Biology Melanin Unit Part 1: Inheritance and Genetic Mutation

Unit Topic: Inheritance and Genetic Mutations

Time Frame: 5 Days
Subject/Course: Biology
Grade Level: 11th

ARIZONA SCIENCE STANDARDS

Primary: HS.L3U1.25 Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about the causes and implications of DNA mutation.
Secondary: HS.L3U1.24: Construct an explanation of how the process of sexual reproduction contributes to genetic variation.

ANCHORNING PHENOMENA
Anchoring Phenomena: Albinism within a Brazilian Family
Analogous Phenomena: Ernest Hemingway’s Polydactyl Cats

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
Essential Question: How do traits vary among individuals?
Secondary Questions: How does albinism happen? Do children get it from their parents? How is albinism passed down from parents? What
does each parent pass down to children? How can children from the same parent be so different? What makes mutations happen? Do all
mutations have a phenotype associated with them?

ASSESSMENTS
Formative Assessment: Students should complete a Punnett square correctly as an exit ticket.
Summative Assessment: Students will complete a CER (claim, evidence, reasoning) type writing and reading assessment based on an
analogous phenomenon to Albinism that includes a pedigree, Punnett Square, and mutation.
 RESOURCES/MATERIALS
Administration: Student ChromeBooks
Administration: PowerPoint Slides
Video: Albinism with a Brazilian Family
Video: Ernest Hemingway’s Polydactyl Cats
Material: 6 Different Colors of Sticky Notes
Material: Driving Question Board (or place to stick notes)
Material: Notecards for Closure Question
Handout: Brazilian Family Pedigree, Student Q/R Section
Handout: Inheritance and Mutation Note-Taker
Handout: CER Summative Assessment on xanthochroism
Lab Packet: Albinism: From Genotype to Phenotype
Evergreen: Laminated components of Albinism Lab packet
“E” Component Teacher Actions Student Actions Objective(s)
ENGAGE: Anchoring Teacher prepares students for the Students observe video and track their SWBAT write observations and
Phenomena: Albinism observable phenomena. Teacher manages questions and curiosities on a worksheet. curiosities about Albinism, share
within a Brazilian Family the classroom and technology components. Students share their writing verbally within their writing verbally within a sm
(video). Teacher asks students to write individually a group. Students determine their best group, and with the full class.
and then share within a group. Teacher questions and curiosities to share with the
facilities conversation between groups and full class. Students add questions to DQB.
guides conversations to their relevance to
genetic inheritance. Teacher collects
questions to add to a DQB.

