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Unit #5 – It’s In Your Genes

Unpacking 5: It’s In Your Genes (video)

Topics Covered in this Unit –

  1. DNA Structure & Function
  2. Mendelian Genetics
  3. Mechanisms of Inheritance
  4. Basic Probability
  5. Epistasis (interaction between genes)

Exercise 1A: Replication of DNA: Making Exact Copies (video)

This video describes an activity appropriate for grade levels 9 – 12. Students will be able to: (1) better understand how a strand of DNA is constructed, (2) assemble components of a DNA model, and (3) describe nucleotide base pairs and connecting sugar-phosphate backbones.

Exercise 1B: Accidents (Mutations) Do Happen (video)

This video describes an activity appropriate for grade levels 9 – 12. Students will be able to: (1) better understand how easily an accident, mutation in one’s DNA sequence could happen, (2) calculate the occurrence of mutations, and (3) identify the positive correlation between mutations and new trait expressions.

Exercise 4A: Inherited Traits – A Genetic Coin Toss? (video)

This video describes an activity appropriate for grades 9 – 12. Students will be able to: (1) better understand that traits are inherited, one from each parent, (2) demonstrate the probability of inheriting a specific allele, either dominant or recessive, and (3) explain the likeliness of dominance expression versus the likeliness of recessive expression.

Printable Resources

Below are links to all documentation for this thematic unit.  Presentations are available in PowerPoint format, as well as PDFs for those wishing to print transparencies for overhead projectors.  Teachers may wish to review unit workbooks for more in-depth information before using the supplied presentations.

Curriculum Standard

Workbooks with Exercises

Presentations

Additional Readings and Supplementary Files

Scientific Journal Articles

Supplementary File