Week 9 " Food Inc."

Week 9 " Food Inc."

 

 

This week studnets began watching a documentary called "Food, Inc.".  This movie is controversial and sparks much debate over bitechnology and food processing.  Studnets were very engaged in this program and were begining to question where their food does in fact come from.  We are also begingin to see some of the positives and negatives of using biotechnology on such a large scale in food production.  We are going to have some very good debates next week after we are finished watching this.  We will also continue research in the next few weeks about biotechnology in food production with some other informational sources.  Eventually we will have an actual debate about biotechnology and food production.



Week 8 "DNA: Your Critter's Chemical Identity"

 Week 8 "DNA: Your Critter's Chemical Identity"

 

 

This week students explored the DNA codes of their "critters" from last weeks activity.  We first determined the genetic code of you critters from their genotypes.  Next we explored what is actually in a double strand of DNA and picked apart of critters DNA (symbolically....on paper).  After looking at what parts of DNA are present in their critter's DNA students then created a model of the critter's DNA using pop beads:)





Week 7 "All in the Critter Family"

 

Week 7 "All in the Critter Family"

 

This week IMSA students again explored the world of genetic traits.  This time we were simulating what might happen with some specific genotypes of "critters" using Punnett Squares.  We compared the results of our Punnet Squares to theoretical probability using a spinner to select which traits offspring would receive.   It turns out that our theoretical probabilities are very close in number to our data we created on our Punnett Squares to determine offspring traits. Students had fun creating their "Critter Offspring"

using colored stickers to represent the possible phenotypes.

 (There are more pics below......sorry technical difficulties:)

 

Week 7 "Genes "R" Us"

 Week 7

"Genes "R" Us"

 

This week we continued our exploration of genetic traits.  This time students looked at some of their own phenotypes and determined the frequency of various traits in our class. We charted frequency of several phenotypes such as: (Hairline, Earlobes, Freckles, Hair Type, Tongue roller, Hitchhiker's thumb, PTC Taster) After charting data in groups, we combined our data into a class frequency chart. We compared our data to see if our phenotypes really



                                  were accurate with the dominant or recessive information we

                                 discussed earlier.  Each group also explored a Hardy Weinberg

                                 equation to determine our actual frequency (percentage) of

dominant and receive traits in this class.  (As you can see from the pictures finding our you are a PTC taster is an interesting experience!) Ha Ha!!!