Month: March 2018

Friday: Knowledge Check and PTC Genetics

/ Ms Lea

Today students have a Knowledge Check covering what they have learned so far about genetics and heredity.  Students that receive a 3 or 4 on the Knowledge Check are all set, students that received a 2 or 1 should make a plan to review the material with Ms Lea or another student and then come in to retake the Knowledge Check.

In addition, students tested to see if they have the gene to taste PTC.  The class made a “Tree of Traits” outlining how different students have different combinations of dominant and recessive genes.  You can learn more about PTC here:

PTC The Genetics of Bitter Taste

Image result for ptc paper

ASSIGNMENTS:

  • All missing and revised work needs to be in by the end of this week for 3rd quarter progress reports

Tuesday -Thursday: Punnett Square Practice and Conference Organizers

/ Ms Lea

Throughout this week, students are practicing using Punnett squares.  Here are some of the practice materials from class:

Image result for punnett squares

In addition, students worked on their conference organizers using the science HOWLs criteria to guide their reflections: HOWLs self-check Criteria

ASSIGNMENTS:

  • Knowledge Check covering the Intro to Heredity Notes and Punnett Squares on Friday (Thursday for Core A)
  • All missing and revised work needs to be in by the end of this week for 3rd quarter progress reports

Thursday and Friday: Dominant and Recessive traits

/ Ms Lea

Building from our previous class, students are learning about dominant and recessive traits. A dominant trait is a trait that will be seen if even just one parent passes on the gene for it. For example, if a child receives a gene for right handedness from their mother and left handedness from their father, the child will be right handed because it is the dominant trait. A recessive trait is a trait that can be seen when both parents pass on a gene for it. For example, a child will be left handed if they receive a gene for left handedness from their mother as well as from their father because left handedness is a recessive trait. In truth, traits like right-handedness and left-handed are a little more complicated than just getting one trait from each parent, but it helps illustrate the basic idea.  Here is more information:

Image result for dominant and recessive example

In class, we will look at how specific traits can be passed down from parents to offspring and then students will practice with an in-class activity.

ASSIGNMENTS:

  • Introduction to Heredity Notes  due next week
  • Please note that the end of the quarter is coming up.  The last day to turn anything in for this quarter’s science grades is Tuesday, April 3.

Wednesday: Introduction to Heredity

/ Ms Lea

Now that students have a basic understanding of DNA, we will be focusing on genes and how certain traits are inherited.  Students will need to be familiar with these words:

chromosomes – are found in cells and contain an organisms genes.  Genes are made of DNA.  You can think of chromosomes as clusters of DNA.

trait – a characteristic or feature of an organism

We will be using these online resources to better understand heredity:

Image result for chromosomes

Monday: Work Day

/ Ms Lea

I am out sick today. Most students have work to do on their DNA Model and Analysis – students that submitted it last week should check the notes from Ms Lea in Google Classroom.

When students have finished, they should choose some of the following links to research DNA or Neuroscience:

Links about CLONING:

Links about DEEXTINCTION (a type of cloning to bring back extinct animals):

Links about the HUMAN GENOME PROJECT:

NEUROSCIENCE Links from February:

Neuroscience Videos:

Friday: Human Genome and DeExtinction

/ Ms Lea

Now that students have learned a little bit about DNA, we are going to discuss the Human Genome Project.  Students that are finished with their work will also have time to learn more about DNA topics such as DeExtinction and Cloning.

Here are the notes from class today: DNA and the Human Genome Presentation

Some people have asked if we can use cloning technology to bring back species that have gone extinct, a concept called DeExtinction.  This is a topic both in scientific communities and science fiction stories like Jurassic Park.  Students can explore this idea using the following resources:

 

Image result for deextinction

Links about CLONING:

Image result for cloning

ASSIGNMENT:

  • DNA Model and Analysis (in Google Classroom) due by the end of the day

Monday & Thursday: DNA Models

/ Ms Lea

This week students have their DNA Knowledge Check (originally scheduled for last week, but pushed later due to the snow day) and will be completing their DNA Models and Analysis.  Students will need to use their DNA Notes which were assigned last week to help them with the Knowledge Check. Students that get 3 or more answers incorrect need to see Ms Lea with their completed DNA notes by the end of the week.

Students with extra time can check out these links:

ASSIGNMENTS:

  • See Ms Lea with your completed DNA Notes if you got more than 2 answers incorrect on the Knowledge Check by the end of the day Friday
  • DNA Model (show it to Ms Lea) and Final Analysis (in Google Classroom) due by Friday