Genetics is like a secret code that tells your body how to grow and function. It's the study of how traits are passed down from parents to their children, and how genes can influence everything from eye color to disease risk.

Students will work in pairs in the lab to produce a dragon from the random mixing of genetic traits. Each student will be a surrogate dragon parent. They will pick up a complete set of dragon chromosomes. Surrogate dragon parent partners must be of the opposite sex, therefore one parent must pick up the double X chromosomes while the other must pick up the X/Y chromosomes. The homologous chromosomes will be separated according to Mendel’s law of Independent Assortment. The genetic codes that are passed on to the baby will be recorded on the following pages. The surrogate parents must then decode the genes inherited by their bundle of joy to determine the phenotype traits of their baby. Using the pictures at the end of the handout, they will cut out these traits and paste them together to have a picture of their baby.

Have you ever wanted to create your own dragon? Now you can! In this project, you and your partner will work together to mix genetic traits and create a dragon. You will pick up a set of dragon chromosomes and separate them according to Mendel's law of Independent Assortment. Then, you will decode the genes to determine the traits of your dragon. Finally, you will cut out the traits and paste them together to create a picture of your dragon.

DRAGON GENETICS: PRINCIPLES OF MENDELIAN GENETICS

BACKGROUND

Students will work in pairs in the lab to produce a dragon from the random mixing of genetic traits. Each student will be a surrogate dragon parent. They will pick up a complete set of dragon chromosomes. Surrogate dragon parent partners must be of the opposite sex, therefore one parent must pick up the double X chromosomes while the other must pick up the X/Y chromosomes. The homologous chromosomes will be separated according to Mendel’s law of Independent Assortment. The genetic codes that are passed on to the baby will be recorded on the following pages. The surrogate parents must then decode the genes inherited by their bundle of joy to determine the phenotype traits of their baby. Using the pictures at the end of the handout, they will cut out these traits and paste them together to have a picture of their baby.

PROCEDURE

1. Choose a partner carefully. You and your spouse will share the grade for this lab. Your instructor does not care which partner worked the hardest. This is a no divorce classroom. The lab must be completed on time.
2. Each partner must pick up five Popsicle sticks -- one of each color of autosome, and one sex chromosome stick. Each side of a stick represents a chromosome, and the two sides together represent a pair of homologous chromosomes.
3. For each color autosome and then for the sex chromosomes, each parent will randomly drop his or her stick on the table. The side of the stick that is up represents the chromosome that is passed on to the baby.
4. The alleles from each pair of homologous chromosomes will be recorded in the data chart on pages 3-4.
5. The decoding chart on page 2 indicates the phenotypic effect of each gene. The trait produced by each pair of alleles should be recorded in the data chart. Remember that a CAPITAL letter is dominant over a small letter [recessive] unless the decoding chart indicates those traits are codominant, sex-influenced, or sex-limited.
6. The students will cut out the traits for their baby. Fit them together and produce a picture of the baby. Students may trace the traits to produce their baby’s picture or just glue them to the page.
7. The baby’s colors will be added to the picture, if possible; otherwise indicate the baby’s colors below the picture.


Dragon Genetics: Mendelian Principles

Demonstrate the principles of Mendelian genetics

<h1><strong>1000 Science Fair Project Ideas by Subject</strong></h1><p>Looking for a science fair project idea? Each of our science fair project idea has complete instructions with video. Get ideas for your science projects, find extra resources for your class' scientific projects, or try a fun experiment at home! It doesn't matter what grade you're in, there's something for everyone!</p><p>You can find your perfect science fair project from the different science subjects below or from our <a href="https://www.all-science-fair-projects.com/category0.html#bottom">science fair project idea lists!</a></p>

<h2>Science Fair Project Idea Lists</h2><p>Looking for other ways to find good ideas for science fair projects? Check out these lists of science projects!</p><hr style="clear:both; border-style:dotted" data-marker="clearFloat"><h3>Easy Science Fair Projects</h3><p><img src="/images2/flex/176_popular 2 (2).png" data-size="100" data-float="left" style="width:100px; float:left">Explore the exciting world of science with an easy science fair project that you can do at home using simple materials. Any one of these easy project ideas will teach you important scientific concepts and help you have fun while learning. 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Science museums, natural history museums, space museums, and discovery museums are all great places to do that! You can discover all sorts of interesting things about science and find cool project ideas for science fairs.</p><p>There may be free admission days or free passes to a science museum near you! Check your credit card for offers, your local library for free museum passes, and nearby science museums for free entrance days.</p><p>So what are you waiting for? <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_science_museums">Find a science museum near you</a> and prepare to be awed by all that you can learn there!</p><hr style="clear:both; border-style:dotted" data-marker="clearFloat"><h4>Look around and observe</h4><p><img src="/images2/flex/117_5.png" data-size="100" data-float="left" style="width:100px; float:left">Do you know how scientists start their cool projects? They often look around and notice things that are interesting or make them curious. 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Biochemistry is the study of the chemistry of living things. Biochemists study how different molecules like DNA and proteins work together to sustain life. The groundbreaking discoveries in biochemistry continue to lead to the discovery of new medicines and cutting-edge treatments for diseases.

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Dragon Genetics: Mendelian Principles

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