Fall SAVY 2018, Day 2 – Molecular Genetics (5th/6th)
Hello Molecular Genetics parents!
This week, we were classical geneticists. We learned a TON of new vocabulary, all related to inheritance. Can your young scientist tell you the difference between a dominant and recessive allele? Can they describe how genotype and phenotype are related? One of our experiments today consisted of building a creature with our Crazy Traits kits. We started with two parents that were heterozygous for different traits. Using coins and probability, your child built a “baby” with traits it inherited from its parents. Ask your young scientist to describe their “Baby Crazy” creation- they were quite interesting creatures!
We collected data as a class about our Baby Crazies’ traits and visualized the data using bar graphs. Each trait was represented on the graph. We discussed the ratios of the dominant versus recessive trait. Can your young scientist explain the ratios we saw? We also completed Punnett squares as a class. Punnett squares are used to study inheritance of alleles for genes that follow Mendel’s Laws of Inheritance. Can you child remember what the 3 Laws of Inheritance are? Can they do a Punnett square for two heterozygote parents?
To complement our experiment with the Baby Crazies, we did an experiment on blood typing. We used “blood” of different types (really just water with food coloring!) to test which blood types could donate to and receive blood from the other types. We discussed the components of blood and the importance of knowing your blood type. Can your young scientist remember the definitions for antigen and antibody? Do they remember how they interact? Do you know what blood type you are?
I hope your child is having as much fun as I am. And just think- we have only have one more class to learn as much as we can about molecular genetics! I look forward to meeting you at the Open House next week.
– Andrea