This week the 8th graders began learning how traits are passed on from parent to offspring. Words like deoxyribonucleic acid, genes, chromosomes, alleles, genotype, phenotype, homozygous, heterozygous and Punnett square were being used regularly. Students practiced using Punnett squares to determine the probability a trait will show up in offspring given a certain set of parents. I’ve heard a lot of “ooohs and aaahs” and “that’s why I have blue eyes and my parents don’t!” Ask your children what they know so far!
I saw some of the practice they were doing and it looked amazing. I will definitely check out their blogs to see if it is posted up there!
I remember this so clearly from my Jewish day school science teacher…Shelley Lippman. The only problem is that my punnett square indicated a full head of hair until retirement age.