Free Resources:
- How to Read Basic Pedigrees (Google Slides – Public)
- Practice Worksheet (link)
- Genetic Disorders Presentation (Google Slides – Public)
Videos:
punnett squares
Plastic Egg Genetics
It is that time of year again: time to ask everyone you know to save their plastic Easter eggs and that you will be more than happy to take them off their hands – once the kids have emptied out the goodies, of course!
Below are some links to teachers who have used this lesson in the past:
- University of Southern California (link)
- Western Kentucky University (link)
- Science Matters (link)
- Homeschool Life Journal (link)
- And a big thank you to Brent from Georgia who did a great job explaining how to set up and use this activity with your students, see his detailed video below.
Resources:
- Original Lesson Plan (link)
- Student Worksheet I created for the lesson plan (pdf)
- NOTE: the colors in this activity represent Incomplete Dominance and their outcomes
- Here is a nice review of the three different types of dominance from Khan Academy (video link)
- For Dominant and Recessive Traits only, this lesson would have to be modified and use 1 whole egg for each parent, and the answers would NOT be inside the eggs:
- Blue & Yellow only (BB, Bb = blue, bb = yellow)
- Blue egg – 2 blue pieces
- Blue egg – 1 blue piece, 1 yellow piece
- Yellow egg – 2 yellow pieces
- Open eggs for genotypes, then make punnett squares
- Purple & Pink only (PP, Pp = Purple, pp = pink)
- Blue & Yellow only (BB, Bb = blue, bb = yellow)
- BrainPOP Video: Heredity (free link)
- BrainPOP Video: DNA (free link)
If you have used this lesson in the past, would love to hear how it went! If you wrote about it on your blog, I would love to add your link to the site as well!
Genetics with SpongeBob – Learning how to use Punnett Squares
If you have a unit on genetics, this is a must have as part of your lesson plans. The worksheets were created by Tracy and posted on her website, ScienceSpot.net (link). I created a Google Slides presentation for my 7th graders to help them set up, solve, and analyze Punnett squares.
As a class, we worked on the first few problems together. Then, students worked with a partner and self checked their work using the ppt slides. For homework, they were to finish the problems and self check using the ppt slides. In class the next day, we reviewed some of the problems to check for understanding.
Materials:
- Google Slides: SpongeBob Genetics -(public link)
- Worksheet: Bikini Bottom Genetics – part 1 (pdf)
- Worksheet: Bikini Bottoms Genetics – part 2 (pdf)
- Additional Links: More fun with Genetics at ScienceSpot.net (link)
- For more lessons about dissections, see my Life Science Page.
- Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MSScienceBlog
Blood Types Flashcards & Games
I used this hands-on activity as a review/reinforcement with my 7th graders and it really helped them understand the different blood types, about blood donation, and basic Punnett Squares. Plus they had fun playing the games and making up their own games.
Materials:
- One set of laminated flashcards (pdf) per person, or two sets shared in a group of 4 students
- pencil and lined paper to make Punnett Squares
All of the instructions and different games to play are explained in the handout. Some examples are: Who can donate? Punnett Square Practice, Identification, Memory, and Matching.
Other ways to use the cards:
- Flashcards – Students can print their own at home and use them to study
- You can set up a station/rotation to play the games as they are, or as ‘make your own’ game stations. Or a combination of both. Place one game at each station and have the students rotate every 7-10 minutes (see below for logistics)
- Rotation Directions – students will rotate from table to table and learn to play the game at each station
- Need a group of 4 students at each station.
- When it is time to rotate, only 2 go to the next station, and 2 stay.
- The 2 that stay are the experts on that game.
- The 2 experts teach the 2 novices how to play when they rotate to the table.
- When it is time to rotate, the 2 experts who stayed go to the next group, and the novices are now the experts and teach the 2 new novices that came to the station.
- Quiz-Quiz Trade –
- give each student a RBC card and have them identify it, then trade
- give each student a blood-type card and ask for the genotype (ie AA or AO)
- Or mix both decks and play both games
- Find your Partner –
- give half or your class Blood Type Cards and the other half of the class RBC cards and have them find the matching set
Interactive Links for further practice
- Blood Typing Game – can you make the right choice? (link)
- Are you my blood type? can you find the donor? (link)
- Emergency Room – figure out the blood type and correct transfusion (link)
- NatGeo – interactive heart (link)
- BrainPOP: Blood & Blood Pressure
If you use this lesson in your classroom, I am always happy to hear how it went!
For related lesson plans, please visit my Life Science page.
Middle School Science Blog 