Curated OER
Gene Puzzles
Students come to understand that in sexually reproducing organisms, such as humans, typically half of the genes come from each parent.
Students examine a fictional pedigree and determine which gene is responsible for a given trait. The...
Curated OER
The Spanish Omelet
Students use analogies to show the relationships among cell, nucleus, genes, chromosome, ribosome, replication, mitosis, transcription, translation, DNA, RNA, amino acids and proteins, genotype, phenotype, and genetics vs. environmental...
Curated OER
Problem Solving In Genetic Disorders
Students explore the causes and effects of genetic disorders. They examine the phenotype and genotype of individuals and predict the recurrenence risks. Students generate a Punnett square and construct pedigree charts.
Curated OER
Principles of Heredity
Students model traits on genes using colored paper and tongue depressors to represent chromosomes. For this heredity lesson plan, students use their "chromosome sticks" to understand chromosome pairs, genes, dominant traits, recessive...
Science Friday
Colorful Chromosomes
Everything is in the genes. Individuals observe 14 different traits of themselves. Using pipe cleaners and beads, the learners create models of a chromosome representing their traits. The class then compares and contrasts everyone's...
Cherokee County Schools
Dragon Genetics
It's alive! Turn young biologists into mad scientists with this engaging genetics activity. Using their knowledge of chromosomes and genes, students create dragons with unique sets of traits,...
US National Library of Medicine
Genetic Traits in Harry Potter
Explore human genetics through the world of Harry Potter. A thorough lesson develops the introductory concepts of genetics using characters of the popular book series. Learners study topics from DNA and chromosomes to Punnett Squares and...
Beyond Benign
Kitten Creation
Your pupils become geneticists as they create cat offspring. The next lesson in a series continues an exploration of genetic makeup as scholars consider parent traits to build their offspring. Using household items, they create kittens...
Anthropological Association
Race: Teacher Guide: Race
How has the concept of race changed over time? Explore the genetic, cultural, and social aspects of race through a series of impactful activities. Scholars discover how race is influenced by inherited traits, examine census records to...
Biology Junction
Mendelian Genetics
Over the course of seven years, Gregor Mendel grew more than 28,000 pea plants. The large amount of data he collected led him to postulate the rules of genetics as we understand them today. Scholars learn about Mendel, genetics, and...
College Board
2018 AP® Biology Free-Response Questions
The average AP Biology score dropped in 2018 with the addition of more data tables and graphs. Offer additional practice free-response questions by using the questions from the 2018 AP exam covering phylogenetic trees, cell structure and...
Agriculture in the Classroom
Design 'Y'er Genes
How do changes in DNA affect an organism? Scholars explore chromosomes, genes, DNA, and mutations by modeling the DNA of a strawberry. They build a DNA model, then manipulate it to show how changing the genes transforms the strawberry...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Zebrafish and Skin Color
You may not know if that zebrafish in your fish tank is a model citizen—but it is definitely a model organism! What can we learn about ourselves from a tiny zebrafish? Discover more about the polygenic trait of skin color through a...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Modeling the Regulatory Switches of the Pitx1 Gene in Stickleback Fish
Gene switches work similarly to light switches in controlling one feature of their environments. Scholars study the Pitx1 gene in a specific type of fish. They learn the different ways this switch controls various body parts and...
Curated OER
Genetic Terms
In this biology worksheet, students identify and locate various vocabulary terms related to genetics. There are 15 biology terms located in the word search.
Curated OER
Genes
In this biology worksheet, 9th graders identify and locate various vocabulary terms related to the study of genes. There are 18 biology terms located in the word search.
Curated OER
Mendelian and Non-Mendelian Heredity
Tenth graders discuss their physical features, and why they look the way they do. They listen as the teacher discusses DNA, alleles, and dominant or recessive genes. Students perform an experiment with different colored markers...
Curated OER
The Blue Genes Challenge
Students practice completing and analyzing Punnett squares. They create Punnet squares in response to a provided scenario from the company Blue Genes Incorporated. In addition, they complete an activity to determine the phenotype of...
Curated OER
Inheritance Patterns in Zorks
For this inheritance patterns worksheet, students create a visual of a Zork using chromosome strips to represent alleles from the father and the mother to determine the traits in the offspring. Students translate the genotype to the...
Curated OER
Parental Genes
Eighth graders explore how different organisms pass their traits to their offspring. In this life science lesson plan, 8th graders differentiate recessive and dominant alleles. They predict the phenotype based on the genotype of an...
Curated OER
Making A Face
Learners are introduced to the cellular machinery assorts the pairs of chromosomes randomly and independently during meiosis. They are introduced to the rich genetic variation occurs as a result of the random and independent assortment...
Curated OER
Teaching Biotechnology by Analogies and Models
Students examine analogies and create models to help visualize the concept and technique of basic biotechnology. Common scenarios are used to explain the complex procedures of genetic engineering.
Curated OER
Patterns of Heredity
In this heredity worksheet, students will complete a graphic organizer with information relating to heredity, incomplete dominance, selective breeding, and hybrids.
Curated OER
Natural Selection: Exploring the 'Ohi'a Common Garden
Seventh graders examine natural variation by visiting the Ohi'a Common Garden in Volcano, Hawaii. In this natural selection lesson, 7th graders study background information about phenotypes, genotypes, and phenotypic plasticity before...