Whittney Blue

3rd Grade Science

Heredity Unit Plan

Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits

3rd Grade

Standards

Science Standards:

3-LS3-1: Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence that plants and animals have traits that are inherited from parents and that

variation of these traits exists in a group of similar organisms.

3-LS3-2: Use evidence to support the explanation that traits can be influenced by the environment

Math Standards:

3.MD.3 Draw a scaled picture graph and a scaled bar graph to represent a data set with several categories. Solve one-and two-step

“how many more” and “how many less” problems using information presented in scaled bar graphs.

3.NF.1 Understand a fraction 1/b as the quantity formed by 1 part when a whole is partitioned into b equal parts. Understand a fraction

a/b as the quantity formed by a parts of size 1/b.

3.MP.4 Model with mathematics

Library and Approved technology standards:

K-5. MTL.1: Define and use grade-appropriate media and technology terminology in context.

K-5. MTL.2: Select with guidance the appropriate technology to accomplish a goal.

K-5. MTL.8: Use models and simulations to investigate systems and issues.

English Language Arts and Literacy Content Standards:

RL.1 Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text.

Rl.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, distinguishing literal from the nonliteral language.

SL.3.4 Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking

clearly at an understandable pace.

Unit Rationale:

This lesson gives students an opportunity to examine the complex concepts of heredity, and the complexity of inherited, and acquired

traits. This unit will use many of the North Dakota state standards that range from English, mathematics, technology, and science

standards. They will be able to develop an understanding of data evidence that can explain how Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of

Traits works. This unit plan will follow not only the standards the students are expected to understand about heredity, but it also meets

the needs of many others from writing to reading, to mathematical equations, and to science knowledge. The value of this lesson will

allow students to have a different outlook on heredity, but as well as encouraging all students to learn and participate in the activities.

This unit brings out many different learning styles that our students in our classrooms may have.

Goals:

The goals for this unit will be able to understand and to be able to explain the information in this particular unit. To teach students

multiple ways to be able to understand information, as well as being able to recall the information that was learned. This unit will

allow students to be able to bring experiences from their home into school, but also allowing them to think about different things at

home. The teacher will allow time for discussion about the material that was learned, and be available for help when it is needed.

Objectives:

Students will be able to categorize heredity traits into two categories such as acquired traits, or inherited traits.

Students will be able to solve a Punnett Square, and explain how they did so.

Students will be able to calculate the probability of a trait being passed down using the Punnett Square.

Students will be able to construct graphs based off different traits amongst a group of people.

Students will be able to explain a few of the different terminology used throughout the heredity process.

Students will be able to predict the possible outcomes of inherited traits from the parents through the use of Punnett Squares.

Students will be able to predict possible outcomes of acquired traits from parents through the use of Punnett Squares.

Instructional Procedures: See Unit Plan below.

Sources:

https://classflow.com/classflow/#!/product/itemId=c5d327a5e8c741c3949d75324257d9f5 (Heredity flipchart- Pre-test)

https://classflow.com/classflow/#!/product/itemId=55070ad1d86540bbb7c9c5f9bcf9d98d (Inherited & Acquired Traits flipchart)

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/e2/60/fd/e260fdd6839a9a8e8f2860d69b11f186.jpg (foldable)

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/e9/57/12/e9571233278bce0aadc3e0ccdcab0e54.jpg (Monster)

https://classflow.com/classflow/#!/product/itemId=4660e7ae99d74054ad7cf2f460488a97 (Punnett Squares)

http://www.exploringnature.org/graphics/teaching_aids/Punnetts_square_worksheet.jpg (Punnett Squares Worksheet)

http://mrsleeskinderkids.blogspot.com/2010/09/all-about-me.html (Pie graph)

http://mspan.weebly.com/1/post/2009/04/punnett-square-exercise-with-mm.html (M&M activity)

http://mspan.weebly.com/1/post/2009/04/punnett-square-activity-with-mm-part-2.html (M&M activity)

https://www.superteachertools.us/jeopardyx/jeopardy-review-game.php?gamefile=257184#.WCes5IWcF9B (Jeopardy game)

https://d1uvxqwmcz8fl1.cloudfront.net/tes/resources/6101516/fa45acdf-8fed-4f67-bf52-

7c655edbed02/image?width=500&height=500&version=1421789355464 (Teacher Observation Form)

List of materials:

