Colorado State Model Content Standards addressed:

3.3 Students know and understand how the human body functions, factors that influence its structures and functions, and how these structures and functions compare with those of other organisms.

3.4 Students know and understand how organisms change over time in terms of biological evolution and genetics.

Objectives: Students should be able to:

• Explain how sexual reproduction differs from asexual reproduction.
• Explain the advantages and disadvantages of sexual reproduction.
• Describe a chromosome.
• Understand the terms “haploid” and “diploid”
• Describe meiosis and mitosis (memorization of names of stages is not necessary, but students should be able to describe the sequence of events that occur).
• Explain how meiosis and mitosis differ.
• Explain why meiosis is necessary for sexual reproduction to occur in most multicellular eukaryotes.
• Understand the terms “genotype” and “phenotype”
• Understand the terms “homozygous” and “heterozygous”
• Understand the terms "dominant" and "recessive"
• Understand Mendel’s Laws
• Understand common patterns of inheritance
• Predict expected genotypic and phenotypic ratios in a simple monohybrid cross
• Discuss how genetic counseling is performed and how it can be used

DAY ONE – February 13

Homework due:

Bring in photographs of at least two close relatives: parents, grandparents, siblings (if you are unable to do this, please speak with one of the instructors)

Collect data on phenotypic traits of close relatives (if you are unable to do this, please speak with one of the instructors)

In-Class Activities:

Exploration: “Family photos” – (15 points) – 30 minutes

Exploration: “Sexual and asexual reproduction” – (15 points) – 60-90 minutes

Expansion I: “Chromosome shuffle” – understanding eucaryotic cell division –30-60 minutes

Out-of-Class Activities Assigned:

Complete drawings/notes from “Chromosome Shuffle” – (15 points)

Use the following resources if necessary: mitosis, meiosis

Recommended Readings:

1) “DNA from the beginning” – Online unit from Cold Spring Harbor’s

Concept, animation and problems for sections 7 and 8

2) “Meiosis” self test from the Biology Project (use online tutorial for assistance)

DAY TWO – February 18

Homework due: Expansion I: Chromosome Shuffle

In-Class Activities:

Expansion II: “Chromosome shuffle - continued” – understanding eucaryotic cell division – continued, review and discuss how cell division relates to inheritance of traits – 1 hour

Expansion III: "Pasta Genetics" - traits are passed from generation to generation - 30 min (10 pts)

Expansion IV: "Build an Organism" - how different traits make up an organism - 1 hr (20 pts)

Out-of-Class Activities Assigned:

Application I: “Sexual and asexual reproduction revisited: Plant sex and genetically modified crops” (35 pts) due February 20

Reading from onbline textbook

DAY THREE – February 20

In-Class Activities:

Application I: Go over “Sexual and asexual reproduction revisited: Plant sex and genetically modified crops” 30 min

Expansion V: "Lecture - Genetics" 1 hr - Definitions, Mendels Laws, Punnet Squares (10 pts)

Expansion VI: "Patterns of Inheritance" 1 hr (20 pts)

Out-of-Class Activities Assigned:

Expansion V and VI: Genetics Problems

Application II: Genetically Inherited Diseases - start researching

Recommended readings and online activities

The following online resources could be very useful to you in completing the genetics problems.

Brief simple description of how to make a Punnet Square for a monohybrid cross and a problem that leads you through a dihybrid cross

Problem Set

Summary information on blood types plus a problem set with a tutorial (clicking on the wrong answer will lead to a page providing explanations).

Tutorial leading you through a pedigree for a family in which color blindness occurs. Good review of pedigrees, genotypes, and sex-linked inheritance.

DAY FOUR – February 25

Homework due: Expansion V and VI: Genetics Problems (25 pts)

In-Class Activities:

Expansion V and VI: Genetics Problems - go over as a group – 30 min

Expansion VII: "Genetic Counseling" – 90 min (20 pts)

Expansion VIII: "Genes and Intelligence” intro – 30 min

Out-of-Class Activities Assigned:

Required Readings:

“Why are you so smart?” Wright, Karen. 1999. Discover 20:40.

“The democracy of genes” McGue, Matt. 1997. Nature 388:417-418.

Read and be prepared to discuss in class.

DAY FIVE – February 27

Homework due: Application II - written assignment to be handed in

In-Class Activities:

Expansion VIII: " Genes and Intelligence " Discussion of Readings (15 pts)

Application II: "Genetically Inherited Diseases" (35 pts)

Guided reflection (15 pts)