Spring Saturday SAVY, Week 2, Molecular Genetics (5th-6th)
Day 2 in Molecular Genetics did not disappoint! The students were engaged and had a great discourse about the principles of DNA from last week’s lesson. They spent the morning learning about genes and where they are created and housed in the body. Students then applied this knowledge to learn and understand the probability of traits passing from parents to offspring using Punnett Squares. After calculating the probability of several traits using Punnett squares, students were ready to test their understanding. They put their theories to the test and analyzed a set of alien parents to create offspring with traits based on the probability of genetics. Despite their hesitancy, students were shocked at the variety of offspring from seemingly identical parents.
Students were also able to determine their own tasting traits using PTC paper. Ask your child if they were a non-taster, taster, or super taster. At the end of the day, students learned about the scientific research of Gregor Mendel and his pea plants. Students were amazed that such complex understanding of life could come from such a seemingly simple plant.
I can’t wait to see everyone next week as we finish our course on molecular genetics and learn about natural selection and its relationship to DNA, as well as careers in the field of genetics.