Homework Booklet
Homework 1 – Genetic Crosses (Differentiated)
Eye Colour
If Marge and Homer both have blue eyes, what colour eyes would you
expect Bart to have?
If Marge has blue eyes and Homer’s eyes are brown, what colour eyes
could Bart have?
How Can we Work it Out?
Each possible child (offspring) gets one letter from each parent. What
four combinations could Marge and Homer make?
Parents
Parents’ genes
b = blue eyes
Marge
bb
B = brown eyes
Homer
BB
Remember, when we have genes for two different eye colours, the capital
letter wins.
Now Freckles…
F = freckles
Parents
Parents’ genes
f = no freckles
Marge
Ff
Homer
ff
Homework 1 – Genetic Problems
Answer each of the following questions as completely as possible. Show
punnett squares and all ratios requested.
1. Explain the difference between the concepts of genotype and
phenotype.
2. Explain why there can NOT be a heterozygous recessive organism.
3. List at least five reasons Mendel was successful with using the pea
plant for genetics work. Research required.
4. Use the information below to assist you in answering questions 4
and 5 which follow.
** In guinea pigs, black fur is dominant over white fur.
5. What phenotype (coat colour) would each of these guinea pig
genotypes result in:
a. Bb
b. BB
c. bb
6. Use a Punnett Square to solve this cross in guinea pigs --- BB x Bb
showing the F1 phenotypic and genotypic ratios.
7. Huntington disease is a dominant lethal condition which usually
results in the death of its victims in middle age. Show the
genotypic and phenotypic ratios of a cross between a normal
individual and a heterozygous individual for Huntington disease.
Huntingtons=Hh
Huntintons=HH
Normal=hh
8. Since heterozygous and homozygous individuals with Huntington's
both die due to the condition, explain why the Huntington allele is
not eliminated from the human population.
Homework 2 - Mitosis
Make a comic flip book to show the stages of mitosis (including
descriptions). Be creative and have the cells brightly coloured.
Homework 3 - Therapeutic value of stem cells
Read the article in the Scotland on Sunday.
© The Scotsman Publications Ltd.
Scientists study stem cells for many reasons, for example to better
understand the cell cycle and to develop and test new ways to treat
patients.
1. Give one more reason why Dr Tilo Kunath is doing this research.
In 2006, scientists discovered a new technique. They can now take a cell
from a body, for example a skin cell, and turn it into a cell that behaves
like stem cells from an embryo.
2. What are these special types of cells called?
3. Why is Dr Tilo Kunath keen to use this technique to study
Parkinson’s?
4. Scientists are very excited about this new technique. Why do you
think that is?