Corgi Heredity
Overview
In this unit, students will explore inheritance and variation of traits. They will understand the growth of organisms and how organisms inherit traits and why there are variations in traits of offspring.
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Unit & Lesson Plans
Heredity
Subject: Science
Grade level: Middle School (Grade 6-8)
Guides: Comparison, Question Exploration, Cause & Effect
Standards: NGSS, Common Core - ELA
Introduction
Thank you for your interest in Unit & Lesson Plans for the Corgi application!
The units and lessons that follow are intended to be used in conjunction with Corgi, a free, digital tool developed with the principles of Universal Design for Learning.
Each unit is aligned to national and/or state standards such as the Next Generation Science Standards or the Common Core Standards.
Table of Contents
What is included in this Unit?
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Suggestions
Lesson 1: Asexual and Sexual Reproduction
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Suggestions
Lesson 2: Genetic Variation in Sexually Reproducing Organisms
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Suggestions
Lesson 3: Role of Genes in Making Protein Molecules
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Suggestions
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Suggestions
Unit Plan
Unit Synopsis
In this abbreviated unit, students will explore inheritance and variation of traits. They will understand the growth of organisms and how organisms inherit traits and why there are variations in traits of offspring.
Learning Goal
Students will understand the relationship between asexual reproduction and sexual reproduction, and how sexual reproduction promotes genetic variation in offspring. Students will also be able to explain the role of genes in making molecules and how mutations affect organisms.
Main Ideas
- Asexual reproduction and sexual reproduction are both methods of creating offspring, but are different in the number of parents and chromosomes required, as well as traits of offspring.
- During sexual reproduction, each parent contributes one chromosome to form an offspring. The new gene combination results in the offspring having traits that are different from their parents.
- Protein molecules are essential to an organism because they are used for its structure and function as well as to regulate its body’s tissues and organs.
- A mutation is a structural change to a gene and the new variation of the trait may be harmful, beneficial or neutral to the organism.
Standards
Next Generation Science Standards:
MS-LS3. Students who demonstrate understanding can develop models to describe why structural changes to genes may affect proteins and describe asexual and sexual reproduction.
Disciplinary Core Ideas:
LS1.B: Growth and Development of Organisms
Organisms reproduce, either sexually or asexually, and transfer their genetic information to their offspring (secondary to MS-L3S-2).
Genes are located in the chromosomes of cells, with each chromosome pair containing two variants of each of many distinct genes. Each distinct gene chiefly controls the production of specific proteins, which in turn affects the traits of the individual. Changes (mutations) to genes can result in changes to proteins, which can affect the structures and functions of the organism and thereby change traits (MS-LS3-1).
Variations of inherited traits between parent and offspring arise from genetic differences that result from the subset of chromosomes (and therefore genes) inherited (MS-LS3-2).
In sexually reproducing organisms, each parent contributes half of the genes acquired (at random) by the offspring. Individuals have two of each chromosome and hence two alleles of each gene, one acquired from each parent. These versions may be identical or may differ from each other (MS-LS3-2).
In addition to variations that arise from sexual reproduction, genetic information can be altered because of mutations. Though rare, mutations may result in changes to the structure and function of proteins. Some changes are beneficial, others harmful, and some neutral to the organism (MS-LS3-1).
Common Core State Standards:
ELA/Literacy - SL.8.5. Integrate multimedia and visual displays into presentations to clarify information, strengthen claims and evidence, and add interest.
What is included in this Unit?
Several key pieces are included to help you build your own unit or support a unit you have already created.
Each lesson in this unit contains:
- Essential question for students
- Key terms
- Resources
- Corgi guide
- Universal Design for Learning (UDL) suggestions
If you are interested in more structured units, you can explore the Corgi Unit library. Some of the other units contain the above mentioned components as well as a step by step scaffolding that follows the 5E model of science instruction. Please note that we do our best to maintain correct links to resources and materials. If a specific link is no longer working, please don't hesitate to contact us at corgi@cast.org.
