1. Breeding Critters

2. Do Now
Breeding Critters Key Question: Are there more possibilities in determining a trait than simple dominant/recessive? Initial Thoughts:

3. Evidence: Create a Critter
You and your partner will be creating one of Ocean & Lucy’s offspring. Step One: Mom or Dad? Determine who will flip for the mom’s (Lucy) gene contributions and who will flip for the dad’s (Ocean) gene contributions. Record this information on your data chart.

4. Evidence: Create a Critter
Step Two: Flip for the Traits
For each critter trait, each person will need to flip his or her coin once.
If the coin lands on heads, that parent donates a dominant gene (allele) to the offspring. Record this as a CAPITAL letter.
If the coin lands on tails, that parent donates a recessive gene to the offspring. Record this as a LOWER CASE letter.

5. Evidence: Create a Critter
Step Three: Determine the Critter’s Genotypes and Phenotypes
Using the table provided, determine what traits your critter will have.
Genotype: The genetic make up, or gene combination of an organism. Example: Tt
Phenotype: the physical result of the gene combination, or what we see. Example: Tall

6. Evidence: Create a Critter
Not all traits are perfectly dominant or recessive.
Co-dominance = both traits are equally strong
Incomplete dominance = trait is a blend of both
Look at the table of traits.
Write down which are: Co-dominant = ________ Incomplete dominance = __________

7. Evidence: Create a Critter
Step Four: create your critter using the construction paper pieces.
Don’t forget to name your critter.

8. Analysis Questions
Which characteristic is affected by an environmental factor, such as light, temperature or diet? Explain.
Write down the genotype and phenotype for the following characteristics:
Characteristic
Genotype
Phenotype

9. Analysis Questions Look at the other critters made by your classmates.
What is their family relationship to Ocean and Lucy? 
What is their family relationship to each other? 
What evidence do you see that sexual reproduction results in diversity?

10. Summary What did you think about how traits are determined before?
What did you learn from your evidence about how traits are determined?
What are some further thoughts or questions you have about how traits are determined ?

11. Reflection
Create a rhyme about the difference between genotype & phenotype.

12. Big Idea