Genetics Lesson Module

Introduction: Modern technology is changing the way we look at genetics by: increasing
our knowledge of the human genome, new tests for genetic disorders, and giving us new
tools to solve crimes. Everyday the field of genetics is growing as scientists find new and
novel ways of applying the methods and technology that modern molecular genetics has
given us.

Grade Levels: 6-9

Standards and Benchmarks:

Lesson Plan 1- Introduction to DNA- Function and Structure (Standard 2.4, 3.1, 3.2)
Lesson Plan 2- Homozygous and Heterozygous Traits- Create-a-Kid or Create-a-Monster
Activities
Lesson Plan 3- Human Genetics- Looking at your own traits
Lesson Plan 4- DNA Mutations- Become a Genetic Counselor
Lesson Plan 5- Karyotyping Scavenger Hunt
Lesson Plan 6- Wyoming CSI- The Case of the Crown Jewels

Overall Objectives:
A. Appreciation of the technology used to study genetics
B. Awareness of genetic disorders
C. Understanding of homozygous and heterozygous traits
D. Understanding what a karyotype is
E. Appreciation of DNA testing and its use to solve crimes

Expectations of prior knowledge: Cell structure and function

Estimated Time: 5-6 class periods

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Standards Covered by this Lesson Module

Standard 1.2- Levels of Organization in Living Systems: Students model the cell as the
basic unit of a living system. They realize that all functions that sustain life act within a
single cell and cells differentiate into specialized cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems.

1Standard 2.1- Students research scientific information and present findings through
appropriate means.
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Standard 2.2- Students use inquiry to conduct scientific investigations.
Ask questions that lead to conducting an investigation
Collect, organize, and analyze and appropriately represent data.
Draw conclusions based on evidence and make connections to applied scientific
concepts.
Clearly and accurately communicate the result of the investigation.

Standard 2.3- Students clearly and accurately communicate the result of their own work,
as well as information obtained from other sources.

Standard 2.4- Students recognize the relationship between science and technology in
meeting human needs.

1Standard 3.1- Students explore the nature and history of science.

A. Students explore how scientific knowledge changes and grows over time, and
impacts personal and social decisions.
B. Students explore the historical use of scientific information to make personal
and social decisions.

Standard 3.2-Students explore how scientific information is used to make decisions.

A. The role of science in solving personal, local, and national problems
B. Interdisciplinary connections of the sciences and connections to other subject
areas and careers in science or technical fields
C. Origins and conservation of natural resources, including Wyoming examples

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Lesson Plan 1: DNA- Function and Structure

Objectives: The students will be able to describe DNA and have an introduction to the
study of genetics.

Materials and Preparation: Reading materials and worksheets, pen or pencil

Reading material: From the Blueprint to You (NIH Publication 12 pages), companion
worksheet for the reading activity, and activity worksheet (Whats your DNA alias?)

Background Information:
Reading materials: From the Blueprint to You (NIH Publication 12 pages) is a reading
assignment that is a brief guide to genetics and current research in this field. This activity
covers a great deal of information and the teacher should feel free to pick passages from
the reading assignment that are age appropriate for their class.

Detailed Description of the Activities:

Activity 1: Teachers can either read From the Blueprint to You to the students or break the
students into groups to read the article. The students can each read a paragraph aloud to
their groups. While they are reading they will complete Activity 1:From the Blueprint to
You Worksheet. Activity 1 will be assessed by completing the companion worksheet for
the reading activity.

Activity 2: Then the students will work on the Whats Your DNA Alias? worksheet. The
teacher will have the students write their DNA alias on the board. The students will then
compare their DNA alias to the rest of the class.

Attention Getting Questions for Students: What makes you different from everyone
else? Does anyone in the class share a common characteristic with you, such as hair or
eye color? How much of our visual appearance is dependent on our DNA?

Further discussion questions:

If you could be tested for a gene that caused a serious disease (like one that causes
Alzheimers) would you want to be tested? What are the implications to your health,
family, and insurance if you test positive for a disease gene? How similar is your alias to
the rest of the class? Does anyone in the class have the same exact alias?

