Mice Genetics in the class
This has been one of the simpler and more engaging activities we have been studying. Students are loaned two mice (one male and one female) with markedly different characteristics from a local pet shop. The mice mate and a record is kept of the offspring characteristics. We observe, color, spots, tail length, as observable characteristics. Students record the phenotypes from the parents and the first generation mice. All the mice with the exception of a male and female pair are returned to the pet shop. The two remaining pair are mated and the offspring are noted. We have repeated this process for as many as four times. Students are asked to predict the second and third generation characteristics based on their predictions of the parent and offspring genotypes. They are also asked to characterize the genes as dominant, recessive or co dominant. At the end of term, a number of student have kept the mice as pets.
This has been one of the simpler and more engaging activities we have been studying. Students are loaned two mice (one male and one female) with markedly different characteristics from a local pet shop. The mice mate and a record is kept of the offspring characteristics. We observe, color, spots, tail length, as observable characteristics. Students record the phenotypes from the parents and the first generation mice. All the mice with the exception of a male and female pair are returned to the pet shop. The two remaining pair are mated and the offspring are noted. We have repeated this process for as many as four times. Students are asked to predict the second and third generation characteristics based on their predictions of the parent and offspring genotypes. They are also asked to characterize the genes as dominant, recessive or co dominant. At the end of term, a number of student have kept the mice as pets.