total Ratio:
Genotype total
total offspring
Total
Eyes
Tally
Genotype
Total
Total Ratio:
Genotype total
total offspring
Character
Body Size
Shape of the tail
Body Coverings
Eye Location
Character
Body Size
Shape of the tail
Body Coverings
Eye Location
Character
Body Size
Shape of the tail
Body Coverings
Eye Location
Character
Body Size
Shape of the tail
Body Coverings
Eye Location
Trait
Small sphere (SS /Ss)
Straight (TT)
Wavy (Tt)
Feathers (FF)
Feathers and hairs (FH)
On the body
Trait
Medium sphere (ss)
Curly (tt)
Type of Inheritance
Dominant/Recessive
Incomplete dominance
Hairs (HH)
Co-dominance
Trait
Small sphere (SS /Ss)
Straight (TT)
Wavy (Tt)
Feathers (FF)
Feathers and hairs (FH)
On the body
Trait
Medium sphere (ss)
Curly (tt)
Type of Inheritance
Dominant/Recessive
Incomplete dominance
Hairs (HH)
Co-dominance
Trait
Small sphere (SS /Ss)
Straight (TT)
Wavy (Tt)
Feathers (FF)
Feathers and hairs (FH)
On the body
Trait
Medium sphere (ss)
Curly (tt)
Type of Inheritance
Dominant/Recessive
Incomplete dominance
Hairs (HH)
Co-dominance
Trait
Small sphere (SS /Ss)
Straight (TT)
Wavy (Tt)
Feathers (FF)
Feathers and hairs (FH)
On the body
Trait
Medium sphere (ss)
Curly (tt)
Type of Inheritance
Dominant/Recessive
Incomplete dominance
Hairs (HH)
Co-dominance
On the appendages
On the appendages
On the appendages
On the appendages
Terms:
 Character: heritable feature that varies among individuals, such as flower color
 Trait: each variant of character such as red or white color for flowers
 Genes: chemical factors that determine traits
 Phenotype: physical characteristics of an organism
 Genotype: genetic makeup
 Alleles: different forms of a gene (gene for flower color may be white or red)
 Homozygous organisms: two identical alleles for a particular trait (ex: flower color RR
or rr)
 Heterozygous organisms: two different alleles for a particular trait (ex: flower color Rr)
 Dominate alleles: organism with a dominate allele will always exhibit that trait.
 Recessive alleles: organism exhibit the trait of the recessive allele only when the
dominate allele is not present.
 Incomplete dominance: the heterozygous phenotype is some where in between the two
homozygous phenotypes (rr white; RR red; and Rr pink).
 Codominance: both alleles contribute to the phenotype (BB – black speckles, bb white
speckles, Bb black and white speckles).
Terms:
 Character: heritable feature that varies among individuals, such as flower color
 Trait: each variant of character such as red or white color for flowers
 Genes: chemical factors that determine traits
 Phenotype: physical characteristics of an organism
 Genotype: genetic makeup
 Alleles: different forms of a gene (gene for flower color may be white or red)
 Homozygous organisms: two identical alleles for a particular trait (ex: flower color RR
or rr)
 Heterozygous organisms: two different alleles for a particular trait (ex: flower color Rr)
 Dominate alleles: organism with a dominate allele will always exhibit that trait.
 Recessive alleles: organism exhibit the trait of the recessive allele only when the
dominate allele is not present.
 Incomplete dominance: the heterozygous phenotype is some where in between the two
homozygous phenotypes (rr white; RR red; and Rr pink).
 Codominance: both alleles contribute to the phenotype (BB – black speckles, bb white
speckles, Bb black and white speckles).