In the beginning of the heredity unit, students learned about dominant vs. recessive traits in pea plants, and the work of Gregor Mendel.* Next, we took a look at traits in humans. They were able to identify whether or not they had the dominant trait (brown eyes, right handed, curly hair, can roll tongue, detached earlobes, freckles, to name a few) or the recessive trait. We later graphed this data as a class!
After, each student created a dog with a unique set of traits. This was a fun, artistic activity. I enjoyed watching the kids work, and there was a lot of laughter about the different outcomes!
More recently, students have been looking again at human traits, and participated in an activity which reinforces the idea that our traits are passed down from generation to generation, grandparents to parents to kids. We discussed how it is possible for siblings to have different traits and have the same parents. It is also possible to have the same traits, but not be twins.
It has been a short, but fun and interesting unit. It may have been my favorite unit I've taught your children this year! If your child would like to continue exploring the topic of inherited traits, there are some family tree activities with heredity in mind.
http://teach.genetics.utah.edu/content/heredity/html/tree.html Please feel free to share any additional learning or celebrations with me! Enjoy!
*During our initial heredity lesson on Gregor Mendel and the pea plants, students had some great questions about his experiments, including wondering how a tall pea plant and a short pea plant could produce a tall pea plant. ("But... How does that even happen?" One child asked.) One afternoon, we spent science taking a look at a diagram of flower anatomy (pistil, stamen), and discussed pollination, and the importance of bees to this process. I additionally shared an article with the students about the decrease in the bee population. We talked about how the bee crisis has had an impact on farming, which ultimately impacts us as consumers. (Another system!) Some students may have continued interest in the topic of bees, and what they can do to help. Here is a website from Green Peace which has information on saving the bees! Perhaps we have some activists in our midst! http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/campaigns/genetic-engineering/Bees-in-Crisis/
