Lesson Plan Template

Name: Brittany Canfield Lesson Title: Gregor Mendel and His Peas

Date: September 26, 2018 Grade/Level: 7th Grade

Central Focus and Purpose

Main idea
Gregor Mendel studied pea plants to observe heredity and inheritance.

Content Standards Lesson Objective(s)

Include the number and text As a result of this lesson, what are students expected to know
MS-LS3-2 and/or be able to do?
Develop and use a model to describe why asexual 1. Students will utilize the scientific method to
reproduction results in offspring with identical break apart Mendel’s pea plant experiment.
genetic information, and sexual reproduction 2. Students will recreate Mendel’s experiment
results in offspring with genetic variation. using another type of plant.
Knowledge of Students to Inform Teaching
Use of knowledge of students’ prior learning, academic, social, and cultural characteristics
Students know how to:
➔ Calculate percentage based on ratios
➔ Write ratios based on a set of data
➔ Use a Chromebook effectively and efficiently
Instruction Activities
Be sure to address:
--Learning tasks
--Opportunities for higher-order thinking
--Materials / Resources
Learning Tasks:
Hook: Teacher will show students photos of different organisms and their offspring to show how genetic
diversity works.
Main Activity: Students will learn about Mendel’s pea plant experiment via in class discussions with the
teacher. Students will use breakout groups to further discuss other plant options for Mendel’s
experiment. Students will utilize Punnett squares to predict genetic outcomes of different plants.
Exit Slip
Materials:
Notebook
Pencil
Chromebook
Slideshow with information and visuals
--Adaptations to meet individual needs
--Adaptations to meet students with special needs (list both the need and adaptations)
Gifted and Talented: This student will be given an extension question about how scientific inquiry has
changed over time.

Attention Deficit Disorder: This student will be placed at the station on the edge of the room with
alternative seating so they can wiggle in a safe spot instead of wander around the room. This student
will be partnered with a patient partner who can keep them engaged and on task.

ELL: This students will be given a spanish version of the assignment. They will have the opportunity to
answer in spanish or English.
Vocabulary / Academic Language
Opportunities to practice content language and develop fluency
Genes, Mendelian genetics, offspring, population, inheritance, trait, diversity, dominant, recessive,
Punnett square, frequency, predict, hybrid, cross, phenotype, genotype, ratio
Assessment
Address both formative assessments and related strategies that guide instruction and summative assessments that provide
evidence of student learning
FORMATIVE
Exit slip: Students will hand in an exit slip at the end of class via GoFormative.
SUMMATIVE
None (Lab at end of unit)
Reflection
List future adaptations to this lesson and/or future enhancements to promote learning
This lesson has not been completed yet.
 Lesson Plan Template
Name: Brittany Canfield Lesson Title: Heredity

Date: September 26, 2018 Grade/Level: 7th Grade

Central Focus and Purpose

Main idea
There are many ways to track patterns in heredity, one example is a pedigree.

Content Standards Lesson Objective(s)

Include the number and text As a result of this lesson, what are students expected to know
MS-LS3-2 and/or be able to do?
Develop and use a model to describe why asexual 1. Students will examine their family’s genes for
reproduction results in offspring with identical simple inheritance traits such as earlobes, thumbs,
genetic information, and sexual reproduction and hairline.
results in offspring with genetic variation. 2. Students will create a pedigree based on their
findings.
Knowledge of Students to Inform Teaching
Use of knowledge of students’ prior learning, academic, social, and cultural characteristics
Students know how to:
➔ Calculate percentage based on ratios
➔ Create Punnett squares
➔ Utilize Punnett squares to predict offspring
➔ Write ratios as they relate to heredity (ex. 1:2:1)
➔ Use a Chromebook effectively and efficiently
Instruction Activities
Be sure to address:
--Learning tasks
--Opportunities for higher-order thinking
--Materials / Resources
Learning Tasks:
Hook: Students will take a survey their traits to see if they hold any dominant simple inheritance traits.
Main Activity: Students will be shown a pedigree for a simple inheritance trait of a made up family. As a
class, we will track the trait to determine if that family carries a dominant or recessive version. Students
will be given a list of simple inheritance traits to choose from and will make a pedigree based on their
family.
Materials:
Notebook
Pencil
Chromebook
Slideshow with information and visuals
--Adaptations to meet individual needs
--Adaptations to meet students with special needs (list both the need and adaptations)
Gifted and Talented: This student will be given an extension question about heredity patterns.

