Seventh Grade Unit 4: Genetics

9 weeks
Unit Description

S7L3: Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to explain how organisms reproduce either
sexually or asexually and transfer genetic information to determine the traits of their offspring.

This unit will lead students to an understanding of biological traits and heredity. Students will understand the roles that
genes and chromosomes have in how traits are passed through generations by sexual or asexual reproduction in organisms.
This understanding will guide them to the concept of selective breeding and how it can be used to produce desired traits in
plants and animals.

Topic 1: Genes and Chromosomes/Probability and Punnett Squares

Big Ideas/Enduring Understandings:
 Genes and chromosomes determine the expressions of inherited traits.
 Many traits of an organism are inherited from its biological parents.

 Every organism requires a set of instructions for specifying its traits; heredity is the passage of these
instructions from one generation to next
 All organisms reproduce sexually or asexually.

Essential Questions:
 How do genes contribute to an organism’s survival?
 Why are genes important in determining hereditary traits?
 How does sexual reproduction produce more variation in an offspring than asexual reproduction?
 Why do I look the way I do?
 Why is there so much variation among people? Why aren’t we all the same?
 How can I predict what traits will be passed from one generation to another?

Content Standards
S7L3a. Construct an explanation supported with scientific evidence of the role of genes and chromosomes in the
process of inheriting a specific trait.

S7L3b. Develop and use a model to describe how asexual reproduction can result in offspring with identical
genetic information while sexual reproduction results in genetic variation. (Clarification statement: Models
could include, but are not limited to, the use of monohybrid Punnett squares to demonstrate the heritability of
genes and the resulting genetic variation, identification of heterozygous and homozygous, and comparison of
genotype vs. phenotype.)

Description of Key Content

Teacher Background Information – Genetics
Misconceptions Proper Conceptions
 Genes and chromosomes are the same.  A chromosome is made up of DNA and protein. A
segment of DNA which codes for a specific trait is a gene.
 Genes are typically not the only determinants of traits.
 Genes are the sole determinant of traits. Although a few traits, such as blood type, are determined
 All hereditary traits are passed through the strictly by genetics, most traits are influenced both by
blood. genes and the environment in which we live.
 Most mutations that occur in our DNA sequence are
changes in single nucleotides that do not cause harm to
 All mutations are harmful. the individual.
 When people hear the word “dominant”, often they
incorrectly believe that the majority of the population
expresses this trait. Describing a trait as dominant does
 Dominant traits are those that will take over in not mean it is the most common; it means that it is
a population. expressed over the recessive trait.
 Multiple genes, not just a single gene, determine most
traits in humans such as height, eye color, and skin color.
When a trait is controlled by more than one gene it is
called polygenic.
 All traits are determined by a single gene.  The number of chromosomes in each cell varies from
organism to organism, but they always come in matched
pairs called homologues. Human beings have 23 pairs of
chromosomes for a total of 46. Chimpanzees, humanity's
closest relative in the animal kingdom, have 24 pairs;
 Since humans are more complex, they have dogs have 39; cats, 17; ferns, 256. There is not a
more chromosomes. relationship between complexity and the number of
chromosomes of an organism.
Instructional Strategies
When these standards are taught with fidelity, students must construct an explanation supported with scientific
evidence of the role of genes and chromosomes in the process of inheriting a specific trait and develop and use
a model to describe how asexual reproduction can result in offspring with identical genetic information while
sexual reproduction results in genetic variation. Begin this unit with the lesson Reproduction, which gives
students an overview of sexual versus asexual reproduction and analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of
both. Then teach students a general overview of heredity using the Introduction to Heredity and Traits lesson,
in which students participate in multiple activities investigating their unique traits compared with other
students in the class, as well as the role of DNA in heredity. You can support this lesson by using one or more of
the additional lab activities such as DNA from Cheek Cells, or DNA Jewelry or Keychain. Once students have a
basic understanding, you can use the Alien Orphanage PBL to teach students more in-depth knowledge about
sexual reproduction, Mendelian and Non-Mendelian genetics, as well as Punnett Squares and selective
breeding (getting in to the next topic). The PBL includes several labs such Monster Genetics in which students
simulate (through kinesthetic role playing) the probability of inheriting a trait, the expression of dominant and
recessive traits, and the difference between Mendelian and non-Mendelian inheritance patterns. At the end of
the PBL, students deliver a presentation containing their final explanation of the role of genes and
chromosomes in inheritance.