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Lesson Plan 2: Homozygous and Heterozygous Traits- Create-a-Kid or Create-a-
Monster Activities

Objectives: Students will learn the difference between a homozygous and heterozygous
trait. Students will understand alleles, genotypes, and phenotypes.

Materials and Preparation: Worksheet (Create-a-Kid or Create-a-Monster), pencil or

pen, markers/color pencils, and two pennies per student

Background Information:
Definitions of key words (from The Penguin Dictionary of Biology, 10th edition):

Allele-different sequences of genetic information occupying the same gene locus.

Genotype-genetic constitution of a cell or individual, as distinct from its phenotype
Phenotype-total appearance of an organism, determined by interaction during
development between its genotype and environment
Homozygous-any locus in a diploid cell, organism, ect, is said to be homozygous when
the two alleles at that locus are identical. (For example AA or aa)
Heterozygous-designating a locus, or organisms, at which the two representatives (alleles)
in any diploid cell are different. (For example Aa)
Locus-position on a homologous chromosomes occupied, normally throughout a species
population, by those genes which determine the state of a particular phenotypic character.
Dominate trait- a trait that is completely dominate to another when it is expressed equally
in the homozygous or heterozygous conditions. (For example Aa or AA)
Recessive trait- only expressed when the genes determining them are homozygous. (For
example aa)

Description of the Activities:

Activity: The teacher will choose to have the students do the Create-a-Kid or Create-a-
Monster activity. Students will simulate the inheritance of alleles for physical traits and
use those traits to create either a human face or a monster.

Extension Ideas: Discussion questions for the students.

Do any of the faces look the same? If they do not, what features are different? Do any of
the monsters look the same? On the other hand, are they all different? Determine which
of the traits for your kid or monster are dominate and which traits are recessive.

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Lesson Plan 3: Human Genetics- Looking at Your Own Traits

Objectives: The students will learn about human traits. They will learn about dominate
and recessive traits. The students will also learn about population genetics.

Materials and Preparation: Students will read Its all in the genes and then complete a
human genetics survey on their own traits. P.T.C. paper is needed for the genetics survey.

Background Information: See lesson two for the definition of dominate and recessive
traits.

Description of the Activities: The students will read, Its all in the Genes from Human
Genetics, Concepts and Applications, 2nd edition, Ricki Lewis. They will then complete
their own human genetics survey. Modified from:
http://www.biologycorner.com/worksheets/geneticsurvey.htm

Once the students have completed their survey the teacher will go down the list of traits
and have the students raise their hands if they have a particular trait. The students will
then determine the percentage of students in the class who had a particular trait.

Attention Getting Questions for Students: How alike are we? How different are we
from each other? Are there traits that everyone shares? If so, can you name them?

Extension Ideas: Discussion questions for the students.

For each trait determine the percentage of students who had that trait. What other traits
could be added to the trait list? Determine the class numbers who have the trait that you
have described. Compare your class results to all of the other students who are taking the
science class. Determine if the percentage of students with a particular trait change
between classes.

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Lesson Plan 4: DNA Mutations- Become a Genetic Counselor

Objectives: The students will become familiar with various genetic conditions.

Materials and Preparation: Worksheet (Lesson 2 Mini Symposium Worksheet), access

to internet or library

Mini reading assignments from Human Genetics, Concepts and Applications, Second
Edition, Ricki Lewis, Genetics Symposium worksheet (Modified from
http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/ATG/data/released/0348-
RosieMcKinney/index.html )

Background Information: For this lesson, students will complete four mini reading
assignments that will expose them to a variety of genetic concepts. They will also
participate in a mini-symposium on genetic disorders.

Description of the Activities:

Activity 1: The students will be put into groups (or asked to work alone) and given the
mini-reading assignments. They will be asked to discuss and answer a series of questions
about each reading activity. After each group has discussed the mini-readings, the
teacher should lead the class in a discussion of the answers the students have to the mini-
readings.