Lesson Plans
| Lesson 1 | Asexual & Sexual Reproduction | Comparison Guide |
| Lesson 2 | Genetic Variation in Sexually Reproducing Organisms | Cause & Effect Guide |
| Lesson 3 | Role of Genes in Making Protein Molecules | Question Exploration Guide |
| Lesson 4 | Mutations | Cause & Effect Guide |
Methods of Assessment
Option A: Use your district’s current curriculum and suggested assessment designed to consider learner variability.
Option B: Select self-assessments, peer assessments, writing assignments, exams, etc. that allow students to reflect on their learning and demonstrate their understanding.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Suggestions
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework for teaching and learning that guides the design of inclusive, accessible, and challenging learning environments. The framework is grounded in three principles:
- Design multiple means of engagement
- Design multiple means of representation
- Design multiple means of action and expression
CAST’s UDL Guidelines were developed to support practitioners to apply these three principles to practice.
While this unit was not explicitly designed through a UDL lens, UDL can be used as a tool to reduce existing barriers and increase access to the unit learning goal as well as to individual lesson goals. Below is an overview of how UDL might be applied to this unit. We’ll also offer more specific ideas for applying UDL at the end of each of the lessons associated with this unit.
Anticipate Potential Barriers
The UDL framework can support educators to reframe their understanding of barriers: from locating barriers within individual students to locating barriers within the design of the learning environment. Here we brainstorm potential barriers that learners may encounter in the design of the unit. Please note that these are just examples to get you thinking about the potential barriers in your own unique context.
Are there barriers to engagement? (connection to students’ lives, location, grouping, noise level, etc.)
The design of the unit/lessons may need to do more to spark students’ curiosity based on their unique interests, goals, and contexts. The design may need to better emphasize why the topics are meaningful and important to explore. The design may also need to more fully support students to make connections to their own lives, communities, and questions they care about.
While variation among organisms may be a familiar concept for students, the factors that contribute to this variation may be unfamiliar. Teachers can scaffold this by thinking about examples of organisms that are relatable to their specific context.
Are there barriers to the representation of content? (oral, written, etc.)
These lessons consist of multimedia presentations with text, graphics, videos, and infographics. Some videos may need captions, or some captions don’t turn on automatically. The videos may also need a written transcript so students can follow along for key ideas, vocabulary, and note-taking. Finally, several of the lessons contain non-interactive PDFs that do not allow students to highlight or make comments.
Are there barriers to action and expression? (writing, speaking, planning, etc.)
While the Corgi guides embed multiple options for students to share their ideas (text, images, and speech-to-text), it is important to anticipate barriers to students being able to express their ideas in other associated activities.
Address Learner Variability
Here we brainstorm ways to address the potential barriers described above. Again, please note that these approaches to reducing barriers and increasing access to the learning goals are just examples to get you thinking. We know that every context is unique.
How will you address barriers to engagement?
The Engagement Guidelines prompt us to consider the following questions when addressing barriers to engagement:
- Are there options for choice, relevancy, and minimizing distractions?
- Are there options for sustaining effort and persistence?
- Are there options for supporting and developing self-regulation and self-assessment?
Barriers to learners’ engagement and multiple pathways to engage students will be addressed through the supplementary resources, survey questions, and videos throughout each lesson.
With regard to the anticipated barriers around supporting students to find meaning and relevance, consider creating spaces for students to make connections to their own lives, their communities, and issues that they care about. For example, students can examine variation among organisms that matter to them: different types of plants, their favorite animals, or people they know or admire. Finding everyday examples of variability that students can observe and analyze will help them gain a deeper understanding of how and why organisms change and grow.
We encourage you to collaborate with your students and co-design ways to address other barriers to engagement that may emerge throughout this unit.
How will you address barriers to representation?
The Representation Guidelines prompt us to consider the following questions when addressing barriers to representation:
Do these options address the anticipated barriers?
