Lesson Plan
Baylor College

Reebops: A “Model” Organism for Teaching Genetic Concepts

For Teachers 6th - 12th
In a sweet simulation, junior geneticists examine the chromosomes of a fictitious Reebop marshmallow animal, combine chromosomes to produce offspring, and then make a model of the resulting Reebop baby. Phenotypes include number of...
Activity
Curated OER

Activity: Gummy Bear Genetics

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Who's your Daddy ... and Mommy for that matter? Given a first-generation group of gummy bear offspring, young scientists must determine which bears are their parents. An activity worksheet covers the differences in genotypes and...
Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Understanding Variation

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed Standards
Does where we live influence how our bodies express genetic traits? Explore variation in human skin color with an activity that incorporate video and hands-on learning. Individuals model the relationship between phenotypes and genotypes,...
Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

The Teosinte Hypothesis

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Don't want to sound corny, but your class will be a-maize-d by an engaging activity! Explore the history of the modern corn plant through a video and Punnett squares. Junior genetics experts get hands-on experience with actual research...
Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Using Genetic Crosses to Analyze a Stickleback Trait

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Two fish appear different, but how do scientists determine their genotypes? Scholars practice performing test crosses to determine the genotypes of fish given their phenotypes. They answer in-depth comprehension questions and complete...
Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Mapping Genes to Traits in Dogs Using SNPs

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Genetic analysis has gone to the dogs! Learners use real DNA information collected from dog saliva to study the relationship between genotypes and phenotypes. They analyze alleles to determine correlations to coat color, length, and...
Lesson Plan
Serendip

Soap Opera Genetics – Genetics to Resolve Family Arguments

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Did she cheat on her husband? Did the hospital switch the babies? Should they have children? As much as this sounds like the plot for a soap opera, all of these questions fit into a single lesson on genetics. Scholars read about three...
Activity
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Curated OER

M&M Science and Math

For Teachers 6th - 12th
A series of math and science activities feature M&M's® as manipulatives to help kids work through equations. The resource includes exercises on finding averages, percent of compositions, moles in chemical reactions, genotypes and...
Lesson Plan
Serendip

Evolution and Adaptations

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Survival of the fittest isn't just for the movies! A five-part lesson explores several different species with known adaptations and analyzes them for their survival strategies. Using both video and research data, scholars draw...
Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Stalking the Genetic Basis of a Trait

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Need an a-maize-ing lesson to show your class how regulatory genes work? If you use the well-written resource, they'll be all ears! Biology scholars discover the gene responsible for the evolution of the modern-day corn plant through a...
Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Patterns in the Distribution of Lactase Persistence

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
We all drink milk as babies, so why can't we all drink it as adults? Examine the trend in lactase production on the world-wide scale as science scholars analyze and interpret data. Groups create pie charts from the data, place them on a...
Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Lactase Persistence: Evidence for Selection

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
What's the link between lactase persistence and dairy farming? Biology scholars analyze data to find evidence of the connection, then relate this to human adaptation. Working individually and in small groups, learners view short video...
Activity
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Cherokee County Schools

Dragon Genetics

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
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,...
Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Zebrafish and Skin Color

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
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...
Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Modeling the Regulatory Switches of the Pitx1 Gene in Stickleback Fish

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
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...
Activity
Biology Corner

Pipe Cleaner Babies

For Students 9th - 12th
Ever been told you have your father's eyes? How did it happen? Young biologists get a hands-on experience in meiotic gene expression with a fun pairs-based activity. Participants use pipe cleaner chromosomes with trait beads to make...
Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Stickleback Evolution Virtual Lab

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
How quickly do animals evolve? Can comparing different samples of the same fossil answer timeline questions? Scholars use virtual labs to examine fossils and learn about stickleback evolution. They compare pelvic morphology in lakes...
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Heredity Mix 'N Match

For Teachers 6th - 8th
This site includes a lesson plan designed to teach students how genetic traits are passed down from parents to offspring. Students will explore such concepts as random selection, chrosomes, genotypes and phenotypes using jelly beans and...
Activity
Educaplus (Jesús Peñas Cano)

Educaplus: Genotipo Y Fenotipo [In Spanish]

For Students 9th - 10th
Cross different types of peas and study the phenotype and the genotype of the offspring.
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Dna Build

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Students reinforce their knowledge that DNA is the genetic material for all living things by modeling it using toothpicks and gumdrops that represent the four biochemicals (adenine, thiamine, guanine, and cytosine) that pair with each...
Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Hhmi: Bio Interactive: Stickleback Evolution Virtual Lab

For Students 9th - 10th
This virtual lab uses stickleback fish and fossil specimens to study evolutionary processes and teaches students skills of data collection and analysis.
Activity
Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments: Genetic Probably

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Activity Overview Use the SciTools App to simulate a Punnett square. Make predictions about genetic crosses. Learn about the following concepts; genes, alleles, dominant alleles, recessive alleles, homozygous individuals, heterozygous...