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Understanding By Design Unit Template
Title of Unit
Curriculum Area
Developed By
Mendelian Genetics and the study of Inheritance
Biology
Christy Atkinson
Grade Level
Time Frame
9th -10th
4 weeks
Identify Desired Results (Stage 1)
Big Idea:
Content Standards
1. S:LS1:11:3.2 Recognize that new heritable characteristics can only result from new combinations of existing genes or from mutations of genes in
organisms sex cells; and explain why other changes in an organism cannot be passed on.
2. S:LS3:11:3.5 Identify and describe ways genes may be changed and combined to create genetic variation within a species.
3. S:LS3:11:3.7 Explain the concepts of Mendelian Genetics.
4. S:LS3:11:3.8 Use pedigree charts and Punnett Squares to determine patterns of inheritance.
5. S:LS3:11:3.6 Explain that gene mutations and new combinations may have a variety of effects on the organism, including positive and negative ones,
or none at all.
6. Other content standards appear on individual lessons as well; these are the unit standards overall.
Enduring Understandings
Essential Questions
Overarching
1. All Life on Earth is connected through a shared genetic history.
2. Speciation of all organisms relies on the idea of variation.
3. The study of genetic history and diversity can be applied to all types of
science, history, and cultural development.
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4.
Topical
Gregor Mendel made connections through his work with heredity that led
to two fundamental laws in Biology and introduced a new study in
science called genetics.
The changes that occur during meiosis lead to the genetic variation
among species.
The study of genetics allows scientists’ to piece together and understand
how life arose on earth.
The study of DNA can lead into many new medical insights that can
benefit mankind.
Overarching
1. Without variation, what would
the earth be like?
2. How does the study of
inheritance effect human
thought?
3. What ethic responsibilities do
scientists have during their
research of life?
4. What can the study of patterns
of inheritance in all species tell
us about the earth and the
development of life?
Knowledge
Skills
Students will know…
Students will be able to…
Topical
1. Why is meiosis an essential
aspect of speciation?
2. How did Gregor Mendel’s work
change modern science and
thought on heredity?
3. What advantages does sexual
reproduction give to a species?
4. How does the study of genes
and variation provide evidence
for evolution?
5. What insights can the study of
human inheritance give to
medicine?
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The vocabulary of Genetics: gene, allele, chromosome, meiosis, trait,
dominant and recessive alleles, the law of segregation, the law of
independent assortment, molecular genetics, punnett square, dihybrid
and monohybrid crosses , genotype and phenotype, heterozygous, and
homozygous, complete dominance, incomplete dominance, codominance,
heredity, probability, Parental, filial (F1 F2) generations, true-breeding and
pollination.
Genetics is the study of how characteristics are transmitted from parents
to offspring.
Pedigree charts are used to track inheritance of traits among humans and
other organisms.
Punnet squares can be used to predict the outcome of genetic crosses of
species.
The fundamentals of modern genetics are based on Gregor Mendel’s
work and conclusions into the two laws of segregation and independent
assortment.
All organisms are derived or formed from the same DNA or genetic
material but are unique.
An organism’s phenotype is the sum of all the genetic material from both
parents and the interaction of that material as the zygote grows to an
adult.
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Use a punnett (dihybrid and monohybrid) square to determine the
probability of the distribution of a heritable trait of an organism
among a population.
Use meiosis to explain variation among species.
Use the probability equation to determine generation numbers in
plants based on Mendel’s experiments.
Apply understanding of the relationship between a genotype and a
phenotype using examples clearly stated with the vocabulary terms.
Apply the process of scientific observation and method by providing
examples in current day life to show that variation is based on the
same genetic material that all life shares.
Support Gregor Mendel’s contributions to the study of heredity using
modern evidence of the current findings in molecular genetics sing
such terms as homozygous and heterozygous etc.
Apply understanding of dominant and recessive alleles as applied to
inheritance using data collected from punnet squares and pedigree
charts for traits in humans and other organisms.
Analyze, interpret, create, and apply the scientific tools and process
for public understanding to enhance and support their community and
provide information and learning to others.