Day one:

https://classflow.com/classflow/#!/product/itemId=c5d327a5e8c741c3949d75324257d9f5 (Heredity flipchart- Pre-test)

https://classflow.com/classflow/#!/product/itemId=55070ad1d86540bbb7c9c5f9bcf9d98d (Inherited & Acquired Traits flipchart)

20 Journals

20 sheets of loose leaf Paper

20 Name sticks

Whiteboard

Computer

Promethean Board

Day two:

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/e2/60/fd/e260fdd6839a9a8e8f2860d69b11f186.jpg (foldable example) (My example

attached)

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/e9/57/12/e9571233278bce0aadc3e0ccdcab0e54.jpg (Internet example) (My example

attached)

40 sheets of Construction paper

20 Scissors

20 Markers

Vocabulary terms

White board

20 Textbooks

20 Journals

Day three:

http://mrsleeskinderkids.blogspot.com/2010/09/all-about-me.html (Pie graph example)

https://classflow.com/classflow/#!/product/itemId=4660e7ae99d74054ad7cf2f460488a97 (Punnett Square flipchart)

http://www.exploringnature.org/graphics/teaching_aids/Punnetts_square_worksheet.jpg (Punnett Square Worksheet)

20 sheets of Brown, Blue, Green, (Brownish/greenish) Hazel Construction Paper

20 Sheets of White Paper

Large tag board

20 Glue sticks

20 Scissors

Punnett Square flipchart

20 Punnett Square worksheets

Overhead/Elmo

Computer

Promethean Board

Day four:

http://mspan.weebly.com/1/post/2009/04/punnett-square-exercise-with-mm.html (M&M Activity)

http://mspan.weebly.com/1/post/2009/04/punnett-square-activity-with-mm-part-2.html (M&M activity)

10 bags of M&Ms

20 Brown Paper Bags

20 Markers

20 M&M Data Results Table

Data table example

Questions (in procedures)

Day five:

https://www.superteachertools.us/jeopardyx/jeopardy-review-game.php?gamefile=257184#.WCes5IWcF9B (Jeopardy Game)

https://classflow.com/classflow/#!/product/itemId=c5d327a5e8c741c3949d75324257d9f5 (Heredity flipchart- Post-test)

Jeopardy game

3 IPads

White board for scoring

20-White board markers

20-White board erasers

20-Mini white boards

Computer

Promethean Board

Assessment:

Students will be assessed on how much they know about heredity, and the amount of material they learned through the unit of study.

They will have a pre-test with 15 questions, but as well as the same exact test 2 ½ weeks later to see how much they learned.

Extensions of Lessons across the curriculum:

I plan to include the other standards into my lessons as well as including heredity into my other lessons. I can include math into my

unit about heredity such as working with probability and finding the percentages of the genotype and phenotype. I think we can do

different problems in math class that may involve inherited or acquired traits. I would also like to read a book about heredity later on

in the future to my class, and this would qualify as English. I feel I included technology into my unit by using promethean flipcharts,

IPads, overhead, as well as using interactive game websites about heredity.

Accommodations:

I will adjust my day to day lesson plans based of the needs of the students, and as to what their Individualized Education Plan states,

as well as ensure I follow the 504 plans. I will ensure to be aware of the needs in our units that the student is not meeting, and correct

these problems in order to help these students understand the material. I will keep all students in the classroom involved so we can

meet our goals and objectives as a class.

Activity Procedures Notes Assessment

Day One: Introduction to

Heredity

1) Check student’s prior

knowledge on heredity using Pre-

test questions on Promethean

Planet.

1) Teacher will turn on the

promethean board and use the

link provided in materials for

day one on heredity, and view

the flipcharts on Active Inspire.

(1 minute)

Teacher will hand out a sheet

of paper to every student in the

classroom & make sure they all

have a pencil. (1 minute)

Teacher will have students

number 1 to 15 on their sheet

of paper & make sure they put

their name in the right hand

corner of the paper. (1 minute)

Teacher will show the flipchart

on the promethean board one

question at a time & read the

question to the students and

they will quietly write their

answers on their sheet of paper.

They will repeat this process

until all 15 questions have been

read and answered. (7 minutes)

Teacher will collect the

student’s pre-test & put them

-Make sure to have loose leaf

paper for students.

-Make sure to pick up the pre-

tests to check for prior

knowledge.

-Make sure to have both flipchart

links provided.

-Have name sticks read and

available for use.

-Have the student’s journals

ready.

