Unit Overview

Students investigate how genetics sets possibilities while environment determines actual outcomes for traits. Through solving identical twin appearance mysteries or investigating sea turtle temperature-dependent sex determination, conducting nature versus nurture debates researching height, intelligence, and obesity influences, and engineering nutrition solutions for malnourished regions, students discover traits result from genetic and environmental factors interacting in complex ways.

• Next Generation Science Standards

  MS-LS1-5

  Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how environmental and genetic factors influence the growth of organisms. [Clarification Statement: Examples of local environmental conditions could include availability of food, light, space, and water. Examples of genetic factors could include large breed cattle and species of grass affecting growth of organisms. Examples of evidence could include drought decreasing plant growth, fertilizer increasing plant growth, different varieties of plant seeds growing at different rates in different conditions, and fish growing larger in large ponds than they do in small ponds.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include genetic mechanisms, gene regulation, or biochemical processes.]

• Inquiry Scale
  • Each lesson in the unit has an Inquiry Scale that provides directions on how to implement the lesson at the level that works best for you and your students.
  • “Level 1” is the most teacher-driven, and recommended for students in 4th-5th grades. “Level 4” is the most student-driven, and recommended for students in 7th-8th grades.
  • For differentiation within the same grade or class, use different inquiry levels for different groups of students who may require additional support or an extra challenge.
• Common Misconceptions
  • Students tend to think that genes are the sole determinants of traits. Emphasize to students through case studies in the Make that most traits are influenced by genes and the environment. For example, an individual may inherit susceptibility factors that increase their risk for a disease, but environment accounts for the other percent of the risk.
  • Relatedly, students initially think that there is one “gene” for every trait. Emphasize to students that most traits are controlled by more than one gene. In addition to that, most conditions are multifactorial, meaning that there are more than one genetic risk factors associated with most conditions.
  • Students assume that scientists have figured everything out about genetics; in other words, that for every trait, scientists can identify the gene that led to it. Emphasize that traits, especially psychiatric conditions and other diseases, are complex, influenced by many genes, and there is still a lot to learn about their cause.
• Vocabulary
  • • Gene
    • Trait
    • Environment
    • Genetics
    • Nutrition
• Content Expert
  • Bruce Grant, Ph.D
    Professor of Biology, Emeritus College of William & Mary
• Leveled Reading

  * To give our users the most comprehensive science resource, Mosa Mack is piloting a partnership with RocketLit, a provider of leveled science articles.

  • How Do I Look?

    This article introduces students to the ideas of nature (what we start with) and nurture (the effect of our environment on us as we live and grow). We may start out one way, but the environment helps shape our genes into the people we will eventually become.

  
  RocketLit serves NGSS aligned reading at 7 reading levels.
  Don't show me this message againGo to RocketLit