Lesson Title: Mendelian Genetics

Grade and Subject: High School Biology

Week of: 11/06/17
Page 1

COMMON COMPONENTS OF LESSON AND ASSESSMENT PLAN

Lesson and Assessment Plan Context
This lesson will be taught to a classroom of advanced biology students—
grades 9-12—in order to build genetic vocabulary and content knowledge
onto their foundation of Punnett square and sexual reproduction
understanding. It begins by calling on their prior knowledge by helping them
understand the importance of gametes in heredity. They will then begin to
Overview
understand their real-world scenario of predicting the traits of a soon-to-be-
born baby (my sister’s baby). Genetic vocabulary will be build onto this
scenario to help students acquire the knowledge needed to predict and
accurately determine the probabilities of specific eye and hair colors the child
might have.
The student population at McNair High School consists of 96% African-
Americans, 2% Hispanic and 1% Caucasian. About 95% of the students are on
a free or reduced lunch program. The level of school-wide proficiency is 7% in
Biology and 11% in English (Oracle Business Intelligence, 2017). The school
climate score is one out of five stars. There is an air of defiance around the
school, with students displaying a prominent desire to defend themselves
against both peers and teachers. Many times this leads to verbal or physical
aggression. Despite having an Atlanta address, McNair High School feels a lot
like a small town, with only 800 students enrolled in the school.

Many of our students are 9th graders who have been pushed along through the
school system, despite failing multiple courses. At the start of the year, one
hundred 9th graders were dropped and re-added to the system due to failing
Student
in the 8th grade. Students often make comments about the school being “bad.”
Background,
Because I am new to the environment, I try to embrace the students for as
Culture, and
much as they have to offer. Often times, I can tell that they think they are not
Context
smart enough to perform well in the classroom-context, but I try to encourage
them to work towards growth and their own potential. From my perspective,
the what the students lack is belief that their knowledge gaps can be filled
rather than actual ability.

The class that I will be focusing on for this lesson plan is the advanced group.
There are twenty-five students in the class; twenty-three are accelerated and
two are gifted. Because of the dynamics of the school, it is hard to tell if the
accelerated students were categorized because they scored better than their
peers within the school, or because they scored higher compared to other
students in the county. I have noticed that the advanced students take more
ownership of their learning and treat others with more respect.

This lesson was created to introduce students to the basics of mendelian

genetics. According to the unit pre-assessment and probing questions, almost
Rationale
all of the students have seen and remember Punnett squares. This lesson will
refresh and expand upon their knowledge--although most students know how
Lesson Title: Mendelian Genetics
Grade and Subject: High School Biology
Week of: 11/06/17
Page 2

to perform crosses using a Punnett square, they are not familiar with genetic
vocabulary and the concepts of what genes are and how they are passed on
sexually. Students will get to familiarize themselves with this new vocabulary
by learning it in the context of a real-life scenario—my sister’s future child.

Lesson and Assessment Plan Learning Objectives

Why do individuals of the same species vary in the way they look, function,
Purpose of the
and behave?
Lesson: Central
Focus
How can we predict possible genetic outcome of sexual reproduction?
 To understand the concepts behind mendelian genetics
 To know how to use Punnett square to perform a monohybrid cross at
Learning
70% proficiency
Objective(s)
 To determine the differences between genotype and phenotype at
80% proficiency
SB3. OBTAIN, EVALUATE, and COMMUNICATE information to analyze how
biological traits are passed on to successive generations.
GSE - Georgia a. Use Mendel’s laws (segregation and independent assortment) to ASK
Standards of questions and DEFINE problems that explain the role of meiosis in
Excellence reproductive variability.
b. Use mathematical models to predict and explain patterns of
inheritance.

