NOTES (to be moved to ARCHIVE when the unit is complete)
NAME ______________________________ SECTION ____________ DATE ____________
GENETICS, HEREDITY AND REPRODUCTION UNIT
TABLE OF CONTENTS List all note pages and readings that are part of this unit and (should be)
contained within the NOTES section.
DATE
TITLE
ENDURING KNOWLEDGE STATEMENTS “Enduring Knowledge” Statements and “Grade
Expectations” are from the Vermont Department of Education documents.
 All living organisms and their component cells have identifiable characteristics that allow for survival.


The human body is unique in its heredity, body systems and development, and can be affected by the
environment.
All living things exhibit patterns of similarity in their structures, behaviors and biochemistry
GRADE EXPECTATIONS
GE Statements
 S7-8:30
(DOK 2)
Students demonstrate their understanding of
Structure and Function-Survival Requirements by…
Examining cells under a microscope, identifying
the nucleus and explaining the relationship between
genes (located in the nucleus) and traits.
Science Concepts
a. Cells contain structures that carry out survival
functions.
b. The nucleus of a cell contains the genes. Every cell
contains a complete set of genes for that organism.
c. Genes provide the instructions that direct the
functions of the cell.
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NOTES (to be moved to ARCHIVE when the unit is complete)
 S7-8:31
(DOK 2)
Students demonstrate their understanding of
Reproduction by …
Explaining that cells come only from other living
cells and that genes duplicate in the process of cell
division producing an identical copy of the original
cell
AND
Describing the relationship between human
growth and cell division
S7-8:38
(DOK 2)
Students demonstrate their understanding of
Classification of Organisms by…
Comparing and sorting organisms with similar
characteristics into groups based on internal and
external structures recognized by scientists.
AND
Recognizing that individuals that can reproduce
with one another and produce fertile offspring are
classified as a species.
S7-8:39
(DOK 2)
Students demonstrate their understanding of
Evolution/Natural Selection by…
Identifying that traits occur randomly.
AND
Explaining that advantageous traits of organisms
are passed on through reproduction.
AND
Comparing sexual with asexual reproduction.
 S7-8:40
(DOK 2)
Students demonstrate their understanding of
Human Heredity
by…
Explaining how traits are passed on from the
instructions of one or more genes that are inherited
from the parents.
a. Cells only come from other cells.
b. Cells repeatedly divide to make more cells for growth
and repair.
c. During cell reproduction, genes duplicate so that each
new cell will have an identical set of genes.
d. When cells divide, they are reproducing asexually.
e. As a result of asexual reproduction, new cells
(organisms) are identical to the parent cell.
f. Some complete organisms can reproduce asexually
(e.g., budding).
 Compare and contrast sexual and asexual
reproduction.
Science Concepts:
a. Scientists organize the vast diversity of organisms by
describing similarities and differences among living
things. Details of internal and external structures of
organisms are more important for scientific classification
than behavior and general appearance.
b. Individuals that can reproduce with one another and
produce fertile offspring are classified as a species.
Science Concepts:
a. Differences in physical characteristics (traits) occur
randomly (by chance) in a population or species.
b. As environments change, organisms that possess
advantageous traits (those that enable them to survive)
pass those traits to offspring through reproduction.
a. Every organism requires a set of instructions (genes)
for specifying its traits. Heredity is the passage of these
instructions from one generation to another.
b. As a result of sexual reproduction, half of an
individual’s traits come from one parent, half from the
other.
c. An inherited trait of an individual can be determined
by one or by many genes, and a single gene can
influence more than one trait.
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NOTES (to be moved to ARCHIVE when the unit is complete)
VOCABULARY – You should know the definitions and appropriate use for the following terms. Fill in
definitions and descriptions here. Add details as needed.
chromosome/chromatin – both refer to the
genetic material in the nucleus that carries genes.
Chromosomes are the condensed form for cell
division. Contains DNA and proteins.
DNA – the molecule that is the genetic
material in all living cells
reproduction
- the process by which cells
and organisms produce other cells and organisms of
the same kind
asexual
- type of reproduction in which a new organism is produced from one parent
fission
- a type of asexual reproduction where one organism divides to form two
new ones (popular with bacteria)
budding
- a type of asexual reproduction where a new organism grows off its
parents and drops off to grow bigger
regeneration - a type of asexual reproduction where a new organism regrows a whole
from divided parts
sexual
- type of reproduction in which a new organism is produced by combining sex
cells from two parents
sex cells/reproductive cells/gametes - specialized cells for sexual reproduction that
have half of the chromosome number for the species
sperm - the male gamete or reproductive cell
eggs – the female gamete or reproductive cell
zygote
-a fertilized egg (a result of sexual reproduction)
offspring
- the next generation, or products of reproduction
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NOTES (to be moved to ARCHIVE when the unit is complete)
CONCEPTS AND SKILLS – Be able to explain or demonstrate your knowledge. Write in key information
from your notes and other work.
