It’s Project Time!
Project objective: You will create genotypes and phenotypes of 2 creatures of your
choosing. You will solve a Punnett square to find the possible genotypes and
phenotypes of their offspring.
Project Description: This project is equal to a test grade for Unit 6: Genetics. We
have been working to understand reproduction, heredity, and how genes and alleles
play a part in what traits offspring have.
Now that you are experts in genetics, it is time to show what you know! You will be
able to have fun and be creative in this project by designing the genotype and
phenotype of your own fictional creature.
 First, you will choose 5 traits for your imaginary organism to have. For each, you
must decide the genotype, and phenotype.
For example:
Trait
Nose color
Phenotypes possible
Genotypes
Pink (dominant)
PP, Pp
Orange (recessive)
pp
 You will then draw or create a creature that has the characteristics you’ve chosen. If
you circled the nose color Pink, then you must draw a creature with a Pink nose
phenotype.
 Also, when you do your Punnett Square for this trait, you must make sure you use
the correct genotype:
P
P
You must do the same thing for the second creature that yours will mate with:
 You must have the genotype and phenotype decided for this second creature so
that you can cross them in a Punnett Square for EACH trait:
P
P
P
p
 Once you have done this for both creatures, each with 5 traits- you will have 5
Punnett squares with offspring shown.
 Now, choose on offspring location. It must be the same on all the Punnett squares.
For example:
pp
Hh
LL
These are the traits you will use
to determine what offspring you
draw.
Write-up questions
Answer the following questions with a paragraph each on a separate sheet.
Make sure you address all parts of each question:
1. Write out the phenotypes of all three of your creatures.
2. Answer this question for your first creature: does his/her offspring look like
him/her? Why/why not? (give your answer in terms of
heterozygous/homozygous genotypes).
3. How are the traits of your creature #1 different from those of your creature
#2 (the mate)?
4. Who does the offspring look like more? The mother? The father? Did you
plan for it to come out this way? Why or why not?
5. Did you do any selective breeding in your project? Why or why not? If you
did, what were the desirable traits you selected?
There are four parts to this project. Check off each one as you complete it:
Part
1
2
3
4
Requirement
Tell us about the imaginary creature you are going to
design:
□ What is its genotype for 5 traits?
□ What is its phenotype for these 5 traits?
□ Draw this creature’s chromosome with these 5
alleles on it.
□ Draw or create this creature for everyone to see
its physical traits
□ Explain what would happen if this creature
mated with another
□ Describe and draw or create its offspring based
on a Punnett Square with another creature
Write-up:
□ Follow directions and answer questions based
on your designed creature
Grading Rubric
Part
Part
1
Part
2
Part
3
Part
4
Name ____________________
0 Points
1 Point
2 Points
3 Points
4 Points
5 Points
Excellence!
Student did
not
complete
this part of
the project.
Student did
not show
trait
choices.
Student
did not
accurately
display
trait
choices or
did not
choose 5
traits.
Student
chose 5
traits but did
not write the
genotype or
phenotype
for each.
Student
accurately
chose 5 traits
and wrote the
genotype and
phenotype for
each.
Student did
not
complete
this part of
the project.
Student
only
illustrated
one
creature
Student
only
illustrated
1 or 2
creatures
Student
illustrated
creature
with
unidentified
traits
Student
chose 5
traits but
did not
correctly
write the
genotype
and
phenotype
for each.
Student
accurately
portrayed
some traits
on drawing
Student did
not
complete
this part of
the project.
Student
only
completed
a few
Punnett
Squares ,
which were
inaccurate
Student
did not
complete
Punnett
Squares
accurately
Student
completed
Punnett
squares but
did not
choose an
offspring
from them
Student
completed
most
Punnett
Squares
accurately
Student did
not
complete
this part of
the project.
Student
answered
questions
incompletel
y and/ or
incorrectly
Student
answered
some
questions
correctly
Student
answered
most or all
questions,
but most or
all were not
correct
Student
answered
most
questions
completely
and
accurately
Student
accurately
portrayed
genetic
characteristics
on drawing of
all three
creatures
(phenotype)
Student
completed all 5
Punnett
squares
accurately.
Student chose
1 offspring
from each
Punnett square
and combined
the traits to
create an
offspring.
Student
accurately
answered all
questions in
paragraphs
and complete
sentences.
Comments:
Total/100:
Create your own Organism!
Ms. Forgay
PART 1
Trait
Height
Incomplete
dominance
Hair Color
Multiple Alleles
Wings
Dom./Rec.
Pattern
Co-dominance
Horns
Dom./Rec.
Organism #1
Phenotype
Short
Genotype
H'H'
Tall
Medium
Red
Blue
HH
HH'
RR, RO
BB, BO
White
Purple
Winged (Dom.)
No wings (Rec.)
Stripes
Spots
Stripes and Spots
Horns (Dom.)
No horns (Rec.)
OO
RB
WW, Ww
ww
TT
PP
PT
NN, Nn
nn
Phenotype
Tall
Blue
Wings
Spots
Horns
Genotype
HH
BO
WW
PP
Nn
PART 2: Draw or create this creature for everyone to see its physical traits.
PART 3
Organism
#2
Phenotype
Genotype
Short
Purple
No wings
Stripes & Spots
Horns
H'H'
BR
ww
PT
Nn
Punnett Squares:
H
H
H' HH'
HH'
H' HH'
HH'
B
R
B
BB
BR
O
BO
RO
w
w
W
Ww
Ww
W
Ww
Ww
P
T
P
PP
PT
P
PP
PT
N
n
N
NN
Nn
n
Nn
nn
Describe and draw or create its offspring:
Phenotype
Genotype
Offspring Medium
HH'
Red
RO
Winged
Ww
Stripes &
Spots
PT
No horns
nn
PART 4:Write-up answering the 5 questions.
THE FINAL FAMILY: Include a drawing to show the 3 members!
Phenotype
Organism #1 Tall
Blue
Wings
Spots
Horns
Phenotype
Organism #2 Short
Purple
No wings
Stripes & Spots
Horns
Phenotype
Offspring
Medium
Red
Winged
Stripes & Spots
No horns
Genotype
HH
BO
WW
PP
Nn
Genotype
H'H'
BR
ww
PT
Nn
Genotype
HH'
RO
Ww
PT
nn