Formal Assessment:
Students will have to use monohybrid and dihybrid crosses to predict the hair
Formal and and eye colors my sister’s baby can have.
Informal
Assessment Informal Assessment:
Students will turn in a ticket out the door to evaluate their understanding of
newly acquired vocabulary.
Students will enter the classroom and head to their seats. Every day starts
with a warm-up on the promethium board. They will spend the first few
Facilitation & minutes of class on the warm up. I will then guide them through a lecture and
Safety practice problems. Students will be seated for most of the class, with the
exception of students who will come to the board to show their example
work. I will float around to them as they work on their practice problems.
 Students will identify appropriate use of vocabulary
LANGUAG
ACADEMI

Language  Students will explore inheritance patterns

C

Function  Students will predict trait probability in offspring

Lesson Title: Mendelian Genetics
Grade and Subject: High School Biology
Week of: 11/06/17
Page 3

Heredity, Genetics, Diploid, Haploid, Genes, Genotype, Phenotype,

Vocabulary Allele, Dominant, Recessive, Heterozygous, Homozygous, Monohybrid
Cross
Students are learning nomenclature for genes (Uppercase letter, lowercase
Syntax or
letter) and Punnett square format. I will assist them through practice
Discourse
problems so that they can familiarize themselves with genetic language.

DAILY LESSON AND ASSESSMENT PLAN

Day 1: Tuesday, November 7, 2017
Students will have a warm-up on the board as they walk in. The warm up will
Instructional Strategies & Learning Tasks that

review their knowledge of Meiosis and gamete development, which was

covered in the previous week. (10-15 min)
Introduction
Support Diverse Student Needs

Once students have completed the warm up, I will introduce a scenario to
(25 minutes)
them. The scenario is that my sister is having a baby and they are tasked with
predicting what her child will look like. I will show students a picture of my
family, have them jot down key traits they can pick out from my family, and
then write a prediction down on their notes. (10 min)
Once students have made their predictions, they will use guided notes to
follow along with an introduction to genetics vocabulary and Mendel’s laws.
Body
(45 min) Spread throughout the lecture, students will need to work out genetic crosses
on their own, and I will float around the classroom to offer personal
assistance wherever it is needed. (45 min)
Students will complete a ticket out the door assessing their understanding of
Closure
newly acquired vocabulary—particularly their ability to identify
(15 min)
homo/heterozygous and differences between phenotype and genotype.
Differentiation, Differentiation will be implemented by allowing students to work in pairs,
Modification(s), and by allowing extra time for students who need it.
and
Accommodation(s)
-Genetics Power Point
-Guided Notes
Materials -White Board
-Markers

DAILY LESSON AND ASSESSMENT PLAN

Day 2: Wednesday, November 8, 2017
Lesson Title: Mendelian Genetics
Grade and Subject: High School Biology
Week of: 11/06/17
Page 4

Students will have a warm-up on the board as they walk in. The warm up will
Instructional Strategies & Learning Tasks

review their knowledge of monohybrid crosses and genetic vocabulary. (10-

Introduction
that Support Diverse Student Needs

15 min)
(25 minutes)

Once students have completed the warm up, I will walk them through
Mendel’s third law (independent assortment) and show them how to
Body
complete a dihybrid cross as they follow along on their guided notes. They
(45 min)
will have to complete two example problems on their own, while I walk
around and assist them wherever needed.
I will remind them about the scenario of predicting my sister’s baby’s eye and
hair color. We will go through my family background together to determine
Closure my sister’s eye and hair color genotypes. They will then be given a homework
(15 min) assignment to use my sister’s newly determined genotype alongside a given
genotype of her husband to determine the potential eye and hair colors their
child can have.
Differentiation, Differentiation will be implemented by allowing students to work in pairs,
Modification(s), and by allowing extra time for students who need it.
and
Accommodation(s)
-Genetics Power Point
-Guided Notes
Materials -White Board
-Markers

DAILY LESSON AND ASSESSMENT PLAN

Day 3: Wednesday, November 9, 2017
Students will have a warm-up on the board as they walk in. The warm up will
Learning Tasks that Support

review their knowledge of dihybrid crosses and genetic vocabulary. (10-15

Instructional Strategies &

Introduction
Diverse Student Needs

min)
(25 minutes)

Once students have completed the warm up, I will walk them through non-
Body mendelian genetics
(45 min)
We will look at eye color and hair color genes.
Closure Students will have a ticket out the door
(15 min)
Differentiation, Differentiation will be implemented by allowing students to work in pairs,
Modification(s), and by allowing extra time for students who need it.
and
Accommodation(s)
Lesson Title: Mendelian Genetics
Grade and Subject: High School Biology
Week of: 11/06/17
Page 5

-Genetics Power Point

-Guided Notes
Materials -White Board
-Markers

References:
Oracle Business Intelligence Sign In. (2017). [Link]. Retrieved 23 October 2017, from
[Link]