Year 8 Science:

Topic 4
Genes and Evolution part
1

Name: …………………………………………………

Teacher: …………………………

Classroom: …………………………
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Lesson 1: DNA, genes and chromosomes Date:

Key objective 4
2. Genes and Evolution
I can describe evolution and the role of genes

Knowledge Quiz

The male gamete

1
The female gamete
2
Definition for fertilisation
3
True or false: Asexual reproduction
4 requires two parents
True or false: offspring of asexual
reproduction are genetically
5 identical to their parent

Challenge:
Write down on your whiteboards everything you already know about
DNA…

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DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid (or DNA for short) is a molecule that contains the
chemical instructions to make an organism. DNA, along with the
instructions it contains, is passed from adult organisms to their offspring
during reproduction.

In this lesson we’re going to take a look at the structure of this molecule
and gain an understanding of its importance in life.

DNA is stored in different places for eukaryotic cells (cells with a

nucleus) and prokaryotic cells (cells that don’t have a nucleus).

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DNA Structure:

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Mini task:
In your booklets, complete the opposite strands for those
shown below..

ATACCGCGATACATATACGAG

TTATCGCGCACTACCCAATGG

CCGCATGATTAGTACCATTTA

CCGCAATAACAGACAGACAAT

How many amino acids per strand? Justify your answer (using keywords
where possible):

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Independent work:

DNA structure:

Colour and label the DNA diagram. Ensure you include the following
labels:

Sugar-phosphate backbone, adenine, thymine, guanine, cytosine,

complementary base pair

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1) What is the name given to the shape of DNA?

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2) How many chromosomes are found inside the nucleus of a human

cell, how are they arranged?

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3) Define the term chromosome:

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4) What parts of a DNA molecule contain the instructions for making

proteins?

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5) Describe a DNA molecule (include as many key terms as

possible):

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6) The four complementary bases are:

7) One strand of DNA contains the bases CGCAATATAGTA.

i) What is the order of bases found on the opposite strand of DNA?

ii) How many hydrogen bonds would be present in this section of

DNA? Explain your answer

8) List the following in order of largest to smallest:

Cell, base pair, hydrogen bond, gene, chromosome, nucleus, DNA

9) A student stated that “DNA is always found in the nucleus of

prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells”. Evaluate this statement

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10) Read the following paragraph carefully highlighting the
mistakes. When you’ve done that, rewrite the paragraph in the box
provided below.

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DNA is a molecule found in the nucleus of all cells. It stands for

‘deoxyribonucleic acid’ and holds the biological instruction manual that makes
species unique. DNA is generally arranged into large structures called genes.
Humans have 48 of these genes, which are arranged in 24 pairs. Little
sections of genes are known as chromosomes, each of which codes for a
specific protein. Examples of proteins, coded for by chromosomes are
enzymes or hormones. DNA has a special shape known as a helix, a bit like a
ladder. There are six base pairs which are said to be complementary:
adenosine, thymine, cytoplasm and guanine. Adenine and cytoplasm are
complementary to one another, as are thymine and guanine. Adenine and
cytoplasm form 3 strong hydrogen bonds with each other, whilst thymine and
guanine form 2 strong hydrogen bonds.

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Practice exam questions

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Lesson 2: Extracting DNA practical Date:

Key objective 4
2. Genes and Evolution
I can describe evolution and the role of genes

Knowledge Quiz

How many chromosomes are

1 found in a human body cell?

How many bases are there?

2
What is the full name of the base
3 beginning with ‘G’?
What type of bond forms between
4 complementary bases?
What is the name given to the
5 spiral shape of the DNA structure?

Challenge:
One strand of DNA has the following sequence:

ATACGCATCGCA

Write the sequence found on the opposite strand underneath.

Justify your answer:

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*Please turn page for task 1

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Task 1:
The methodology has many steps. Read through the methodology in silence,
then complete the accompanying questions and the equipment list - these will
be green penned before we start the experiment (to make sure none of you
mess it up).

Method: Wear eye protection.

a) Take one or two strawberries (you can use strawberry, kiwi or peas) and
place in the ziplock bag.
b) Pour 100cm³ of water into a large beaker.
c) Add 10cm³ of washing up liquid (this helps to break down the cell
membrane and the nucleus).
d) Add 3g of salt and stir gently with a stirring rod until the salt is dissolved
(do not make the mixture foamy, results may be impaired and DNA
damaged - stir gently!)
e) Add the beaker to a water bath (set at 60 degrees) for 15 minutes.

(The salt makes the DNA clump together, which makes it more easily visible)

f) Add the mixture to the ziplock bag containing the strawberries, remove
air gently from the bag and then seal.
g) Gently mash the mixture together.
h) Take a funnel and some filter paper (folded as shown by your teacher)
and patiently filter the mixture into a small beaker.
i) Add two drops of protease enzyme to the beaker (protease enzymes
break down proteins associated with the DNA - usually in the cell
membrane/nucleus).
j) Transfer the filtrate(filtered mixture) into a boiling tube, filling to around ⅓
of the way up.
k) Tilt the boiling tube slightly, and using a pipette, pour in ice-cold ethanol,
letting the ethanol run down the inside of the tube very slowly. Stop when
the ethanol reaches ⅔ of the way up. There should be two distinct layers,
with the filtrate underneath and the ethanol settled on top (filtrate is more
dense than the ethanol).

(Ethanol (alcohol) is used because DNA is insoluble in alcohol. This means it

forms a precipitate and becomes visible)
l) Leave the boiling tube in a test-tube rack for a few minutes, then
observe. The DNA should be visible in the ethanol layer.

