Design-A-Kid Worksheet
Background
Gregor Mendel determined that hereditary traits, or genes, are passed from generation to generation with
predictable outcomes. In this simulation, you will illustrate the genetic concepts of dominance, segregation,
genotype, phenotype, polygenic inheritance, incomplete dominance and multiple alleles when you and your partner
“produce” a baby.
What will your baby look like if you and your partner (to represent your spouse) both have dominant genes
for a particular trait (dominant homozygous)? What if you both have one dominant and one recessive gene
(heterozygous)?
Objectives
After completing this investigation you will be able to:
1. Recognize the relationship between an individual’s genotype and a phenotype.
2. Describe the role of probability in genetics.
3. Differentiate between the terms dominance-recessive; dominance-incomplete dominance;
one pair of genes controlling trait-polygenic; alleles-multiple alleles; heterozygoushomozygous.
Materials
Colored Pens or Pencils
Plain Paper
Two Coins
Procedure
1. To determine the genotype for each trait listed, each partner will flip their coin.
HEADS = gamete that contains a dominant gene (unless otherwise indicated)
TAILS = gamete contains the recessive gene (unless otherwise indicated)
2. Record the gene contributed by each parent in the provided data table and describe the phenotype
of the offspring.
3. When you have determined all the features for a particular structure, ex: with the eyes, draw and
color the way the baby will look either as a baby or as a teenager or both.
Characteristics Chart
Sex of your child:
Only father flips as father determines the baby’s sex. If father flips a heads (or a Y
chromosome) the baby will be a boy. If the father flips a tails (or a X chromosome, the baby will be a
girl. The mother can only give a tails (or X chromosome). Give your baby a name.
Face Shape:
Round (RR, Rr)
Square (rr)
Chin Shape:
Very Prominent (VV, Vv)
Less Prominent (vv)
Chin Shape 2:
Round (RR, Rr)
Square (rr)
Hair (incomplete dominance):
Curly (CC)
Wavy (Cc)
Straight (cc)
Widow’s Peak: The hair-line comes to a point in the center of the forehead.
Widow’s Peak (WW, Ww)
No Widow’s Peak (ww)
Hair Color: Dark hair is dominant over light
To determine the color of your “kid”, assume there are two gene pairs involved. Flip your
coins first to determine the genotype of the first pair of genes (AA, Aa, aa). Now flip your coins
again to determine the genotype of the second pair of genes (BB, Bb, bb).
AABB
Black
AABb
Black
AAbb
Red
AaBB
Brown
Aabb Regular Blond
AaBb
Brown
aaBB
Dark Brown
aaBb
Regular Brown
Aabb Pale Yellow Blond
Eyebrows:
Not connected (NN, Nn)
Connected (nn)
Color of Eyebrows:
Darker than hair (HH)
Distance Apart of Eyes:
Close Together (EE)
Same as hair (Hh)
Average Distance (Ee)
Lighter than hair (hh)
Far Apart (ee)
Eye Size:
Large (EE)
Medium (Ee)
Small (ee)
Eye Shape:
Almond (wide) (AA, Aa)
Eye Slantedness:
Horizontal (HH, Hh)
Round (narrow) (aa)
Upward Slant (hh)
Eye Color: Dark eyes is dominant over light
Darker eyes are produced in the presence of more active alleles. In this situation, the
large letters (A or B) represent alleles which are active in depositing dark pigment. Small
letters (a and b) represent alleles which deposit little or no pigment.
To determine the color of your “kid’s” eyes, assume there are two gene pairs
(alleles involved. One of which codes for depositing pigment in the front of the iris and
one of which codes for depositing pigment in the back of the iris. Determine the genotype
of the first pair (AA, Aa, aa) and then of the second pair (BB, Bb, bb).
AABB
AABb
AaBB
AaBb
Intense Brown
Intense Brown
Brown w/ green flakes
Brown
AAbb
Aabb
aaBB
aaBb
aabb
Brown
Gray Blue
Green
Dark Blue
Pale Blue
Eyelashes:
Long (LL, Ll)
Short (ll)
Mouth:
Long (MM)
Average (Mm)
Short (mm)
Lips:
Thick (LL, Ll)
Thin (ll)
Present (DD, Dd)
Absent (dd)
Dimples:
Nose:
Big (NN)
Medium (Nn)
Small (nn)
Ear Type:
Earlobes Free (GG, Gg)
Earlobes Attached (gg)
Ear Size:
Large (SS)
Medium (Ss)
Small (ss)
Blood Type:
This is a bit more difficult. Your results are dependent upon whether you and your
partner’s coins have years that are odd, even, or both.
If both coins are odd:
If both coins are even:
If one coin is odd and the other even:
Heads = O
Heads = O
Heads = A
Tails = B
Tails = A
Tails = B
Draw next to the name of your kid their blood type.
Type O (OO)
Type A (AA, AO)
Type B (BB, BO)
Type AB (AB)
Freckles on Cheek:
Present (FF, Ff)
Absent (ff)
Skin Color:
To determine the color of skin, assume there are three pairs of genes involved. Flip
your coins first to determine the genotype of the first pair of genes (AA, Aa, aa). Then
flip your coins again to determine the genotype of the second pair of genes (BB, Bb, bb).
Flip for the last time to determine the third pair of genes (CC, Cc, cc).
Each capital letter represents an active allele for pigmentation.
6 Capitals
5 Capitals
4 Captials
3 Capitals
2 Capitals
1 Capital
No Capitals
Very Dark Brown
Very Dark Brown
Dark Brown
Medium Brown
Light Brown
Light Tan
White
Design-a-Kid Data Sheet
Characteristic
Sex
Face Shape
Chin Shape
Chin Shape 2
Cleft Chin
Hair
Widow’s Peak
Hair Color
Eyebrows
Color of Eyebrows
Distance of Eyes
Size of Eyes
Shape of Eyes
Slant of Eyes
Color of Eyes
Eyelashes
Mouth
Lips
Dimples
Nose
Ear Type
Size of Ears
Blood Type
Freckles on Cheeks
Skin Color
Parent 1 Name
Parent 2 Name
Child’s Name
Gene from Father
Gene from Mother
Genotype
Phenotype