« The scoop on genetics | Main | Research this week »

Sponge Bob and the Bikini Bottom gang have been lending a hand in our classes this week as we learn how biological traits are passed on to successive generations (standard S7L3). Mendel worked with his peas to demonstrate how probability could be used to figure out that some traits are controlled by factors (genes) that have a dominant form and a recessive form. We have been using Punnett squares to determine the probability of various outcomes in the land of Sponge Bob (WS#1 and 2) and today we investigated the phenomenon of incomplete dominance with Sandy's favorite Poofkin flowers (WS #3). I think that most students have it figured out!

Other terms that we have learned this week include: homozygous, heterozygous, purebred, hybrid, allele, gene, chromosome, incomplete dominance (similar to co-dominance), genotype, and phenotype, asexual reproduction, and sexual reproduction. Please make sure that you are reading and studying the chapter pages that go along with our studies in class (pages 86-99). Do the workbook pages also if you did not have at least a B on the last test.

I checked WS # 2 for a HW grade today. If you did not finish it, please do so and give it to me tomorrow.

Your homework for the week has been to work on your report of background information and your project research plan.

Posted by Mrs. Carroll