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Methodology questions:

1) What safety precautions should you be taking during this practical?

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2) What volume of water should be added to the large beaker?

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3) What volume of washing up liquid will you add?

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4) How much salt should be added to the mixture?

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5) Why should you stir the mixture gently?

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6) What temperature should the water bath be set at?

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7) How long should the beaker be placed in the water bath for? How will
you time this?
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8) Why was the salt added in ‘step d’?

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9) The filtered mixture is known as what?

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10) What is the purpose of adding protease enzyme?

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11) How much filtrate should you add to your boiling tube?
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12) When you add the ethanol, how should it be done - describe?
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13) Why does the filtrate and ethanol form two distinct layers?
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14) Why do we use ethanol in the first place?

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15) What will the DNA form then the ethanol is added (beginning with
‘p’)
Write an equipment list below:

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Follow up task:

In the space below, draw (using a pencil and a ruler) a scientific diagram of
your results.

Diagram:

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Draw and label a diagram of DNA in the box below (ensure to label)

1) Where would the DNA you extracted have been found in the
strawberry/kiwi/pea cells? Justify your answer
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2) Describe what is meant by the term ‘complementary base pair’

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3) Complete the opposing strand for the sequence below:

A A T T A T C C G G C T A T C

4) Explain why the investigation wouldn’t work if DNA was soluble in

ethanol

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5) Explain the structure of DNA in as much detail as possible (6 marks)

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Practice exam Qs

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Lesson 3: Inheritance and variation Date:

Key objective 4
2. Genes and Evolution
I can describe evolution and the role of genes

Knowledge Quiz

What are proteins made from?

1
How many bases in a row code
for 1 amino acid?
2
How many chromosomes does a
sperm cell carry?
3
How many chromosomes does a
egg cell carry?
4
How many chromosomes do you
find in a human cell (other than a
5 gamete)?

Challenge:
Explain the use of the following when extracting DNA:

1) Detergent/washing up liquid
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2) Salt
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3) Ethanol
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Some key recall:

During fertilisation, the sperm cell nucleus and the egg cell nucleus fuse
together to form a zygote.

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The sex chromosomes:

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So what is the probability of being male or female?

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Task 1:

There are two versions of the sex chromosomes, an X chromosome and a Y

chromosome.

1. Give the genotype of a:

biological male: _________________________

biological female: _________________________

2. Name the gametes produced by a:

biological male: _________________________

biological female: ________________________

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3. Draw and label a male gamete:

4. Draw and label a female gamete:

5. On the diagrams above, state the number of chromosomes and where

they’re located.

6. State how many sex chromosomes are found in each gamete.

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7. Two people decide to have a child.

Use a Punnett square diagram to explain why there is a 50% chance of the
child being
biologically male.

5. A couple have five children and all are males. There is a 50% chance of a
child being biologically male.

Explain how all five children can be male.

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Continuous and discontinuous variation:

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Independent task:

1) Variation can be divided into one of two categories, or be a combination

of both. Name the two types of variation below, and give a definition for
each:

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Definition:
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Definition:

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Continuous variation often shows a distinct shape when shown in a histogram.

Sketch what a graph may look like that showed height for Y11 males at
Haggerston school.

2) Name 3 characteristics that result from purely inherited variation:

i) _____________________________________

ii) _____________________________________

iii) _____________________________________

3) Name 3 other examples of continuous variation:

i) _____________________________________

ii) _____________________________________

iii) _____________________________________

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* Questions continue on next page*

4) Using the table below, draw and plot a graph to show the relationship
between the number of people in each category (y axis) and height (x
axis)

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5) The graph below shows the percentage of the population that fit into
each blood group. Blood group is an example of discontinuous
variation.

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i) Which blood group is the rarest? Explain your answer:

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ii) Which blood group is the most common? Explain your answer:

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iii) Explain why blood group is an example of discontinuous variation:

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Challenge:
Describe in as much detail as you can, the difference between continuous and
discontinuous variation:

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Practice exam questions:

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Lesson 4: Alleles Date:

Key objective 4
2. Genes and Evolution
I can describe evolution and the role of genes

Knowledge Quiz

What is the genotype for a

male?
1
What is the probability of a
child being born female?
2
What is the name of the
graph used to show
3 continuous variation?
Why is blood group
considered discontinuous?
4
What is meant by the term
‘inherited variation’?
5

Challenge:
Fill out the punnett square below to share sex determination:

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An introduction to alleles

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I do, we do, you do…

I do:
Please observe the teacher complete the I do example on eye colour inheritance.

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How many of the offspring are homozygous recessive?

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How many of the offspring are homozygous dominant?

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How many of the offspring are heterozygous?

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How many have brown eyes?

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How many have blue eyes?

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Was the outcome likely? How do you know?

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You do:
A man who has brown eyes and is homozygous dominant marries a woman
who has blue eyes and is homozygous recessive. Complete a punnett square
to show the likelihood of their children having brown eyes, then answer the
accompanying questions.

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What is the likelihood of a child being heterozygous for eye colour?

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If they were heterozygous, what colour would their eyes be and why?
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If the couple had 4 kids, how many would have blue eyes?
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What is meant by the term heterozygous

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Extension:
A parent who is homozygous dominant and has brown eyes marries a parent
who is heterozygous and has brown eyes. The Mum reasons there’s a 0%
chance they’ll have a child with blue eyes. Complete the punnett square and
then explain whether she is right or wrong.

Is she right or waffling:

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Complete the independent work

Match the key word to the correct definition.

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Practice exam questions:

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