A common misconception is that there is only one gene for eye color, with a dominant brown allele and recessive blue allele. These pre-reading strategies ask students to classify statements as true or false as they relate to this misconception. Designed to address both middle and high school students, this activity provides a scaffold for students to examine their own knowledge of eye color inheritance. Students should complete the activity prior to being provided the text. The Genetics of Eye Color explains the complexities of eye color genetics in student friendly language, debunking the Brown over Blue dominance myth. After reading, students revisit their prior classifications, updating these based on what they learned from the passage.
Teacher Tip:
Supports AL Biology COS Standard 3. Formulate an evidence-based explanation regarding how the composition of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) determines the structural organization of proteins. 11. Analyze and interpret data collected from probability calculations to explain the variation of expressed traits within a population. Supports AL Grade 7 Life Science COS Standard 12. Construct and use models (e.g., monohybrid crosses using Punnett squares, diagrams, simulations) to explain that genetic variations between parent and offspring (e.g., different alleles, mutations) occur as a result of genetic differences in randomly inherited genes located on chromosomes and that additional variations may arise from alteration of genetic information.