Water Bottle Babies and genetics!

Introducing genetics to 5th graders can offer many challenges so Mrs. Burdick's 5th grade science class used a unique approach that made a lasting impression on her students!

In accordance with GPS S5L2:
Students will recognize that offspring can resemble parents in inherited traits and learned behaviors.

Students flipped a coin to determine if recessive or dominate traits were exhibited in their "babies." Hair color, eye color, gender, and freckles were just a few of the traits that students "flipped" for as they used empty water bottles, tennis balls and socks to create a baby that inherited some of their own traits. The media center was turned into a makeshift nursery as the babies were placed on display. This project gave students a tactile project to reinforce the standard and generate greater comprehension of genetics and how it makes an impact in their lives.