-Pick up the journals

-Review the pre-tests & journals.

-Pre-test over heredity on

promethean planet. Look over

these tests and see what we need

to work on.

-Formative: Teacher

Observation-Observe how well

the students are doing on the

inherited and acquired traits

flipchart. (Use sticky notes to

collect data on the student’s

work)

-Formative: Journal on 2 of the

new definitions that we learned

today and provide an example

with each definition you pick.

This will allow me to understand

how much the students actually

learned from the lesson.

2) View Inherited & Acquired

traits flipchart from promethean

planet as whole group.

into the completed work

mailbox. (1 minute)

2) Teacher will open the

inherited and acquired traits

flipchart on the smart board by

clicking the link or copy and

pasting it on the web, and

download it if needed. (1

minute)

Teacher will let students know

you are using the name sticks

to call on them.

Teacher will go through the

flipchart with the students one

slide at a time. Teacher will

draw one stick at a time and

allow that student that was

picked to come up to the front

of the classroom and use the

interactive smartboard. Teacher

will make sure the student

answers the question first, and

allow the student to reveal the

answer to the class. Teacher

will repeat this process and

continue calling on students to

interact with the promethean

board. (12 minutes)

3)Students will do a reflective

journal on two of the new

definitions that we learned today

and provide an example with each

definition you pick.

Teacher will make sure

students understand all the

definitions on the flipchart.

3) Teacher will pick two

students to hand out journals to

their classmates. Students will

then hand out the journals to

their classmates. (1 minute)

Teacher will write the journal

question on the white board for

them to see. The teacher will

read this prompt out loud to the

students as well. (1 minute)

Students will journal about 2

new definitions they learned

today, and give examples with

each one. Teacher will make

sure the students are journaling

about the topic that they were

given. (4 minutes)

Teacher will pick 2 different

students to pick up the

journals.

The two students will collect

the journals when class is over

and place these on my desk as

well. (1 minute)

Activity Procedures Notes Assessment

Day Two: Heredity

1) Students will create a

vocabulary word foldable.

1) The teacher will hand out

two sheets of construction

paper to every student in the

class & one marker. Students

will grab a scissors from the

scissor basket. (1 minute)

Teacher will write these 10

terms on the whiteboard.

-Inherited Trait

-Acquired Trait

-genotype

-phenotype

-allele

-Dominant allele

-recessive allele

-heredity

-chromosome

-genetics

(1 minute)

The students will fold their

sheets of paper hotdog style

which is the long way. (20

seconds)

The students will cut the first

page of their vocabulary

foldable half way. They should

be making 5 flaps on each

sheet of paper. ( 35 seconds)

-Have construction paper,

scissors, and markers ready.

-Provide an example of a

vocabulary foldable with the

terms listed.

-Look over the vocabulary

foldable.

-Create an example of a monster

for students to view that has

different traits on it.

-Have journals ready.

-Formative: Discuss the terms

with the class as a whole and

record how many of the terms

the students recall.

-Formative: Teacher observation

to make sure the students are

understanding the terms, and

writing the correct definitions in

their foldable. (Use sticky notes

to collect data on the student’s

work)

-Formative: Reflection on the

monster traits and decide

whether the traits are inherited or

acquired traits.

2) Students will create a monster

that has inherited and acquired

traits.

Teacher will make sure they

write their names in the right

hand corner. (5 seconds)

The students will write all 10

words on a different flap using

a marker. On the third page of

the booklet the students will

write the matching definition

of the word on their first page.

They will find these definitions

in that back of their textbooks.

(8 minutes)

Have the students hand these in

to the completed work

mailbox. (1 minute)

2) Teacher will hand out a

sheet of paper to each student

along with markers, and

scissors. (1 minute)

Teacher will explain to

students that they will create a

monster that has inherited or

acquired traits. Teacher will

read these examples to the

students.

Inherited trait ex: Eye color,

freckles, hair type, skin color,

body type, height, etc.

3) Students will reflect in journals

about their monsters and decide

whether the traits of their monster

is inherited or acquired traits.