Attention Deficit Disorder: This student will be placed at the station on the edge of the room with
alternative seating so they can wiggle in a safe spot instead of wander around the room. This student
will be partnered with a patient partner who can keep them engaged and on task.

ELL: This students will be given a spanish version of the assignment. They will have the opportunity to
answer in spanish or English.
Vocabulary / Academic Language
Opportunities to practice content language and develop fluency
Heredity, genes, Mendelian genetics, offspring, population, inheritance, trait, diversity, dominant,
recessive, Punnett square, frequency, predict, hybrid, cross, phenotype, genotype, pedigree, ratio,
incomplete dominance, codominance
Assessment
Address both formative assessments and related strategies that guide instruction and summative assessments that provide
evidence of student learning
FORMATIVE
Pedigree: Students will create a pedigree showing the simple inheritance trait they chose to track in
their family’s history. Students will be able to determine if their family carries the dominant or recessive
version of the trait and explain how they know.
SUMMATIVE
None (Lab at end of unit)
Reflection
List future adaptations to this lesson and/or future enhancements to promote learning
This lesson has not been completed yet.
 Lesson Plan Template
Name: Brittany Canfield Lesson Title: DNA

Date: September 26, 2018 Grade/Level: 7th Grade

Central Focus and Purpose

Main idea
Gregor Mendel studied pea plants to observe heredity and inheritance.

Content Standards Lesson Objective(s)

Include the number and text As a result of this lesson, what are students expected to know
SCI.LS2.A.m and/or be able to do?
Genes chiefly regulate a specific protein, which 1. Students will make connections between DNA
affect an individual’s traits. nucleotide bases and RNA codons.
2. Students will utilize an RNA codons chart to
create a protein sequence.
3. Students will observe traits, create codons, and
display them in a model.
Knowledge of Students to Inform Teaching
Use of knowledge of students’ prior learning, academic, social, and cultural characteristics
Students know how to:
➔ Calculate percentage based on ratios
➔ Create Punnett squares
➔ Utilize Punnett squares to predict offspring
➔ Write ratios as they relate to heredity (ex. 1:2:1)
➔ Explain how genetics relate to DNA
➔ Utilize a chart to make connections
➔ Use a Chromebook effectively and efficiently
Instruction Activities
Be sure to address:
--Learning tasks
--Opportunities for higher-order thinking
--Materials / Resources
Learning Tasks:
Hook: Students will make observations about different traits they possess like hair color, eye color,
height, etc.
Main Activity: Students will be shown a strand of DNA. As a class, we will create an opposing side of the
DNA using our base pairs (A>T, C>D). We will then look at a codon chart, break up the DNA strand into
chunks, and create a protein sequence out of the codons. Students will then be given marshmallows
(each color stands for a different base), toothpicks, and licorice. Students will be given codons that stand
for different traits. They need to create that code with marshmallows and then make the opposing side
to create a strand of DNA. The licorice is bendy and can therefore be made into a ladder or double helix
model.
Materials:
Notebook
Pencil
Chromebook
Slideshow with information and visuals
Marshmallows (4 colors)
Toothpicks
Licorice (x2)
--Adaptations to meet individual needs
--Adaptations to meet students with special needs (list both the need and adaptations)
Gifted and Talented: This student will be given an extension question about DNA and heredity.

Attention Deficit Disorder: This student will be placed at the station on the edge of the room with
alternative seating so they can wiggle in a safe spot instead of wander around the room. This student
will be partnered with a patient partner who can keep them engaged and on task.

