What's your type? Genetically speaking, of course! Immerse your class in the world of karyotypes through an insightful activity from the K20 Center. Scholars take on the role of genetic counselors to determine the karyotype of offspring...

High schoolers explore how testing for particular genetic variations can help people to make decisions in lifestyle and health care choices. They analyze a Web-based case study, participate in class discussion, view video segments and...

Does the human body evolve as quickly as human culture? With a stellar 15-minute video, explore the trait of lactose intolerance. Only about 1/3 of human adults seem to still have the enzyme lactase and therefore, the ability to digest...

What does your class know about GMOs? Are they savvy to selective breeding? Challenge young minds to engineer the greatest crop of all time using a hands-on genetics unit. Learners discover the good and bad details of selective breeding,...

Investigate the Hardy-Weinberg Principle to explain genetic equilibrium. The 10th lesson plan of a series of 12 is a laboratory exploration of genetic equilibrium. Your classes use a mixture of beans to model allele and genotype...

Pupils supplement their study of genetics by collecting and analyzing information about their own and their classmates' characteristics and traits. Students create a database of traits and characteristics to compare and contrast.

Here is an activity that blends genetic technology, literacy skills, and critical thinking. Pupils review background information about cell lines and CRISPR by video and teacher-led discussion. Scholars collaborate to analyze two...

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...

Reebops are cute, marshmallow-based creatures that can be used to teach inheritance. Beginning biologists draw strips of paper that represent chromosomes from two envelopes, one for the father, and one for the mother. Each parent...

Just because we have the ability to determine an organism's traits through genetic testing, should we do it? Middle-school medical experts examine the ethical dilemmas in biotechnology in the 18th and final installment in a series of...

Students investigate their own inherited traits by using taste papers. In this genetic traits lesson, students test their ability to taste various substances, which is determined by inherited genetic traits. They take home taste papers...

Sixth graders list traits that all sixth graders share. They receive worksheets "Tracking Down Traits," working in groups to complete the chart. Students share results with the class and a class summary is tallied. Students discuss the...

Students sort and classify the genetic traits of horses. In this heredity and genetics lesson, students read dialogue in a skit in which specific physical traits of several horses are described and a horse family tree is created....

Get up close and personal with DNA! A two-part hands-on activity has learners extract DNA from a small organism and then their own cheek cells. Scholars then explore DNA replication using questions to guide their analyses.

Young scholars research genetic disease and mutation causing traits in family pedigrees simulated in a class activity. Students are each assigned a genetic trait and a "spouse" and must conduct research on their traits and the...

Study, manipulate, and research genetic traits. Discuss how genetic traits are passed from one generation to another. Classmates explore how they look like their parents and debate whether or not they can do anything about it? They...

Students study genetic traits using popsicle sticks as chromosomes. In this biology lesson, students explain how traits are inherited from parents. They differentiate dominant and recessive genes.

Your pupils become geneticists as they create cat offspring. The next instructional activity in a series continues an exploration of genetic makeup as scholars consider parent traits to build their offspring. Using household items, they...

How do opposable thumbs help you complete certain tasks? An activity about evolutionary traits prompts learners to try writing their name, twist the lid off of a jar, and use tweezers to pick up a straw, first with their normal grip, and...

Students participate in an activity where they flip coins to determine which allele they pass on to the F1 generation and draw the resulting child's face. They identify several inheritance patterns including dominant, recessive,...

How did scientists determine the cause of illness before technology? Science scholars play the role of medical researcher in an engaging guided inquiry activity. Using observations, technical reading, and Punnett squares, learners...

Junior geneticists tally eye color and height in their lab groups. They examine certain traits in soybean and corn seedlings. For each activity, they gather data and learn about continuous and discontinuous genetic variation. In another...

Really a unit, this resource exposes middle schoolers to genetics at their level. They read interviews and biographies, trace a family tree, play games that simulate inheritance concepts, and more! Teacher's procedures, student...

Disease prevention or designer babies? Use a set of slides to introduce the growing practice of preimplantation genetic diagnosis, or PGD. Teens read related articles and then break into groups to address different scenarios. Afterward,...