Acquired traits ex: large

muscles, broken bones, short

hair, scars, bruises, dying hair

and etc. (1 minute)

Techer will tell the students to

write Monster Genetics on the

top of their papers. Allow the

students to create their

monsters and the teacher will

answer any questions the

students may have about these

traits. (9 minutes)

3) Teacher will pass out

journals. (1 minute)

Teacher will write the writing

prompt on the white board and

will read it out loud to the

students. (1 minute)

Students will write to this

prompt about the traits of their

monster in their journal and

close them when they are

complete? (4 Minutes)

Teacher will pick up the

student’s journals when they

are done and place them on the

front desk. (1 minute)

Activity Procedures Notes Assessment

Day Three: Heredity

1) Students will create a class eye

color pie graph together.

1) Teacher will put out 4

different colors of construction

paper on the front table of the

classroom that consists of blue,

brown, green, and a greenish-

brown(hazel) color. Teacher

will also make sure to include

white paper on the same table

as well. Make sure to have glue

sticks and scissors on the table

as well. (30 seconds)

Next ask the students to grab a

piece of construction paper that

represents the color of their

own eyes, and ask them to also

grab a piece of white paper as

well. (30 seconds minute)

Then explain to the students

that we will be making a pie

graph that represents the

different eye colors in our

classroom. (30 seconds)

Have the students draw their

eye or an eye on the white

sheet of paper. Tell the

-Have an example of an eye

color graph.

-Make sure all the materials are

ready.

-Have the worksheets ready.

-Have the flipchart ready.

-Have name sticks ready to call

on students.

-Make their own pie/circle graph

about the eye colors within their

family home.

-Present their eye color to the

class, and tell the class the eye

color of their parents.

-Last 2 problems on the

worksheet.

students to color their eye they

just made the color of their

own eye. Example if a student

has brown eyes they will color

the eye they just made brown.

(4 minutes)

When they finish coloring their

eyes have them cut their eye

out, and glue it onto the

construction paper they

grabbed that represents their

eye color as well. (1 minute)

Once they finish cutting their

eye out and gluing their eye

onto the construction paper.

Next, they will cut their

construction paper into a piece

of pizza, or a pie, but make

sure they cut around the eye. (2

minutes)

Next, hang a large piece of tag

board on the white board, and

call the students up one by one

to bring their eye color

representation to the front of

the room. Have the students

say their eye color to the class,

and then glue their paper onto

the tag board. Repeat this until

we have a pie graph of every

2) Introduce Punnett Squares using

the promethean planet link

provided. Explain what a Punnett

Square is as well.

student’s eye color in our

classroom. (6 minutes)

2) Tell the students what a

Punnett Square is.

Definition: a diagram that is

used to predict an outcome of a

particular cross or breeding

experiment. (1 minute)

Teacher will go through the

flipchart together as class. But

call on students to answer the

questions so they understand

what a Punnett Square is. (5

minutes)

Once finished going through

the flipchart, hand out the

worksheet on Punnett Squares.

(30 seconds)

Teacher will place a copy of

the Punnett Square worksheet

on the overhead projector so

the students can see the

worksheet on the promethean

board. (30 seconds)

Go through the first two

Punnett Square problems as a

class and call on students to fill

in the squares according to the

3) Punnett Square Worksheet

word problems provided. (4

minutes)

Once finished going through

the first two problems as a

class, allow the students time

to finish the last two problems

on their own. (4 minutes)

When the students complete

these last two problems. Have

the students flip their paper

over and put their pencil down.

When they finish collect their

worksheets. (30 seconds)

Activity Procedures Notes Assessment

Day four: Heredity

1) Punnett Square Activity with

M&MS.

1) Have the students pick a

partner to complete this

activity with. (30 seconds)

They will split the work

equally so they both play a role

in the assignment.

Teacher will explain to the

students they will be doing an

activity that shows a possible

understanding of how

probability plays a factor when

it comes to heredity. (30

seconds)

-Have M&M’s ready.

-Example of the data chart.

-Brown bags

-Walk around and watch how

students are doing

-Make sure everybody has a

partner.

-Teacher Observation, I will

check to make sure they are

completing the lab accurately.

-Create their own Punnett Square

based of their results from the

lab.

- Reflection on these 4

questions.

-1. What is the dominant trait in

your M&M activity? Red or

blue?

-2. What is the recessive trait in

your M&M activity? Red or

blue?

Teacher will pass out a bag of

M&Ms, 2 brown paper bags,

and a M&M Data Results

Table. (30 seconds)

Have the students pick the blue

and red colored M&Ms from

their bag of M&Ms and only

use these two colors in their

experiment. Example: blue &

red, students will only use

those 2 colors to represent their

data. (1 minutes)

Ask the students to put 15 red

M&M and 15 blue M&M into

one paper bag and label this

paper bag as "Female” with a

marker. Next ask the students

to get another paper bag and

put 15 red and white M&M

into this bag again, and label

this bag "Male" with a marker.

