Science, Collaboration, Analyze, Apply

Biology, Genetics, Excel, Simulations, Google Docs, Ning,

While studying genetics in high school Biology, teams of students will apply their knowledge of one trait genetics and the punnett square in a Mouse Genetics simulation. Each team will explore with different combinations of mouse parents to see how fur color is passed to their offspring and how these genes are passed down from the parents. Students will explain the thinking process of the father in the Book--- FIND THIS that they read in Literature (about a father whose son did not look like him banishing the son and killing the mother but later finding out that other relatives has the son's eye color) and the reality of what the punnett square looked like for the son.
Procedure:
1) Each team will log into Explore Learning and enter the Mouse Genetics (One Trait) simulation.
2) Each team will experiment with breeding a different combination of parents and using Google Docs spreadsheet to track the findings
3) Each Team will collaboratively analyze their findings regarding recessive and dominant genes in Google Docs.
4) Each team will use the mouse simulation to experiment with breeding to analyze how genes are passed down from parents to offspring by turning on the "Show Genotype" and running the simulation to compare phenotype and genotype.
5) Each team will use Google Docs spreadsheet to track the findings
6) Each Team will collaboratively analyze their findings regarding phenotype and genotype Google Docs and come to a conclusion.
7) Students have been reading the book---- in their literature class. All teams will collaboratively analyze the why the father killed the mother and banished the son, appling what they have learned in genetics to suggest the reality of the situation using NING
8) Each team will write an epilogue to the book published to the community in NING.

Essential Skills: T: Use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, Apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information. S: Designs and conducts scientific investigations, Understands and applies knowledge of the molecular basis of heredity. L: Reads for a variety of purposes and across content areas, Uses writing as a tool for learning, Incorporates technology as a tool to enhance writing. E: Communicate and work productively with others, incorporating different perspectives and cross cultural understanding, to increase innovation and the quality of work. Adapt to various roles and responsibilities and work flexibly in climates of ambiguity and changing priorities