Assessment Evidence (Stage 2)
Performance Task Description:
To create a brochure on about human blood types describing how they are used for
blood donations in the medical or health field, and promote awareness in high school students and their families about the need for
blood in their community. Students will also plan and carry out a blood drive for their high school. The tasks together will allow
students to apply their understanding of genetics from the unit, including the tools and skills they have learned in a meaningful way
that can also contribute to their community.
Other Evidence
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(quizzes, test, prompts, observations, dialogues, student self-assessment, work samples.)
A vocabulary quiz of the key terms of the unit.
A punnet square activity used to assess understanding of the tool. Pedigree charts for participations grades will be given as well.
A quiz with several punnet squares, and a scenario involving two parental types requiring a detailed explanation using the correct scientific
terminology and understanding o the terminology describing how you would predict and explain the phenotypic traits of the offspring.
 An actual blood scenario for a specific blood disorder will be given for students to use the different tools they have learned in the unit to analyze,
describe,
and show understanding of the outcome and offspring, by predicating the outcome and comparing the “actual answer or phenotype of the offspring”
to their results using the genetic tools learned in the unit.
 Reflections on the activities in several lessons are planned and several case studies for students to apply their understanding will be assigned as
well.
 A unit exam will be given at the end of the unit.
 Performance task will be assigned and due within a week of the end of the unit and a blood drive as part of the performance task will be planned
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close to the unit though may not be contained within the same time frame.
Karyotypes of specific genetic disorders will be given and students will put the Karyotypes together and explain the disease they have revealed
using genetic terms, of medical analysis data, and research about chromosomal disease types. Students will present their Karyotypes in class and
explain how they researched and discovered the disorder using the skills and tools they have learned.
Learning Plan (Stage 3)
Where are your students headed? Where have
they been? How will you make sure the
students know where they are going?
How will you hook students at the beginning of
the unit?
What events will help students experience and
explore the big idea and questions in the unit?
How will you equip them with needed skills and
knowledge?
How will you cause students to reflect and
rethink? How will you guide them in rehearsing,
revising, and refining their work?
How will you help students to exhibit and selfevaluate their growing skills, knowledge, and
understanding throughout the unit?
How will you tailor and otherwise personalize
the learning plan to optimize the engagement
and effectiveness of ALL students, without
compromising the goals of the unit?
How will you organize and sequence the
learning activities to optimize the engagement
and achievement of ALL students?
Students will begin with an introduction to Gregor Mendel, the father of genetics, and follow this
with specific tools to study inheritance, apply previous learned information about DNA structure
and use of meiosis to describe variation and inheritance patterns of organisms. Lessons are
numbered in order and will culminate with a performance task to complete the unit and
combine understanding of the essential questions and understandings into one project.
Students will watch a YouTube video that begins the discussion on genetic inheritance and
variation and opens a lot of questions, possibilities, and information about genetics and its uses
in the world.
Students will gain learning through working with scientific tools to understand inheritance such
as punnett squares, pedigree charts, Karyotypes, and case studies for genetic disease and use
models such as fruit flies and dog pedigree analysis to apply these skills and understand their
use.
Students will be asked to reflect on the ethics of some information in certain lessons, document
their learning as they do their performance task on human blood types, and us case studies to
explain how genetics is used both ethically and advantageously in the medical world.
Reflections and discussions on their work for many of the lessons. Students will have oral
discussions to explain to their peers information in the form of jigsaw style learning and group
learning, and will be given a rubric or asked to explain their contribution orally or in writing to
the teacher as self evaluation.
The performance task will have different roles for each student that will be chosen both on the
basis on volunteer for the role and using the information through interactions with students to
assign the roles best suited for each student.
The lessons are organized and numbered to show how they would be taught in the unit, in
some cases, it is possible a lesson would be added between these numbered lessons if the
information is not successful in teaching understanding of the concepts to the students. Many of
the lesson offer several learning styles and modifications are possible in many forms as well that
would still be effective in achieving understanding of the overall goal and understandings of the
unit.
From: Wiggins, Grant and J. Mc Tighe. (1998). Understanding by Design, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
ISBN # 0-87120-313-8 (ppk)