Activity 2: Then each student or group of students will be assigned a genetic condition to
research (modified from http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/ATG/data/released/0348-
RosieMcKinney/index.html.) The teacher either assign the condition to each student or
have the students pick the condition they want to work on. They will have to give a brief
3-5 minute oral presentation about their genetic condition. Finally, each student will
write a brief report about his or her genetic condition.

Attention Getting Questions for Students: We have discussed how genes affect our
physical traits. What happens when our genes give us traits that cause disease?

Extension Ideas: Discussion questions for the students.

Mini-reading assignments-
Dogs and Cats- Do you think that artificial selection has helped, or hurt dogs
and cats?
Curious Fragile X Syndrome- What kind of features does a Fragile X person
have?
Colorblindness- What kind of colorblindness did John Dalton have? Do you
know anyone who is color blind? What would a person who is
color blind have to overcome to function in our society?
The Sun is a Monster- How will Katies disorder affect the rest of her life?
What precautions will she have to take?

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Lesson Plan 5: Karyotyping Scavenger Hunt

Objectives: Students will learn about karyotyping and diseases that are caused by
abnormal karyotypes.

Materials and Preparation: Worksheets (Karyotype worksheet and Student

Karyotyping), pencil/pen, access to library/internet

Background Information: Definitions and background information sheets for teachers

to use.

Description of the Activities:

Activity: The teacher will go over the human karyotype presentation with the students.
The students will learn the key terms for karyotypes. The presentation will also show the
students the karyotypes of a normal male and female. Then the students will see
karyotypes from people who have various karyotype abnormalities. By the end of the
presentation the students should be able to identify an abnormal karyotype. Then the
students will be asked to complete a scavenger hunt activity on karyotyping. This
activity will be assessed on the completeness of the students scavenger hunt.

Attention Getting Ideas for Students: How is DNA stored? How many chromosomes
does a human have? What is the difference between male and female chromosomes?

Extension Ideas: Discussion Questions for the students

What does the female karyotype look like? What does the male karyotype look like? Do
you think that karyotyping is an important technology to identify genetic problems?
What medical problems would individuals with these karyotypes face? Can you find the
karyotypes for animals other than humans (such as dogs, cats, and horses)? How are they
different from human karyotypes?

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Lesson Plan 6:CSI Wyoming- The case of the Crown Jewels

Objectives:
Identify a need for DNA restriction analysis
Model the concept of DNA restriction analysis
Apply DNA restriction analysis to the identification of DNA fragments
Work cooperatively to analyze the results of the DNA restriction analysis

Materials and Preparation: Adapted for middle school students from:

http://www.umbi.umd.edu/educ/loanerlab.html. See the Case of the Crown Jewels
Background worksheet for teachers.
Materials needed:
Five scissors
Five sets of envelopes labeled Suspect #1, Suspect #2, Suspect #3, Suspect #4, and Crime
Scene DNA
Instructions for each envelope (labeled DNA Instructions)
Five rolls of tape
Five poster-size charts as shown on the DNA Instructions sheet

Background Information: See the Case of the Crown Jewels Background worksheet for
teachers.

Description of the Activities: Students will follow the instructions for the Case of the
Crown Jewels activity to determine which of four suspects stole the jewels.

Attention Getting Questions for Students: How many of you watch CSI? Today you
will be the forensic expert and solve a crime.

Extension Ideas: Have the students find article in the new paper where they use DNA to
solve a crime.
Discussion questions: This process is often referred to as DNA fingerprinting. Why do
you think this term is used? Why use DNA as evidence? What purpose do restriction
enzymes serve? Does a match of the suspect DNA fragments with the crime DNA
fragments mean the suspect is guilty? Why or why not?

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Extension Activities

1. Genetic Timeline- Teachers can select from the genetic timeline events that are
covered in the lesson plan to create a time line around their classroom. This activity will
help the students realized that the scientific process takes years and is not accomplished
over night. This activity could also be done by asking to students to create their own
timeline of major events in the study of genetics.
Website for Genetic Timeline:
http://www.genome.gov/Pages/Education/GeneticTimeline.pdf

2. Bikini Bottom Genetics- These worksheets are included in the module are a review
for the students of genetic terminology and calculations.
Website for Bikini Bottom Genetics:

4. Isolating DNA- See worksheets at end of lesson module.

5. Running a Gel- See worksheets at end of lesson module.

6. Haplotype Testing- Ancestor testing of the students so that they can learn about
current technology used in molecular biology. Individual students will not receive their
own results, instead the class will learn the percentages of students whos ancestors came
from a given area.

