Extra Credit Assignments

Many of you have come to me asking for extra-credit....now that you see the end of the year fast approaching, here's a way to earn those few extra points to put your grades over the top.

Read through the following three blog entries (Genetics, Scientific Method, and Evolution). Choose 1 activity. These are challenging assignments that will show me what you know, while helping you to study for the final...all at the same time!

The points to be awarded are as follows:
Genetics - do all the tasks...fully and completely! Leave a comment telling me the date and time (and your name!) you completed the task. Turn in your work in hardcopy form. 50 points

Scientific Method - Complete all 8 questions (alone...not with a partner as lesson indicates). Leave a comment telling me the date and time you completed the task. Turn in your work in hard copy form. 50 points
If you choose to do the 9th question (extra-extra credit) that is worth an additional 10 points.

Evolution - Complete the the Flashy Fish Experiment. Printout a copy of Flashy Fish Data form, and a copy of the Flashy Fish Discussion Questions (see links on side bar). You will need these to answer as you do the experiment. Turn in your work. 50 points

Biology - Genetics

OUR STUDY OF GENETICS will include discussions ranging from simple Mendelian inheritance patterns to complex patterns of heredity. The following activities are designed to familiarize you with these interesting concepts.

What makes YOU, YOU? Why do you have your mother's blue eyes and your father's big feet?

Explore the website Introduction to Genetics to begin your understanding of genetics and answer the following questions: (Be sure to answer IN YOUR OWN WORDS!). Write full and complete responses. Turn in to be graded!

1. Where are your genes?
2. What are chromosomes?
3. What are genes?
4. What is DNA?

Read and complete the following activities. You will be researching information and asked to complete a series of tasks that will help your understanding.

Simple Mendelian Inheritance:
Mono Hybrid Crosses: Learn about the basic principles that govern Mendelian inheritance in plants and animals. Follow the tutorial, complete the first 8 problems (starting at 'monohybrid cross' and ending with 'predicting the results of a test cross').

Task:
To put this information into practice, go to Genetics Practice Problems, print out the page (or copy by hand) and answer all 15 questions. You will turn these in to be graded!

Dihybrid Crosses: Investigate the principles that govern inheritance of different traits in a dihybrid cross.

Task:
To put this information into practice, go to Genetics Practice Problems II, and scroll down until you see the Dihybrid Cross section. Complete this interactive problem set.


Complex Patterns of Inheritance:
To learn more about why some traits do not follow simple Mendelian patterns, go to Exceptions to Simple Inheritance.

Task: Create a graphic organizer (foldable) that includes written descriptions, as well as illustrations and examples, of the following pattern types: Turn in to be graded!

• Polygenic traits
• Intermediate expression (also known as Incomplete Dominance)
• Codominance
• Multiple-allele Series
• Sex Related Genetic Effects
• Environmental Influences

Remember: 70% grade = basic summary of information, no illustrations.
80% grade = adequate summary of information, simple B/W illustrations
90-100% grade = full and complete summary, detailed color illustrations.