Science Sunday: Genetics
Why do living creatures look like their parents? It’s genetics! Genes get passed down from parents to children. Some of those genes are stronger, more “dominant”, than others. (Dark hair is dominant over blonde or red hair; curly hair is dominant over straight hair; freckles are dominant over non-freckles.) Genes also make people closely related to some animals. For example, humans and chimpanzees share 98.8% of our DNA.
See if you can answer these questions using the resources linked below:
Name the scientist who studied vegetables and determined how traits are inherited.
DNA is stored in which special area of each cell?
Some genes are called “Dominant” and get expressed more often; what are the genes that are expressed less often called?
The two-strand chemical structure of DNA is referred to as a “Double ________”.
If both of your parents have dark hair, is it possible for you to have red hair?
What percentage of your genes do you get from your father?
How many pairs of chromosomes do most humans have?
Which parent provides the “Y” chromosome to their male children?
Read About It
What Is Genetics? From the American Museum of Natural History: https://www.amnh.org/explore/ology/genetics/what-is-genetics
What Is a Gene? https://kidshealth.org/en/kids/what-is-gene.html
Biology for Kids: Genetics: https://www.ducksters.com/science/biology/genetics.php
DNA Fact Sheet: https://www.genome.gov/about-genomics/fact-sheets/Deoxyribonucleic-Acid-Fact-Sheet
Observable Human Characteristics: https://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/basics/observable/
10 Neat Facts about the X Chromosome: https://www.genome.gov/about-genomics/fact-sheets/X-Chromosome-facts
12 Neat Facts about the Y Chromosome: https://www.genome.gov/about-genomics/fact-sheets/Y-Chromosome-facts
What Are Dominant and Recessive Alleles? https://www.yourgenome.org/facts/what-are-dominant-and-recessive-alleles
Punnett Square: Dominant and Recessive Traits: https://www.education.com/science-fair/article/biology_it-takes/
View & Learn
Heredity: Who Are You? https://cptv.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/heredity-who-are-you-science-trek/heredity-who-are-you-science-trek/
(Video en Espanol): Qué son cromosomas y genes? https://southeastgenetics.org/what-are-chromosomes-and-genes-video-in-spanish/
Play & Learn
Building, Crafts & Food
Make a DNA Model: https://www.amnh.org/explore/ology/genetics#hands-on
Make a Candy DNA Model: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dC9uuHoIgXk
Hands On Lessons for Learning About Heredity and Genetics: https://www.sciencebuddies.org/blog/genetics-heredity-lessons
Games
The Gene Scene from The American Museum of Natural History: https://www.amnh.org/explore/ology/genetics#games
Fun Activities (coloring pages, word searches, etc.)
Coloring pages
Helix: http://www.supercoloring.com/coloring-pages/gene-0
Twins: http://www.supercoloring.com/coloring-pages/its-a-twins-boys
Take the Nature vs. Nurture Quiz: https://www.amnh.org/explore/ology/genetics/nature-or-nurture-quiz
Genetics Word Search: https://www.ducksters.com/games/word_search/genetics.php