Name:

Period:

Design a Kid Activity Introduction: Inherited traits, carried by genes, are passed from generation to generation with predictable outcomes. In this simulation, you will illustrate the genetic concepts of dominance, genotype, phenotype, incomplete dominance and multiple alleles when you and your partner “produce” a baby. What will your baby look like if you and your partner both have dominant genes for a particular trait? What if you both have one dominant and one recessive gene? Most of the traits in this activity were created to illustrate how human heredity works in a simplified model and to reinforce basic genetic principles. In reality, inherited characteristics of the face are much more complicated than this activity illustrates. Many genes working together in ways we do not yet understand determine most of these facial traits. Materials: Colored pencils or markers Paper Two coins Procedures: 1. To determine the genotype for each trait listed, each partner will flip his or her coin. a. Heads = dominant allele b. Tails = recessive allele 2. For each trait, record the gene contributed by each parent, the child’s genotype for that trait and the resulting phenotype on the data table. 3. Make a sketch of your child. You may do this as you go, or you may choose to make the entire sketch after you complete the list of traits.

Face Traits: Gender of your child: Only the “father” flips because the “father” alone is responsible for sex determination. If the “father” flips a heads (Y chromosome) the baby will be a boy. If the “father” flips a tails (X chromosome) the baby will be a girl. The mother can only provide a tails (an X chromosome). Now you can name your baby! Face Shape:

Round (RR or Rr)

Square (rr)

Chin Shape:

Very Prominent (VV or Vv)

Less prominent (vv)

Chin Shape: trait!!

*Do ONLY if chin shape is VV or Vv. The genotype vv prevents the expression of this Round (RR or Rr)

Cleft Chin: trait!!

Square (rr)

*Do ONLY if chin shape is VV or Vv. The genotype vv prevents the expression of this Absent (AA or Aa)

Hair:

Present (aa)

*This trait illustrates Incomplete Dominance Curly: (CC) Wavy (Cc)

Widow’s Peak:

Present (WW or Ww)

Straight (cc)

Absent (ww)

Hair Color: To determine the hair color of your “kid”, assume there are two gene pairs involved. There are probably more. Flip your coins first to determine the genotype of the first pair of genes (AA, Aa, aa). Now flip your coins to determine the genotype of the second pair (BB, Bb, bb). Find the hair color trait that matches your gene pairs: AABB: Black AABb: black AAbb: red AaBB: brown Aabb: blond

AaBb: aaBB: aaBb: aabb:

brown dark brown light brown light brown

Eyebrow Texture:

Bushy (BB, Bb)

Fine (bb)

Eyebrow shape:

Not connected (NN, Nn)

Connected (nn)

Color of Eyebrows: Darker color than hair (HH) Eyes (distance apart):

Same color as hair (Hh)

Close together (EE)

Eyes (size):

Large (EE)

Eyes (shape):

Almond (AA, Aa)

Eyes (slantedness):

Average distance (Ee)

Medium (Ee)

Lighter color than hair (hh) Far apart (ee)

Small (ee)

Round (aa)

Not slanted (HH, Hh)

Upward slant (hh)

Eye Color: Darker eyes are produced in the presence of alleles that are more active. In this situation, the large letters (A or B) represent alleles that are active in depositing dark pigment. Small letters (a and b) represent alleles which deposit light pigment. Find the eye color that matches your gene pairs. AABB: dark brown AABb: dark brown AaBB: brown w/ green flecks AaBb: light brown aabb: pale blue Eyelashes:

Mouth:

Long (LL, Ll)

Long (MM)

AAbb: Aabb: aaBB: aaBb:

brown gray blue green blue

Short (ll)

Average (Mm)

Lips:

Thick (LL, Ll)

Dimples:

Present (DD, Dd)

Short (mm)

Thin (ll)

Absent (dd)

Nose:

Big (NN)

Medium (Nn)

Ears:

Earlobes unattached (GG, Gg)

Ears (size):

Large (SS)

Small (nn)

Earlobes Attached (gg)

Medium (Ss)

Small (ss)

Blood Type: This one is a little more difficult. Your results depend upon the type of coin you are using. Write your child’s blood type next to its name. Penny: heads = type O Nickel: heads = type O Dime/Quarter: heads = type A

Freckles:

Present (FF, Ff)

tails = type B tails = type A tails = type B

Absent (ff)

Skin Color: To determine the color of the skin, assume there are three gene pairs involved. Flip your coins first to determine the genotype of the first pair of genes (AA, Aa, aa). Then flip your coins again to determine the genotype of the second pair of genes (BB, Bb, bb). Flip for the last time to determine the third pair of genes (CC, Cc, cc). Each capital letter represents an active allele for pigmentation. Find the skin color that matches your results. 6 capitals = very dark brown 5 capitals = very dark brown 4 capitals = dark brown 3 capitals = medium brown

2 capitals = light brown 1 capital = light tan 0 capitals = white

Data Table: Trait Gender

Genotype

Phenotype

Face Shape Chin Shape

Trait Eyes (shape) Eyes (slantedness) Eye Color

Chin Shape (round/square) Cleft Chin

Eyelashes

Hair

Lips

Widow’s Peak

Dimples

Hair Color

Nose

Eyebrow Texture

Ears

Eyebrow Shape

Ears (size)

Color of Eyebrows Eyes (distance

Blood Type

Eyes (size)

Skin Color

Mouth

Freckles

Questions: 1. Define the following terms: a. Genotype: b. Phenotype: c. Allele: d. Heterozygous: e. Homozygous:

2. Why did you flip the coin twice? (One flip for each partner?)

3. What did the uppercase letters represent?

4. What did the lowercase letters represent?

Genotype

Phenotype