- Are there options for audio/visual/display of info?
- Are there options to access language, math, and symbols?
- Are there options to build background knowledge, construct meaning, and generate new understandings?
The supplementary resources and videos have been constructed to offer multiple ways of representing information as well as the mixed media within each lesson/activity.
With regard to captions that don’t turn on automatically, support students to learn how to use and turn on/off the closed caption option. Also, transcripts of the videos should be made available for students.
With regard to the anticipated barriers around the lack of captions and transcripts, consider transcribing tools like Otter.ai, rev, and Express Scribe. Further, free screen readers such as TextHelp Read & Write, ChromeVox, or NVDA can assist students with online articles. Finally, to reduce the barriers associated with non-interactive PDFs, consider free PDF tools such as Bit.ai and Jotform.
We encourage you to collaborate with your students and co-design ways to address other barriers to representation that may emerge throughout this unit.
How will you address barriers to action and expression?
The Action and Expression Guidelines prompt us to consider the following questions when addressing barriers to acting on ideas and communicating:
- Are there options for physical action?
- Are there options for multiple communication tools?
- Are there options for varying levels of support?
- Are there options for goal setting, strategy development, and self-monitoring?
The Action and Expression Guidelines can offer ideas for embedding varied ways for learners to communicate ideas, share understandings, and work toward goals in the associated activities throughout this unit.
With regard to the anticipated barriers around physical action and physical space, consider encouraging learners to find learning spaces that work best for them (e.g. a quiet space, a space with natural lighting, etc.) and spaces that offer room to move or stand.
We encourage you to collaborate with your students and co-design ways to address other barriers to action and expression that may emerge throughout this unit.
Review the following link for a complete interactive overview of the UDL Guidelines.
Lesson 1: Asexual and Sexual Reproduction
Essential Question
What are similarities and differences between asexual and sexual reproduction?
Key Terms
Asexual reproduction
Chromosome
Mitosis
Meiosis
Offspring
Sexual reproduction
Suggested Resources
Video: Reproduction (An Introduction)
Website: Investigating Reproductive Strategies
Video: GCSE Biology - Sexual vs Asexual Reproduction - What is Asexual Reproduction? #46
Handouts: Asexual and Sexual Reproduction Handout.pdf
Sample Corgi Guide: Comparison - Asexual and Sexual Reproduction (To be able to view the guide you must be logged in to Corgi)
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Suggestions
Here we brainstorm potential barriers that learners may encounter in the design of the lesson. Please note that these are just examples to get you thinking about the potential barriers in your own unique context.
Potential barrier:
- Anticipating the barrier: The introductory reproduction video has a lot of dense material in it.
- Addressing the barrier: Reviewing and chunking the video beforehand will be useful in aiding students to synthesize the material. Teachers may also consider a guided notes handout for viewing important points of this video.
Potential barrier:
- Anticipating the barrier: The ‘Investigating Reproductive Strategies’ website and handout are intended for teachers to use with their class. This is not an exploratory website for students to go through.
- Addressing the barrier: Teachers will have to explore the site and pull specific activities for students to engage with.
Potential barrier:
- Anticipating the barrier: TheAsexual and Sexual Reproduction Handout.pdf is a nice concept check activity; however, it is very sparse in its directions
- Addressing the barrier: Teachers may want to add some stronger directions and might encourage students to engage with the handout as a partner/group activity.
Lesson 2: Genetic Variation in Sexually Reproducing Organisms
Essential Question
How does sexual reproduction promote genetic variation of traits in the offspring?
Key Terms
Allele
Chromosome
Genetic variation
Gene
Offspring
Suggested Resources
Video: What is Variation?
Website: The Gene Scene
Video: Genetics 101 (Part 3 of 5): Where do your genes come from?
