Grade Level/Subject
9 / Biology
Unit
Genetics
Enduring
Understanding
All living things reproduce and pass on genetic
information.
SOL Objectives
BIO.5
The student will investigate and
understand common mechanisms of
inheritance and protein synthesis. Key
concepts include
d) prediction of inheritance of traits
based on the Mendelian laws of
heredity;
f) genetic variation.
BIO.1
The student will demonstrate an
understanding of scientific reasoning,
logic, and the nature of science by
planning and conducting investigations.
Title
Fruit Fly Genetics
Lesson Objective
Students will learn and apply the principles of
Mendelian inheritance by experimentation
(using an online simulation) with the fruit fly,
Drosophila melanogaster. Students will develop
and test hypotheses for monohybrid, dihybrid
and sex-linked traits.
3 (Question Given; Methods and Solution Open)
Inquiry Level
Materials Required
Computers with internet access. Teachers
might consider registering for a free account
which will allow students to store information
and allow teachers to use tools through the
software to monitor student progress.
Teachers: If you want to give your students
more guidance and perhaps convert this to a
level 2 inquiry lab, Biology Corner has more
step by step directions for how to run crosses
that test various types of traits (no linkage,
autosomal linkage, sex-linked, lethal alleles)
1
Virtual Fly Lab
http://www.sciencecourseware.com/vcise/drosophila/
Fruit flies are often used as a model organism for
studying the inheritance of traits. Like Mendel’s pea
plants, fruit flies are relatively easy to care for and they
mature and reproduce quickly. They have a variety of
traits that are fairly easy to observe and identify,
including differences in eye color, body color, and wing
size. Another useful characteristic of fruit flies is that
they have only four chromosomes; consequently, there
are a number of traits which are linked (either
autosomal or sex-linked).
In this investigation, you will conduct a simulation using a virtual fly lab, at the above URL.
Your teacher will provide you with a class code; you will need to enter your first and last
names (the program will generate your username) and create a password.
Start by exploring the activity and getting a feel for how the program works. Once you are
comfortable with the simulation, click on the “Report” tab. Enter responses for:
Introduction, Hypothesis, Experimental Design, and Materials and Methods.
Then, carry out your experiment (hint – remember to perform both F1 and F2 crosses).
Follow your teacher’s directions regarding the minimum number of crosses you should
perform and / or the number/types of traits you should examine.
Complete the remaining sections under the “Report” tab. Follow your teacher’s
instructions in terms of whether you should save the report online for your teacher to grade
and / or print out a hard copy to turn in.
2