Meiosis and Mendel

 

1) Essential Questions

• A) Is everything we are determined by our genes?

No. Of course our traits are determined by our genes, but there are other things that also affect our appearance, such as the environment. Our skin might be really white when we are born because of our genes, but if we spend a lot of time outdoors, our skin will probably get darker without affecting our genes. 

• B) How do babies get their traits?

Babies get their traits from their parents. The trait they show is probably the dominant trait between both parents. For example, blue eyes can be recessive and brown eyes can be dominant, so then the baby would probably have brown eyes. Our genotype is the genetic constitution of a baby, while the phenotype is the physical trait shown because of the genotype. So our parents give us our genotype, which defines our phenotype. But then again our phenotype can change because of the environment, although this doesn't affect our genes.

 

• 2) How is what we learned connected to the real world?

This unit is connected tto the real world because it shows us how everyone gets their physical characteristics and where they get them from. Now we can also predict the outcomes of two beings, as long as we know the dominant and recessive genes or traits. Or solve doubts about genetic diseases by using a pedigree chart.  

 

• 3) Upload your Meiosis Claymation movies

 

4)

• I think the claymation movie was an interesting project because it is different from the usual assignments we have in science class, which made it fun, too. It also helps us remember the steps better since we had to remember our lines for the video. I would like it if we had to do similar projects for each unit.

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