Website: Genetic Variation | National Geographic Society
Sample Corgi Guide: Cause & Effect - Genetic Variation in Sexually Reproducing Organisms (To be able to view the guide you must be logged in to Corgi)
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Suggestions
Here we brainstorm potential barriers that learners may encounter in the design of the lesson. Please note that these are just examples to get you thinking about the potential barriers in your own unique context.
Potential barrier:
- Anticipating the barrier: The Gene Scene website and handout are intended for teachers to use with their class. This is not an exploratory website for students to go through.
- Addressing the barrier: Teachers will have to explore the site and pull specific activities for students to engage with.
Potential barrier:
- Anticipating the barrier: The Genetics 101 (Part 3 of 5): Where do your genes come from? video has a lot of dense material in it.
- Addressing the barrier: Reviewing and chunking the video beforehand will be useful in aiding students to synthesize the material. Teachers may also consider a guided notes handout for viewing important points of this video.
Potential barrier:
- Anticipating the barrier: The Genetic Variation | National Geographic Society module is a series of micro lessons created by National Geographic. They are short and manageable for all students, and they interact well with all accessibility tools. However, the quantity of micro lessons may feel overwhelming to some students.
- Addressing the barrier: Teachers may want to pick and choose which lessons are used for core content and which may be used for enrichment. Or, teachers may want to support students to pick and choose based on their interests and curiosities.
Lesson 3: Role of Genes in Making Protein Molecules
Essential Question
Why are protein molecules essential to an organism and the role genes play in making them?
Key Terms
Molecule
Organism
Gene
Protein
Suggested Resources
Video: What are genes? | Animation | Minute to Understanding | The Jackson Laboratory
Website: How Do Cells Make Proteins? | PBS LearningMedia
Video: Protein Synthesis (Updated)
Video: What is an Allele? Quick Definition
Sample Corgi Guide: Question Exploration - Role of Genes in Making Protein Molecules (To be able to view the guide you must be logged in to Corgi)
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Suggestions
Here we brainstorm potential barriers that learners may encounter in the design of the lesson. Please note that these are just examples to get you thinking about the potential barriers in your own unique context.
Potential barrier:
- Anticipating the barrier: The Protein Synthesis (Updated)video can be quite complex due to length and subject matter.
- Addressing the barrier: This video will need guided notes and chunking for main ideas for students to synthesize the information.
Lesson 4: Mutations
Essential Question
What causes a mutation and how does it affect an organism?
Key Terms
Mutation
Egg and sperm
Fetus
Suggested Resources
Website: ‘A Mutation Story’
https://ca.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/tdc02.sci.life.gen.mutationstory/a-mutation-story/
Video: Mutations in Biology
Sample Corgi Guide: Cause & Effect - Mutations
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Suggestions
Here we brainstorm potential barriers that learners may encounter in the design of the lesson. Please note that these are just examples to get you thinking about the potential barriers in your own unique context.
Potential barrier:
- Anticipating the barrier: The terms “beneficial,” “harmful,” and “neutral” can be subjective
- Addressing the barrier: Facilitate a conversation about the challenges of these terms, and how changes to organisms are classified as “beneficial,” “harmful,” or “neutral” (and by whom)
- For example, the “Mutant and Proud” subsection of this blog post about X-Men explores some of the underlying values that influence how mutations are perceived
Potential barrier:
- Anticipating the barrier: Although the biological definition of mutation states that these can have “positive,” “neutral,” or “harmful” effects on organisms, the word mutation tends to have a negative social connotation.
- Addressing the barrier: As a class, brainstorm or research representations of mutations that have positive outcomes or characteristics
Potential barrier:
- Anticipating the barrier: Conversations around human gene editing can promote ableist beliefs and messages that portray disability as something that needs to be "fixed" or "cured" as opposed to part of the natural variation of the human experience. Disability is often central to many disabled individuals' identities, and their perspectives are often excluded in these conversations.
- Addressing the barrier: Students can explore this TedTalk from Alice Wong, and teachers can refer to resources from the Disability Rights and Heritable Genome Editing: Resources for Teaching and Learning website for background.