Heredity and Traits

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Heredity and Traits

taryn.kromminga@gmail.com
This post was updated on .
MS-Ls3-2: From the video, lower elementary students are expected to sort similarities and differences between plants and animals. We get traits from our parents but are not exact clones of one another. This will determine what we look like. However, environmental factors do impact appearance. Mutations also cause variation in the appearance of species as well. At the early elementary level, students will complete a lot of sorting of groups of animals. For example animal kingdoms. What makes a mammal, reptile, amphibian, plant, insect, etc? Focus questions would include: what similarities do they all have? What makes them different? Why would scientists want to categorize animals based on these traits?
Disciplinary Core ideas: students are still very focused on themselves at this age, so I think it would be important for them to relate these concepts to themselves and their own personal wellness. Growth and Development of organisms, how are you going, how do you know? Inheritance- do you look more like your mom or dad? Lastly variation- how are you different from your siblings if you have any? or perhaps taking a look at a litter of puppies and kittens and describing the types of variation seen. students are able to do a lot of comparing and contrasting at this age.
Science and engineering practice- developing and using models. Students would also get a lot of engagement out of controlling the environment to manipulate appearance, like in the video changing the PH of the soil to vary hydrangea color.
Crosscutting concepts- cause and effect relationships used to predict phenomena. Can sunlight be a predictor of plant height? Students can remove and test variables in a controlled environment to manipulate variation in the same species of plants.
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Re: Heredity and Traits

ttaylor@cam.k12.ia.us
Not all appearance comes from the genes.  I agree that the environment plays a role in the genetics of organisms.