Variation of Traits

PLTW LAUNCH Third Grade Biomedical Module Pilot

Kristen RobinsonDarnaby Elementary, Tulsa OK

Darnaby’s Journey with PLTW Darnaby Elementary was part of the first

wave of elementary schools that piloted the first year of PLTW LAUNCH.

2013-2014: Piloted first two Engineering Modules per grade level (K-5)

2014-2015: Selected to pilot the newest LAUNCH Biomedical and Computer Science modules (K-5)

Unlike any other… Only school in the country that piloted

LAUNCH from Kindergarten-Fifth grade for all students.

One of very few schools across the country that was selected to pilot the newest LAUNCH Biomedical and Computer Science modules for 2014-2015.

Introducing Third Graders to Genetics

Variation of Traits uses the APB Approach, like all other LAUNCH modules.

APB: Three Activities, Project, Problem In the pilot module, students used the

Scientific Inquiry Process* to solve the real world problem

*This has been changed for next year. Students will now use the Design Process to solve a re-vamped problem.

Students learn about basic genetics:

TraitsGenotypesPhenotypesDominant genesRecessive genesInheritance of genesOther factors that influence traits

Variation of Traits Module: Introduction* Activity- Traits Survey/PTC Activity- All About Inheritance Activity- Inheritance Practice Project- Simple Plant Baby Plant Problem*- Pilot: Traits Research Project

*This will change for 2015-2016 school year

Activity 1:Trait Survey and PTC PTC History and Test Complete Trait Survey Compare Survey with a Partner

What factors influence our traits? Which traits can be learned or influenced by

the environment?

Activity 2: All About Inheritance

Conclusion Questions: How is your

genotype related to your phenotype?

Explain why a person who has the genotype Tt is able to taste the PTC, even though they have both forms of the PTC tasting gene…

Activity 2: Inheritance Practice Students are able to apply what they

have learned about genotypes and phenotypes to determine what a genotype would be based on the phenotype or vice versa.

The gene for tallness (T) is dominant. Both plants have the genotype TT

What other things could influence how these plants grow?

Try it Out… Height= tt Flower color= Pp

What would this plant look like?

Project Time! Simple Plants

Both the mother and father plant have one dominant and one recessive gene.

Simple Plants Traits Stations Work with a Partner:

Pick a gene card from the mother bag and record it on your Genotype Data table

Pick a gene card from the father bag and record it on your Genotype Data table

Determine the resulting phenotype, and record it in the Phenotype column.

Using your phenotype information from your table table, build your baby Simple plant with the building supplies

Simple Plant Masters Markers Glue Scissors

Conclusion Questions

Mother’s Genotype: rr and BB Father’s Genotype: rr and BB

What would be the offspring’s phenotype?

How is it possible for the baby plants in the activity to have different traits than the parent plants?

Real World Problem Old Problem vs. New Problem

Scientific Inquiry Process vs. Design Process

What my kids did this year…

Old Real World Problem Using the Scientific Inquiry Process,

students asked a question relating to specific traits that they could research i.e. Are more girls left-handed than boys?,

Are there more blonde haired boys in in third grade than brown haired boys?

Students Asked, Predicted, Came up with a Procedure, Collected Data, Explained and Presented their results.

New Real World Problem Students are asked to use the design

process to determine the possible genotypes of three generations of plants.

They will look at the stems of two parent plants, the resulting baby plant from those parents, and then the resulting baby plant from the previous generation.

The Engineering Design Process Step by Step Develops many possible solutions Narrows down the possible solutions to one final

choice 5 Steps:

Ask Explore Model Evaluate Explain