Evidence of Learning
By completion of this lesson, students will be able to:
 demonstrate the process of inheritance of traits showing the role of genes and chromosomes;
 predict the results of genetic crosses using a Punnett Square

Adopted Resources Literature Connections Science Probes

TBD Double Helix by Nancy Werlin Author: Paige Keeley
Dr. Franklyn’s Island by Ann Halam DNA, Genes, and Chromosomes -
Probe #21
Eye Color – Probe #22
Baby Mice – Probe #27

Web Resources
Learn Genetics: http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/
Brain Pop Videos – DNA, RNA, Genetics, Genetic Mutations, Heredity. Mitosis
Amoeba Sisters Videos – Chromosome Numbers, DNA vs RNA, Mitosis, Meiosis, Monohybrid Crosses,
Mutations, Multiple Alleles, Dihybrid Crosses, Sex-linked traits, Pedigrees, Protein Synthesis
Explore Learning: https://www.explorelearning.com/
 Inheritance - https://www.explorelearning.com/index.cfm?
method=cResource.dspDetail&ResourceID=657
 Mouse Genetics: https://www.explorelearning.com/index.cfm?
method=cResource.dspDetail&ResourceID=449
 Chicken Genetics - https://www.explorelearning.com/index.cfm?
method=cResource.dspDetail&ResourceID=453
 DNA Modeling - https://www.explorelearning.com/index.cfm?
method=cResource.dspDetail&ResourceID=439
Web Labs: http://www2.edc.org/weblabs/WebLabDirectory1.html (use Internet Explorer or Mozilla for
browser)

Amoeba Sisters Videos:

Chromosome Numbers During Division
Monohybrids and the Punnett Square Guinea Pugs
Vocabulary
Heredity Dominant alleles Inheritance Mutation
Chromosome Recessive alleles Punnett Square Karyotype
DNA Phenotype Mendelian dominance Sex chromosomes
Genetics Genotype Incomplete dominance Homologous chromosomes
Gene Heterozygous/Hybrid Co-dominance Pedigree
Trait Homozygous/Purebred Sex-Linked Trait Asexual reproduction (mitosis)
Allele Probability Polygenic Inheritance Sexual Reproduction (meiosis)
Unit Lessons Additional Lab/Lesson Activities STEM
Reproduction Lesson Introduction to Heredity and Traits Challenges/PBLs
DNA from Cheek Cells Alien Orphanage
DNA Jewelry or Keychain Rubric

3-D Performance Task

Coming Soon

Topic 2: Selective Breeding/Artificial Selection

Big Ideas/Enduring Understandings:
 Selective breeding is used to enhance a desired trait.
Essential Questions:
 How did we get so many different breeds of dogs, cats, and horses?
 Why is selective breeding used?
Content Standards
S7L3c Ask questions to gather and synthesize information about the ways humans influence the inheritance of
desired traits in organisms through selective breeding. (Clarification statement: The element specifically refers
to artificial selection and the ways in which it is fundamentally different than natural selection.)

Description of Key Content

Teacher Background Information
Misconceptions Proper Conceptions
 Selective breeding  Selecting breeding is the process in which human intervention controls the
refers to organisms breeding process of organisms to generate offspring with a specific set of desired
selecting with whom they traits.
will mate.  Farmers have been manipulating heritable traits which are encoded by genes for
 Genetically modified millennia.
food is a recent  It can take many generations to produce new breeds of organisms through
phenomenon. selective breeding.
 Selective breeding
always produces the
desired traits.
Instructional Strategies
When this standard is taught with fidelity, students are asking questions and gathering information about the
ways humans influence the inheritance of desired traits through selective breeding. If you do no not use the
Alien Orphanage PBL, you can use the Artificially Selecting Dogs lesson to teach this standard. This lesson
requires students to analyze the traits of different dogs, evaluate which organisms to breed providing the
greatest probability of producing an organism with a specific set of desired traits, and then reflect on the
experience to generate the advantages and disadvantages of selecting breeding.

Evidence of Learning
By completion of this lesson, students will be able to:
 Explain how selective breeding produces new varieties of plants and animals.
 Demonstrate how selective breeding can produce plants and animals with desired trait.
Additional Assessment

Adopted Resources Literature Connections Probes

TBD Selective Breeding of Farm Animals
Article:
https://www.ciwf.org.uk/media/52628
46/Science-worksheets-compilation-
booklet.pdf

Dogs that Changed the World Article:

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/dogs
-that-changed-the-world-selective-
breeding-problems/1281/

Web Resources
Dogs that Changed the World - http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/dogs-that-changed-the-world-selective-
breeding-problems/1281/
Selective Breeding or Artificial Selection Article:
http://wallace.genetics.uga.edu/groups/evol3000/wiki/ce8b9/Selective_Breeding_or_Artificial_Selection.html
Selective Breeding Dogs Interactive: http://pbskids.org/dragonflytv/games/game_dogbreeding.html
Minnesota Zoo Selective Breeding Tigers - http://mnzoo.org/education/distance-learning/zoo-matchmakers/
From Wolf to Dog - http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/education/activities/3103_dogs.html
Artificially Selecting Dogs - http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/education/lessons/breeding_dogs/
Selectively Breed Broccoli - http://wps.prenhall.com/wps/media/objects/486/498193/CDA1_1/CDA1_1a/
CDA1_1a.htm (use Internet Explorer for browser)
Artificial vs Natural Selection Video - http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/selection/artificial/
Unit Lessons Additional Lab/Lesson Activities STEM Challenges/PBL
Artificially Selecting Dogs From Wolf to Dog -
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/educa
tion/activities/3103_dogs.html
Artificially Selecting Dogs -
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/educa
tion/lessons/breeding_dogs/
3-D Performance Tasks