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Additional Background Information and Resources

Additional background information:

Genomics and Its Impact on Science and Society, The Human Genome Project and
Beyond, U.S. Department of Energy Genome Programs: www.ornl.gov/hgmls

Unit Handouts:
Lesson 1- Blueprint to you reading activity and worksheet
Whats your DNA alias? Worksheet

Lesson 2-Create-a-Kid or Create-a-Monster worksheets

Lesson 3- Its all in the Genes from Human Genetics, Concepts and Applications, 2nd
Ricki Lewis, Human Genetics Survey worksheet, modified from:
http://www.biologycorner.com/worksheets/geneticsurvey.htm

Lesson 4- Mini reading assignments from Human Genetics, Concepts and Applications,
Second Edition, Ricki Lewis, Genetics Symposium worksheet (Modified from
http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/ATG/data/released/0348-
RosieMcKinney/index.html )

Lesson 5- Karyotyping definitions worksheet and presentation for teachers, Karyotyping

scavenger hunt worksheet for students.

Lesson 6- Case of the Crown Jewels Background worksheet for teachers adapted from:
http://www.umbi.umd.edu/educ/loanerlab.html.

Definitions for key words: The Penguin Dictionary of Biology, 10th edition

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WORKSHEETS FOR THE LESSON PLAN

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Name:
Activity 1: From the Blueprint to You Worksheet

What does DNA stand for?

Draw a picture of DNA.

What is a Genome?

Between two humans how identical, is their DNA?

How much variation allows for millions of possible
differences?
What are Proteins?

Name the four nucleotide bases that make up DNA:

What nucleotide is substituted for URACIL in mRNA?

How many amino acids are there?

Draw a picture of how proteins are made. Then describe
the process in your own words.

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What is the Human Genome Project?

How long did it take to sequence the entire human genome?

Define the following and use each of these words in a

sentence:
Codon:

Gene:

mRNA:

Protein:

Ribosome:

Transcription:

Translation:

tRNA:

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Create-A-Kid

Teacher: Joan E. Bennett

Subject: Human Diversity
Grade Level(s): 7 8 9 10
Target Audience: Biology I, Life Science
Materials Needed: white paper, colored pencils, markers
Class Time: 45 minutes
Brief Summary: Students flip a pair of coins to determine what genotype and what
phenotype their child will have for 29 given traits. They then draw a picture of their kid
based on their coin flip phenotypes.
Student Objective(s): Students will learn the difference between a genotype and a
phenotype. They will demonstrate that recombination of gametes (coins) will result in the
formation of unique individuals.
Integration (tying it all together): Discussion Questions: 1.) Does your child resemble
anyone else's in class? Why or why not? 2.) Can you think of instances in your family or
a friend where the offspring look very different from the parents? 3.) What do you think
would happen to the variety of children if we made one parent homozygous dominant (or
recessive) for all the traits?
Description of Activities: 1.) Give each student a worksheet, a packet containing the 29
trait descriptions, and a piece of white paper. 2.) Help them determine the sex of their
child by having them flip their 2 coins. A head/tail combination will represent a female
and a head/tail combination will represent a male. 3.) Then demonstrate the first flip for
face shape and show them how to draw that on their paper to begin creating their kid. 4.)
Have them work in groups of two as they work through the 29 flips to create their child.
5.) Hang the finished pictures and discuss what this lab has shown them.
Further Information and References: This lab was created by Barb Salvo from
materials I obtained from a biotechnology workshop at University of Wisconsin, River
Falls, WI

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 Monster Lab

Purpose
To simulate the inheritance of alleles for physical traits and to combine those
traits to create a monster

