The Arizona STEM Acceleration Project

Gummy Bear Breeding Program

Gummy Bear Breeding Program

A High School Biology lesson

Rebecca Booth

06/22/2023

Notes for teachers

• This is a culminating lab after students have learned about Mendelian and non-Mendelian genetic trends.
• This takes one 55-minute class, but must be prepared prior to class.

List of Materials

• gummy bears
• paper bags
• white boards
• worksheet
• Captive Bear Breeding Program PDF.pdf
• colored pencils/markers

Standards

• HS.L4U1.27 Obtain, evaluate, and communicate evidence that describes how changes in frequency of inherited traits in a population can lead to biological diversity.

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SEP & CCC Standards

Science & Engineering Practices

• Analyzing & Interpreting Data
• Using Mathematics & Computational Thinking

Cross-Cutting Concepts

• Patterns

Objectives:

1. To discover and study basic principles of genetics.
2. To propose and test hypotheses to explain Mendelian and non-Mendelian genetic patterns.
3. To graph data in a way that organizes the results.

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Agenda (50-55 minutes)

• Determine the phenotypic ratio of sample group.
• Determine the mode of inheritance for sample group.
• Record information on white board.
• Hold white-board conference to share data.
• Discuss findings as a class.
• Complete lab worksheet.

Opening

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Using your chosen method, group students by two or three. Give each student a paper bag labeled with a letter “A through I” or as many as needed for your class size (I’ve had to go as far as N and just modified the instructions as needed). Tell the students that these are samples from the gummy bear breeding program and they need to follow the instructions to determine:

• Phenotypic ratio of sample group
• Possible genotypic ratio of sample group
• Possible phenotypes and genotypes of parent
• Mode of inheritance

Hands-on Activity Instructions

• The students open the bag with the sample group.
• They count the total number of bears.
• They decide how to easily group them (by color).
• They determine the phenotypic ratio.
• Prepare answers on their whiteboards and display for entire class to see.
• Discuss differences and similarities and see if they can determine mode of inheritance.

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I always try to have 30-35 bears in each bag. Don’t have exact ratios like 15 red bears and 15 white bears. Instead I do 16 red bears and 15 white bears.

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A: ~30 red bears (100% red; RRxRR, RRxRr, RRxrr)

B: ~30 white bears (100% white; rrxrr)

C: ~15 red bears; 15 white bears (1 red:1 white or 50% red:50% white; Rrxrr)

D: ~24 red bears; 8 white bears (3 red:1 white or 75% red:25% white; RrxRr)

E: ~30 yellow bears (100% yellow; YYxYY)

F: ~30 orange bears (100% orange; RRxYY

G: ~15 red bears; 15 orange bears (1 red:1 orange or 50% red:50% orange; RRxRY)

H: ~15 yellow bears; 15 orange bears (1 yellow:1 orange or 50% red:50% orange; YYxRY)

I: ~ 8 red bears; 16 orange bears; 8 yellow bears (1 red:2 orange:1 yellow or 25% red:50% orange:25% yellow; RYxRY)

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Assessment

• The students turn in a “lab report” worksheet that is graded.
• The white-board discussion is extremely useful for immediate formative assessment.
• It is immediately apparent which students are confused about ratios, phenotype and genotype, and how to determine the parental cross.

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Differentiation

• Strategic grouping should be used to benefit struggling students.
• Since this activity/lab makes misunderstandings so apparent, it allows for individualized help as needed.

Remediation

Extension/Enrichment

I haven’t done this extension, but it would be interesting to have the students look at how breeding programs are actually carried out and for what purposes.