 Know the levels of organization for the structure of genetic material. (The structure
serves the function!)
 HUMANS
o Compare and contrast your DNA structure and chromosome number to other
organisms. (What is similar? What is different?)
o What is the ideal number of chromosomes and pairs in every human cell?
o How does this compare to the ideal number in a sperm or in an egg?
 Compare and contrast asexual and sexual reproduction. (Explain where a new individual
gets its DNA and how it compares to its parent(s).)
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS – You should be able to answer these questions using information from
vocabulary and concepts as well as experience and examples. These may not be directly answered in your notes and
work. Do your best to use what you know to answer the question. Reasonable efforts and attempts are appropriate.
 What roles does DNA have in the life of an organism?
 What is the purpose of reproduction?
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NOTES (to be moved to ARCHIVE when the unit is complete)
VOCABULARY – You should know the definitions and appropriate use for the following terms. Fill in
definitions and descriptions here. Add details as needed
genetics - the scientific study of the principles of heredity and the variation of inherited
traits among related organisms (a branch of biology)
heredity – the passage of biological traits or characteristics from parents to offspring through
inheritance of genes
gene – a segment (section) of DNA occupying a specific place on a chromosome that is the
basic unit of heredity (genes determine traits)
trait - a characteristic or condition that is determined by genes. Some are physical, some are
behavioral, some are functional.
allele
an option or different form for a gene
dominant
an allele that ‘hides’ or ‘overpowers’ other alleles so its trait is shown
recessive
an allele that is ‘hidden’ or ‘overpowered’ by other alleles so its trait is not
shown
genotype
- the genetic makeup of an organism as distinguished from its physical
characteristics (the information contained in the DNA (different genes))
heterozygous (hybrid)
having two different alleles for a gene (example: Bb)
homozygous (purebred) having two of the same alleles for a gene (examples: BB, bb)
phenotype – the physical appearance of an organism as distinguished from its genetic
makeup (what is ‘seen’ in a person because of his/her DNA (different traits))
SEE MORE ON THE OTHER SIDE for gene, allele, trait, genotype and phenotype.
species
- a group of organisms with common characteristics that are able to reproduce
through multiple generations
cell division – the process by which a cell divides into two or more cells – this is
asexual reproduction that occurs in species that reproduce sexually
(like humans!)
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NOTES (to be moved to ARCHIVE when the unit is complete)
CONNECTING SOME OF THE VOCABULARY……
in the
DNA
What is
‘shown’
or
‘seen’
GENERAL (this species
has…)
SPECIFIC (this
individual has…)
GENE
ALLELE
GENOTYPE
a section of DNA
occupying a specific
place on a
chromosome
an option for a
gene – it is
written with one
letter.
The genetic makeup of an
organism – it is written with
TWO LETTERS, one for the allele
on each of two chromosomes in
the pair.
EXAMPLE:
The section of DNA
on a chromosome
that is the gene for
wool color in sheep.
EXAMPLE:
White wool (W)
Black wool (w)
The words
dominant and
recessive
describe alleles.
EXAMPLE:
This sheep’s genotype is Ww.
Each letter in the genotype
represents one allele.
The words homozygous and
heterozygous describe
genotypes. A genotype that is
homozygous dominant has two
dominant alleles.
TRAIT
PHENOTYPE
a characteristic (physical, behavioral,
functional)
the trait(s) of an organism – it is
written with words (often
adjective and noun).
EXAMPLE:
Wool color is a trait of sheep.
EXAMPLE:
This sheep has white wool.
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NOTES (to be moved to ARCHIVE when the unit is complete)
CONCEPTS AND SKILLS – Be able to explain or demonstrate your knowledge. Write in key information
from your notes and other work.
 Describe or show how the gender of a human offspring (child) is determined.
o Explain the chances for a child to be a boy or a girl using a Punnett Square
 Use a Punnet square to predict the chances that an offspring would have a particular
phenotype or genotype. Think about work you have done with peas, cows, and flies as
well as what you have seen with the human traits survey.
 How are sexual and asexual reproduction BOTH relevant to humans?
 Describe cell division and its role in the growth and development of an offspring. (Also
think about why cells don’t just get bigger.)
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NOTES (to be moved to ARCHIVE when the unit is complete)
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS – You should be able to answer these questions using information from
vocabulary and concepts as well as experience and examples. These may not be directly answered in your notes and
work. Do your best to use what you know to answer the question. Reasonable efforts and attempts are appropriate.
 How are genetics and reproduction connected?
 How are genetics connected to species and classification?
 Describe growth and development and show the difference between the
two.
 How does (some part) of this unit of study connect to (some part) some
other unit of science study?
FINALLY…. What else have you learned? It might be more detail in one of the
content areas, something about you as a student or scientist, a specific skill or
strong connection to ‘real life.’ List three one sentence statements or describe one
thing with a minimum of three sentences.
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