Procedure
1. Make a table with the following columns:
Trait Allele (mom) Allele (dad) Genotype Phenotype

2. Flip a coin to determine your persons traits:

Heads will be the dominate allele (Y, P ect)
Tails will be the recessive allele (y,p ect)

a. You need to flip the coin once for the moms allele and once
for the dads allele because every genotype must have 2
alleles (1 from mom and 1 from dad)
b. The phenotypes are determined by the genotype and are
given with each trait as you go along
3. When you have finished filling out your table and determining all of
your monsters traits, draw your monster. On the back of the paper,
write your monsters name, their likes and dislikes, and why you are
proud of them.
4. Staple your Trait Table to your picture and hand them in.
5. Compare your monster to the rest of the classes. How similar is your
monster to the rest of the class? Are any of the monsters exactly
alike?

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 Trait Table

1. Face
Round = RR Oval = Rr Square = rr

2. Body
Round = RR Oval = Rr Square = rr

3. Number of Arms
Two- AA Four- Aa Six- aa

4. Number of Legs
Two-AA Four- Aa Six- aa

5. Hair Type
Curly = CC Wavy = Cc Straight = cc

6. Widows Peak
Present = WW or Ww Absent = ww

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7. Eyebrow Thickness
Bushy = BB or Bb Fine = bb

8. Eyebrow Placement
Not Connected = NN or Nn Connected = nn

9. Eye Color- You must flip the coin twice for mom and twice for dad. There
are two sets of genes for eye color. The first pair is represented by the letter
A and the second pair is represented by the letter B. Each parent contributes
an A or a allele, and a B or b allele.

AABB = Green AAbb = Purple

AABb = Green Blue aaBB = Grey
AaBB = Blue Aabb = Black
AaBb = Red aabb = Orange
aaBb = Pink

10. Eyes-Distance Apart

Close together = EE Average Distance = Ee Far Apart =ee

11. Eyes- Size

Large = LL Medium = Ll Small = ll

12. Eyes- Shape

Almond = AA or Aa Round = aa

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13. Eyelashes
Long = LL or Ll Short = ll

14. Mouth Size

Long = MM Average = Mm Short = mm

15. Lips
Thick = TT or Tt Thin = tt

16. Nose Size

Big = NN Medium = Nn Small = nn

17. Nose Shape

Rounded = RR or Rr Pointed = rr

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18. Hair Color-You must flip the coin twice for mom and twice for dad.
There are 2 sets for hair color. The first pair is represented by the letter A
and the second pair is represented by the letter B. Each parent contributes
an A or a allele, and a B or b allele.
AABB = Black AaBb = Slime Green
AABb = Silver Aabb = Neon Green
AAbb =Hot Pink aaBB = Dark Purple
AaBB = Purple aaBb = Dark Green
aabb = Blood Red

19. Has a Tail

Tail- TT No Tail- Tt or tt

20. Horns
One- HH Two- Hh Three hh

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 Allele Allele
Trait (Mom) (Dad) Genotype Phenotype
1 Face Shape
2 Chin Shape
3 Hair Type
4 Widow's Peak
5 Eyebrow Thickness
6 Eyebrow Placement
7 Eye Color
8 Eyes-Distance Apart
9 Eyes-Size
10 Eyes-Shape
11 Eyelashes
12 Mouth Size
13 Lips
14 Dimples
15 Nose Size
16 Nose Shape
17 Earlobe Attachment
18 Hairy Ears
19 Freckles
20 Hair Color

Trait Table for the Face Lab

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 Allele Allele
Trait (Mom) (Dad) Genotype Phenotype
1 Face Shape
2 Body
3 Number of Arms
4 Number of Legs
5 Hair Type
6 Widow's Peak
7 Eyebrow Thickness
8 Eyebrow Placement
9 Eye Color
10 Eyes-Distance Apart
11 Eyes-Size
12 Eyes-Shape
13 Eyelashes
14 Mouth Size
15 Lips
16 Nose Size
17 Nose Shape
18 Hair Color
19 Has a Tail
20 Horns
Trait Table for the Monster Lab

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Human Genetics
Trait Description Check the Total number
traits that of students in
you have your class
who have this
trait

Tongue rolling

Bent little fingers

Widows peak

Hitchhikers Thumb

Hand clasping, left over right thumb

Arm folding fold your arms across your

chest/stomachwhich one is on top?