(1 minute)

Tell the students that these two

paper bags with red and blue

M&M chocolates will

represent your heterozygous

parents (Rr X Rr). (30 seconds)

Have the students and their

partner each reach into one of

-3. What are the genotypes of the

parents in this activity?

-4. What are the phenotypes of

the parents in this activity?

the paper bags at the same time

and pull out one of the M&M

candies. (1 minute)

Have the students record

genotype and phenotype on the

M&M Data Results Table.

Then return the chocolate back

into the bag. And repeat this

process 14 more times but

being sure they record their

observations on the M&M

Data Results Table everytime.

(10 minutes)

Remind the students the only

possibilities are RR

(homozygous red), Rr

(heterozygous red), or rr

(homozygous blue). (30

seconds)

Their data table should look

something like the example

attached at the end.

The students will then tally the

number of times they got each

genotype (RR, Rr, rr). record

these numbers on the bottom of

their data table. Next, calculate

2) Answer these 4 questions based

on their data they recorded.

-1. What is the dominant trait in

your M&M activity? Red or blue?

-2. What is the recessive trait in

your M&M activity? Red or blue?

-3. What are the genotypes of the

parents in this activity?

-4. What are the phenotypes of the

parents in this activity?

the percentage of each

genotype that occurred during

this activity. Example: 6/15,

would be 6 divided by 15 and

multiply by a 100 to get the

percentage, and you should

then have all the genotypes

calculated. (6 minutes)

2) Students will answer these

questions with their partner, on

a sheet of paper.

Teacher will read these 4

questions to the students, and

pull them up on the

promethean board so they can

see them. (1 minute)

-1. What is the dominant trait

in your M&M activity? Red or

blue?

-2. What is the recessive trait in

your M&M activity? Red or

blue?

-3. What are the genotypes of

the parents in this activity?

-4. What are the phenotypes of

the parents in this activity?

They will answer all these

questions with their partner and

then they will have to create a

Punnett Square by themselves

not in pairs based off their

answer to question number 3.

(7 minutes)

Once students complete this

have them turn in their papers.

(30 seconds)

Activity Procedures Notes Assessment

Day five: Heredity

1) Heredity Jeopardy game

1)Divide the classroom into 3

teams equally or as close to

being equal as possible. (2

minutes)

Then give each team an IPad to

connect to the jeopardy game.

(1 minute)

Students will then enter the

code provided on the screen in

order to join the game. (1

minute)

Then go from right to left and

have the teams pick a category

and point value.

Give each group 15 seconds to

answer the questions, and if

-Have the flipchart up and ready

for the post-test.

-Compare the results from the

pre-test and the post-test.

-Have extra markers & erasers

for the quiz.

-Have whiteboards, markers, and

erasers ready.

-Read the questions to them.

-Make sure everyone participates

in Jeopardy.

-Post-test using whiteboards.

Record who got the question

right, and record who got it

wrong along with the number.

-Teacher Observation. Observe

the answers given for jeopardy

and the discussion amongst the

groups to get these answers.

2) Post-test using the flipchart on

heredity from day one.

they can’t answer it give

another group a try. If that

group can’t answer the

question we will then discuss

what the answer is as a class.

If they answer the question

correctly give the group that

point value and the team who

has the most points wins. Be

sure to play as many point

values as time allows. (9

minutes)

2) Pass out white boards, white

board markers, and erasers to

every student in the classroom.

Show the flipchart on the

promethean board one question

at a time & read the question to

the students and have them

quietly write their answers on

their whiteboards. (1 minute)

Put up testing folders on each

student’s desk so they cannot

see what another student is

writing. (1 minute)

Give them 1 minute to come up

with their answer. Have the

students write their answer to

the question being shown on

their whiteboard. Once a

minute is up the students

should hold up their

whiteboards in the air so I can

see their answers, and tell them

they cannot discuss their

answers with any of the other

students. (14 minutes)

Once all 15 questions are

completed pick up the

whiteboards, and put the results

of the data collected on my

desk. (1 minute)

heredity foldable

Monster genetics

M&M Data Results Table

Trial Offsprings genotype Offspring’s phenotype

Example RR Red

1 Rr Red

2 rr blue

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15