Date: Dec 4, 2008mod 1,9 Warm-up: You do not have to write anything on your warm- up sheet for today!! Complete Activity A of “Variety is the Spice of Life” packet. Homework: “Advances in Genetics” ditto To Turn In: None To Work on Today: “Variety is the Spice of Life” Packet

Today What will we learn? o How traits are transferred from parents to children Why is it important? o This is why you look the way you do, DUH! How will you show me you “Got It”? o Analysis Question: Explain how it is possible for there to be variation of traits within a litter of puppies? What will we do to learn it? o Discuss similarities and differences that are present in a family of bulldogs o Read about Gregor Mendel’s experiments with pea plants Objective Students will be able to analyze the transfer of traits from parents to offspring in order to explain variations within the offspring.

Variety is the Spice of Life: Activity A How are the puppies similar to and different from each parent? Do any of the puppies look identical to each other? Do any of the puppies look identical to either one of the parents? Provide a possible explanation for the similarities and differences you observed.

Variety is the Spice of Life: Activity A Does this just happen with puppies? Could it happen with other animals too? How about plants?

Variety is the Spice of Life: Activity B THE FATHER OF GENETICS Gregor Mendel: THE FATHER OF GENETICS 1.Read about the experiments that Mendel carried out with pea plants (Read INDIVIDUALLY First) 2.Complete the graphic organizer for each of the following topics: What are traits? –Include examples Why are some traits more common than others? –Include an example How can breeding organisms with different traits lead to variation? –Need to come up with this yourself-it is not directly said in the reading

Variety is the Spice of Life: Activity B Discuss the information you gathered with the other members of you group. Do you agree with that information they have? Do you disagree?

What are traits? Why are some traits more common than others? How can breeding organisms with different traits lead to variation?

What are traits? Why are some traits more common than others? How can breeding organisms with different traits lead to variation? Characteristics

What are traits? Why are some traits more common than others? How can breeding organisms with different traits lead to variation? Characteristics Examples: stem height, pea color, pod color, dog hair color, etc

What are traits? Why are some traits more common than others? How can breeding organisms with different traits lead to variation? Characteristics Examples: stem height, pea color, pod color, dog hair color, etc Some traits have the ability to mask others Example: the allele for tall stems is able to mask the allele for short stems

What are traits? Why are some traits more common than others? How can breeding organisms with different traits lead to variation? Characteristics Examples: stem height, pea color, pod color, dog hair color, etc Some traits have the ability to mask others Example: the allele for tall stems is able to mask the allele for short stems Organisms within the same species have many different traits.

What are traits? Why are some traits more common than others? How can breeding organisms with different traits lead to variation? Characteristics Examples: stem height, pea color, pod color, dog hair color, etc Some traits have the ability to mask others Example: the allele for tall stems is able to mask the allele for short stems Organisms within the same species have many different traits. When traits are crossed through reproduction, traits that are both similar to and different from the parents can be expressed in the offspring (variation)

Assessment I 6. Which of the following statements best describes a trait of Mendel’s pea plants? A. Pea plants grow tall to be closer to sunlight. B. The roots of pea plants help to fix essential nutrients in the soil. C. Pea plants can have wrinkled seeds or round seeds. D. The pea plant flower is designed to be attractive to bees.

Assessment I 7. Determine the most likely situation that would occur if plants with different traits were crossed. A. The plants would all be tall. B. The offspring’s traits would be a combination of the traits of both parents. C. The offspring would look exactly like the parents with no differences. D. All of the plants would be exactly the same.

Assessment I 8. Which statement best summarizes the cause of variations in the offspring of organisms? A. The variations of inherited traits do not depend on the traits of the parents. B. The variations of inherited traits vary directly because environmental conditions. C. The variations of inherited traits depend on the traits of siblings. D. The variations of inherited traits depend on the combination of traits provided by the parents.

Assessment II Please answer the following question in your packet. This must be done before you leave class today: Analysis Explain how it is possible for there to be variation of traits within a litter of puppies. Provide an example to support your response.