Free earlobe

Chin cleft

Hair on middle joints of fingers

Short big toe

Ear points

Round face

Curly hair

P.T.C Taster

Eye Color (blue?)

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From: http://www.biologycorner.com/worksheets/geneticsurvey.htm Asse
ssment:
Students will be assessed on their symposium presentation (3-5 minutes) and a
written report about their assigned genetic disorder. So they will get two separate grades.

How will this activity be graded?

You will receive a letter grade from A to F. The following factors will be used to
determine the grade:

1. Accuracy - How accurate was your presentation? Did you give any
misinformation? Did you appear to know the information well? Did you answer
questions accurately? Did you make the effort to insure that all terms were
pronounced correctly?

2. Following directions - Did you stick to the time limits? Did you make your note
card and use it properly? Did you include all the required information?
3. Delivery - Did you speak loudly and clearly? Were you too fast or too slow? Did
you appear confident and poised? Did you have proper eye contact with the class?
Were you enthusiastic? Did you avoid silliness?
4. Written Report- Did you summarize the information that you presented to the
class? Is your report clearly written with an introduction, three main points, and a
conclusion?

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Mini-Symposium Worksheet

Background Information
Name of genetic disorder:
Other names for your genetic disorder:
How is your genetic disorder inherited?
What does a pedigree chart look like for someone affected by the disorder?
Is the disorder found mostly in women or men?
Is the disorder found in a specific ethnic or religious group?

Description of Disorder
How does your genetic disorder affect the victim?
What is it like to have the disorder?
What problems are associated with the disorder?
Is the disorder life threatening?
Is the disorder fatal for the person who has it?

Detection
Can anything be done for a person with the disorder?
How is the disorder detected? Is there a genetic test?
What are the treatments for the disorder?

YOUR DISORDER WILL BE SELECTED FROM THE LIST BELOW

1. Sickle-Cell Anemia
2. Breast cancer
3. Thalassemia
4. Edward's Syndrome/Patau's Syndrome
5. Turner's Syndrome
6. Polycystic kidney disease
7. Klinefelter's Syndrome
8. G6PD (Glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase) Deficiency
9. Cooley's anemia
10. Gaucher's disease
11. Hemophilia
12. albinism
13. Familial Hypercholesterolemia
14. diabetes mellitus
15. Neurofibromatosis
16. diabetes insipidus
17. Marfan Syndrome
18. fragile X syndrome
19. Phenylketonuria
20. Parkinson's disease
21. Cystic Fibrosis

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22. Alzheimers
23. Tay Sachs Disease
24. colorblindness
25. Down Syndrome
26. epidermolysis
27. Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
28. alcoholism
29. Huntington's Disease
30. Burkitt lymphoma
31. Cri-du-chat Syndrome
32. Pituitary dwarfism syndrome
33. Galactosemia
34. Immune deficiency diseases (Boy in the bubble)
35. left Lip/Palate
36. Polydactyl
37. Osteogenesis Imperfecta
38. Sensorineural deafness

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50 points Accuracy
_/20 How accurate was the presentation?
_/10 Did the student give misinformation?
_/10 Did the student appear to know the information well?
_/10 Did the student answer questions correctly?
_/10 Were difficult words pronounced correctly?

25 points Following Directions

_/10 Was the presentation within the time limit?
_/5 Was a note card used?
_/10 Did the student include all required information?

25 points Delivery
_/10 Did the student speak loudly and clearly?
_/5 Did the student make eye contact with the class
_/5 Was the student enthusiastic?
_/5 Did the student avoid silliness?

50 points Written Report

Did the student summarize the information presented in
_/20 class?
Did the students report include:
_/10 Introduction
_/10 three main points
_/10 conclusion

Total points:
Comments:

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