ELL: This students will be given a spanish version of the assignment. They will have the opportunity to
answer in spanish or English.
Vocabulary / Academic Language
Opportunities to practice content language and develop fluency
DNA, nucleotide base, replication, transcription, translation, RNA, mutation, thymine, guanine, cytosine,
adenine, uracil, codon, protein
Assessment
Address both formative assessments and related strategies that guide instruction and summative assessments that provide
evidence of student learning
FORMATIVE
Questioning
Immediate teacher feedback via observations during an activity
SUMMATIVE
None (Lab at end of unit)
Reflection
List future adaptations to this lesson and/or future enhancements to promote learning
This lesson has not been completed yet.
 Lesson Plan Template
Name: Brittany Canfield Lesson Title: Gummy Bear Genetics

Date: September 26, 2018 Grade/Level: 7th Grade

Central Focus and Purpose

Main idea
Families carry many different traits due to genetic diversity in their DNA.

Content Standards Lesson Objective(s)

Include the number and text As a result of this lesson, what are students expected to know
SCI.LS2.A.m and/or be able to do?
Genes chiefly regulate a specific protein, which 1. Students will identify differences between
affect an individual’s traits. Mendelian genetics and incomplete dominance of
MS-LS3-2 Develop and use a model to describe gummy bear families through the completion of
why asexual reproduction results in offspring with laboratory experiment.
identical genetic information, and sexual 2. Students will determine potential traits of
reproduction results in offspring with genetic offspring by looking at parents and crossing them
variation. by using a punnett square.
3. Students will create a plan to help protect an
endangered species from genetic disorders and
low variation in the gene pool.
Knowledge of Students to Inform Teaching
Use of knowledge of students’ prior learning, academic, social, and cultural characteristics
Students know how to:
➔ Calculate percentage based on ratios
➔ Create Punnett squares
➔ Utilize Punnett squares to predict offspring
➔ Write ratios as they relate to heredity (ex. 1:2:1)
➔ Explain how genetics relate to DNA
➔ Utilize a chart to make connections
➔ Use a Chromebook effectively and efficiently
Instruction Activities
Be sure to address:
--Learning tasks
--Opportunities for higher-order thinking
--Materials / Resources
Learning Tasks:
Hook: Students will lead a conversation with their group about dominant and recessive genes and the
differences between genotype and phenotype.
Main Activity: Complete lab report for the Gummy Bear Genetics lab. Students will practice using
punnett squares to explore complete (Mendelian) and incomplete dominance based on their gummy
bear families. This lab will give students a hands on approach to heredity and genetics.
Materials:
Notebook
Pencil
Chromebook
Slideshow with information and visuals
Gummy Bears (4 colors)
Cups to contain bears
Worksheet with table
--Adaptations to meet individual needs
--Adaptations to meet students with special needs (list both the need and adaptations)
Gifted and Talented: This student will be given an extension question to their lab in which they will
create their own gummy bear family and do multiple crosses to find the second generation crosses.

Attention Deficit Disorder: This student will be placed at the station on the edge of the room with
alternative seating so they can wiggle in a safe spot instead of wander around the room. This student
will be partnered with a patient partner who can keep them engaged and on task.

ELL: This students will be given a spanish version of the assignment. They will have the opportunity to
answer in spanish or English on their lab report.
Vocabulary / Academic Language
Opportunities to practice content language and develop fluency
Heredity, Genes, Endangered Species, Genotype, Phenotype, Heterogeneous, Homogeneous, Punnett
squares, Ratio, Incomplete dominance, Mendelian genetics, Offspring, Population, Frequency,
Inheritance, Predict, Dominant, Recessive, Trait, Diversity
Assessment
Address both formative assessments and related strategies that guide instruction and summative assessments that provide
evidence of student learning
FORMATIVE
Questioning
Immediate feedback from teacher
SUMMATIVE
Lab Report: Lab reports will be handed in at the end of class.
Reflection
List future adaptations to this lesson and/or future enhancements to promote learning
This lesson has not been completed yet.