DNA, Traits,

and Heredity

Genetics Unit
Grade 8 Physical Science
Mr. Reid
Objectives
• Learn about DNA, Traits, and Heredity. This
lecture will lead into why structural changes to
genes (mutations) located on chromosomes
may affect proteins and may result in harmful,
beneficial, or neutral effects to the structure
and function of the organism. MS-LS3-1
• Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms,
and other domain-specific words and phrases
as they are used in a specific scientific or
technical context relevant to grades 6–8 texts
and topics. RST.6–8.4
Warm up Questions:

• How can we have different traits

than our parents?
• What is DNA?
What is DNA?

• Genetic material that directs all

the cell’s activities, including the
making of new cells.
DNA Structure
• DNA is made of:
o Sugar called deoxyribose
o Phosphate Group
o Nitrogen bases
• Double helix shape or a twisted
ladder
• Nitrogen bases are like sentences,
they make the codes for all organisms
Chromatid (or sister
chromatids)
• One half of a chromosome
• Sister chromatids are connected by a centromere
at the center
Chromosome
• Condensed form of DNA
• Chromatin condenses into a chromosome during cell division
• 2 sister chromatids form 1 chromosome
Fun Facts
about DNA
• If you unravel all the DNA
from all your cells, you
could reach the moon 6000
times!
• Humans and chimps share
94-99% of their DNA
• It would take a person
typing 60 wpm, 8 hours a
day, around 50 years to
type out the entire human
genome
What is a gene?
• A factor that controls a trait
• Located on DNA
• Examples:
• gene for plant height
• gene for eye color
• Two copies of genes (exists in
pairs) because you get one set
from your mother and one
from your father
• Fill in the blanks in the picture
What is a trait?

• Physical characteristic
• How you look
Traits
• Now take a few minutes to think of some traits that people have and
share them with your table group.
What is heredity?

• The passing of traits from parent

to offspring
• Example: Parent with blue eyes
has a child with blue eyes
• Do you think the sickle cell trait
is passed on from both parents
or only one parent? Look at the
diagram to answer.
What is genetics?
• Study of how traits are inherited
What are alleles?
• Different forms of a gene
• Example: For the gene of height,
you have an allele for tall and an
allele for short
What controls the inheritance of traits?
• Traits are determined by the alleles inherited from parents
• Alleles can be dominant or recessive
Dominant Allele
• Trait that always appears when
the allele is present
• Written with a CAPITAL letter
• Examples:
• Tall plants = T
• Brown eyes = B
Recessive Alleles
• Traits that can be masked/covered up when
the dominant allele is present
• Written with a lowercase letter
Now You Try
• If tall plants were T and brown eyes were B, what do you think short
plants and blue eyes would be?

Tall plants Short Blue

=T plants: eyes:
Brown t b
eyes = B
How to write alleles for a single trait
• Use only 1 letter to represent a trait, then use upper- and lowercase
to show dominant and recessive alleles
• Write them side-by-side (BB, Bb, bb)
• Example: Plant height
• Correct! Wrong!
T = tall T = tall
t = short s = short
Comparing purebreds and hybrids

Purebred Hybrid

• Alleles are identical Has one dominant allele

(both dominant or both and one recessive allele
recessive) Trait appearing will always
• Trait appearing can be be dominant
either dominant or Examples: Tt, Bb
recessive
• Examples: TT, BB, bb, tt
Discussion
Question
• Are traits controlled Widows peak vs no widows peak
by dominant alleles
more common than
traits controlled by
recessive alleles?

Cheek dimples vs no cheek

dimples
Analysis Question
• Write a brief 3-5 sentence
explanation as to why people
look so different from one
another.