EXPLORE: Student
exploration: Pedigree of
family with albinism traits.
Teacher guides class and provides context
for how genes are passed from parents to
children. Teacher provides students time
within a group to ask questions and
attempt to understand the symbols and
meanings on a pedigree. Teacher scaffolds
conversations to guide students away from
misconceptions and toward knowledge.
Students work within a group to
understand how genes are passed down
through parents to children within a
pedigree. Students question and surface
the symbols and meanings on the pedigree.
Students add genotype data to their
pedigree and have their misconceptions
about the symbols clarified.
SWBAT work collaboratively to
complete a pedigree worksheet
verbalize their conceptions and
misconceptions.
SWBAT articulate verbally that
albinism is caused from recessive
genes.
 Teacher provides explanations of the
symbols if needed.
EXPLAIN: Lecture: Teacher leads students through a slideshow
inheritance vocabulary and explanation of vocabulary: inheritance,
processes. genetics, trait, allele, genes, Mendel,
dominant trait, recessive trait, genotype,
phenotype, homologous, heterozygous,
probably, and Punnett Square. Teacher
leads students in GRR model through how
to examine and complete a Punnett Square.
ELABORATE: Analogous Teacher prepares students for the
Phenomena: Earnest observable phenomena by sharing its
Hemingway’s Polydactyl relationship to Albinism. Teacher manages
Cats Video. the classroom and technology components.
Teacher engages students in questioning
and understanding what’s occurring in the
phenomena. Teacher leads students
through a lecture and note-taking on
mutations including: point mutation, silent
mutation, missense mutation, nonsense
mutation, frameshift mutation, insertion,
and deletion. Teacher prepares students
for their lab tomorrow called Albinism:
From Genotype to Phenotype. Teacher
hands out lab materials.
EXPLORE: Dry Lab – Teacher prepares students to enter the lab
Albinism: From Genotype component of the unit. Teacher ensures
to Phenotype. materials are ready at each lab station and
stewards’ students into the lab area.
Teacher guides groups toward
understanding and application of their
learned material of inheritance and
Students follow notes by completing a
note-taker that includes places to write
vocabulary in their own words. Students
ask questions on misunderstandings.
Students complete a Punnett square with
the teacher as a full class, with a peer, and
by themselves.
Students observe phenomena and write
their curiosities and questions. Students
share questions with peers and add to DQB.
Students complete note-taker on
mutations. Students receive materials for
lab and complete pre-lab questions in
preparation for the lab tomorrow.
Students work with lab-group to complete
the lab and a lab packet. Students ask
questions to their peers and the teacher to
clarify misunderstands. Students work
collaboratively to distribute lab
responsibilities. Students apply knowledge
learned from the unit.
SWBAT follow a lecture on
inheritance and complete a
notetaker.
SWBAT successfully complete a
Punnett Square.
SWBAT write observations and
curiosities about Polydactyl Cats
SWBAT follow a lecture on
mutations and complete a
notetaker.
SWBAT answer pre-lab questions
Albinism: From Genotype to
Phenotype.
SWBAT identify different times o
genetic mutations within the
albinism lab by completing a lab
packet.
 mutations. Teacher facilitates time and
discussion amongst groups.
EVALUATE: CER: Claim, Teacher prepares students for their Students complete a CER evaluation where SWBAT complete an analogous
Evidence, Reasoning summative assessment from the unit. they apply knowledge learned from the phenomenon CER and explain th
evaluation based on Teacher provides a worksheet for students unit. claim, evidence, and reasoning.
xanthochroism. to read, annotate, and complete based on
their claims, evidence, and reasoning.
Teacher monitors time and that students
are working independently. Teacher
collects CERs.
ENGAGE: Revisiting DQB – Teacher engages full class in the DQB Students engage in a classroom discussion SWBAT assess the progress made
What remains unexplored? around inheritance and mutations. What on the DQB and the questions that their learning by participating wi
questions remain? Teacher takes notes of have/have not been answered. Students a class discussion.
unanswered questions and misconceptions surface any misconceptions that remain, as
from the students. well as any questions they’d still like to
explore.

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY

January 22 January 23 January 24 January 25 January 26
TBO: Individually and TBO: SWBAT correctly TBO: When given an TBO: SWBAT identify TBO: SWBAT complete an
within a group, SWBAT complete a Punnett analogous phenomenon to different types of genetic analogous phenomenon
identify the genetic square. Albinism, SWBAT identify a mutations within the CER and explain their claim,
causes of Albinism. genetic mutation occurred. Albinism Lab. evidence, and reasoning.
EXPLAIN
ENGAGE Lecture: Inheritance ELABORATE EXPLORE EVALUATE
Anchoring Phenomena: vocabulary and Analogous Phenomena: Dry Lab: Albinism: From CER: Claim, Evidence,
Albinism within a processes. Earnest Hemingway’s Genotype to Phenotype Reasoning evaluation based
Brazilian Family (video). Polydactyl Cats Video. on xanthochroism.
Formative Assessment:
EXPLORE Punnett square Lecture: mutations. ENGAGE
Student exploration of Teacher Action (Full Class):
pedigree of family with Lab Set-Up: Albinism: From Revisiting our DQB, what
albinism traits. Genotype to Phenotype questions have we
answered? What remains
unanswered from our unit
on Albinism?