Genetics Learning Targets for 6-8 Standards LS3B-LS3D w/ Item Specifications
6-8 LS3B Genes
1
MC, CP
(1) Describe that location of genes is within chromosomes in the nucleus of a cell.
Background Knowledge:


I know that the cell is the basic unit of living things.
I know that the nucleus is part of a cell and controls the cells activities.
Learning Target:
 I can identify the cell nucleus as the place where chromosomes are found

I can describe genes as genetic material on a chromosome that code for a trait
Lab-Aids/SEPUP Genetics Lesson Alignment:
N/A, prior learning must be addressed through scaffold lessons or may be addressed via the FOSS Diversity of Life unit typically taught at grade 6.
(2) Describe the function of genes in an organism as containing the genetic information to specify the
organism’s traits.
Background Knowledge:
 I can describe a trait as a characteristic of an organism.
Learning Target:
 I know that genes contain hereditary genetic information in a molecule called DNA.
 I know that an organism’s genes determine what kind of traits that organism will have.
Lab-Aids/SEPUP Genetics Lesson Alignment:
Activity 56 Joe’s Dilemma & “Do Your Genes Fit?” video
Activity 58 Creature Features
Activity 60 Mendel
Activity 61 Gene Squares
1
MC, CP
(3) Describe that genes are passed from parent to offspring during reproduction.
1
MC, CP
1
MC
Background Knowledge:
 I know that all organisms reproduce or make copies of themselves.
Learning Target:
 I can identify that genetic information is passed from parent to offspring during reproduction.
Lab-Aids/SEPUP Genetics Lesson Alignment:
Activity 55 Plants Have Genes Too
Activity 56 Joe’s Dilemma & “Do Your Genes Fit?” video
Activity 60 Mendel
Activity 61 Gene Squares
Activity 62 Analyzing Genetic Data
Activity 63 Show Me the Genes
6-8 LS3C Reproduction
(1) Identify reproduction as essential for a species to continue to exist.
Learning Target:
 I understand that a species must reproduce to avoid extinction.
Lab-Aids/SEPUP Genetics Lesson Alignment:
Activity 58 Creature Feature
Activity 59 Gene Combo
(2) Identify characteristics of sexual and/or asexual reproduction (e.g., genes are inherited from both parents
in sexual reproduction leading to greater diversity of traits).
1
MC
Learning Target:

I can explain that some organisms reproduce sexually and some asexually.


I can describe that genes are transferred to offspring through asexual reproduction when a parent organism copies itself.
I can describe that genes are transferred to offspring through the union of a sperm and egg cell in sexual reproduction.


I can describe that asexual reproduction results in very little genetic diversity (diversity of traits).
I can describe that sexual reproduction results in genetically diverse offspring.
Lab-Aids/SEPUP Genetics Lesson Alignment:
Activity 57 Reproduction
Activity 60 Mendel
Activity 63 Show Me the Genes
(3) Identify most plants and animals as organisms which reproduce sexually while some plants can also
reproduce asexually.
Learning Target:
 I can identify that most plants reproduce asexually.
 I can describe how plants reproduce sexually.
 I can describe how some plants reproduce asexually.
 I can identify that most animals reproduce sexually.
 I can describe how some animals reproduce asexually.
Lab-Aids/SEPUP Genetics Lesson Alignment:
Activity 57 Reproduction
1
MC
(4) Describe that sexual reproduction leads to greater diversity of characteristics in the offspring than does
2
MC, CP
asexual reproduction.
Learning Target:
 I can describe sexual reproduction as the union of a sperm and egg cell.
 I can describe that genes are transferred to offspring through sexual reproduction.
 I can describe that sexual reproduction can lead to greater genetic diversity (diversity of traits).
 I can explain sexual reproduction leads greater genetic diversity because the offspring receive a copy DNA from two different organisms of
the same species.
Lab-Aids/SEPUP Genetics Lesson Alignment:
Activity 57 Reproduction
6-8 LS3D Mendelian Genetics
(1) Describe that offspring produced during sexual reproduction are similar, but not identical to, either parent
because the offspring receive genetic information from both parents.
1
MC
Learning Target:
 I can explain that offspring from sexual reproduction are not exactly the same as either parent because they inherit a combination of traits
from each parent.
Lab-Aids/SEPUP Genetics Lesson Alignment:
Activity 55 Plants Have Genes Too
Activity 57 Reproduction
Activity 58 Creature Features
Activity 63 Show Me the Genes
Activity 65 Breeding Critters – More Traits
Activity 66 Patterns and Pedigrees
(2) Describe that offspring produced during asexual reproduction are very nearly identical to the parent
because the offspring receives genetic information from a single parent.
1
MC
Learning Target:
 I can describe that genes are transferred to offspring through asexual reproduction when a parent organism copies itself.
 I can describe that offspring of asexual reproduction receives a copy of DNA from one parent.
 I can explain that, except for random mutations, an asexual offspring will be identical to their parent.
Lab-Aids/SEPUP Genetics Lesson Alignment:
Activity 57 Reproduction
(3) Predict the outcome of a given genetic cross involving one characteristic using the principles of Mendelian
genetics.
Learning Target:

I can describe the characteristics of an organism in terms of a combination of genetic traits.

I can describe genes as genetic material on a chromosome that code for a trait.




I can describe an allele as different forms of the same gene.
I can describe the difference between dominant and recessive alleles
I can use a Punnet Square to predict the ratio of a dominant to recessive genetic trait in offspring.
I can use these ratios to predict the probability of which characteristics will be expressed in an offspring.
Lab-Aids/SEPUP Genetics Lesson Alignment:
Activity 58 Creature Features
Activity 59 Gene Combo
Activity 60 Mendel, First Geneticist
Activity 61 Gene Squares
Activity 62 Analyzing Genetic Data
Activity 63 Show Me the Genes!
Activity 65 Breeding Critters – More Traits
Activity 66 Patterns in Pedigrees
2
MC, CP
(4) Explain how the variation produced by sexual reproduction helps species survive.
2
MC, SA
Student-Friendly Learning Target(s)
Learning Target:
 I can explain that the environment has limited supplies
 I can explain that an organism’s survival depends on its ability to survive in its given environment.
I can explain that sexual reproduction results in a greater genetic variation and therefore increased ability to survive in a changing
environment.
 I can explain how genetic variation happens over multiple generations in a whole population rather than an individual organism.
Lab-Aids/SEPUP Genetics Lesson Alignment:
N/A, this item specification is beyond the scope of SEPUP Genetics and is addressed in the Evolution section of SEPUP Ecology and Evolution