Science Week in 5th Class

5th class were learning all about the intriguing topic of Genetics this week. Genetics is the study of what makes you... you! We were asking the question how we have the features and characteristics that we do. We know that parents pass on genes to their children. While siblings may inherit genes from the same set of parents,

they may look completely different. At times they look very similar, even identical! Why does this happen?

We carried out a fun experiment together to discover how children get the specific set of genes that they do - and we learnt that it is all to do with chance!

Firstly, we learnt about dominant and recessive genes. My flipping coins, we created the genetic profile of a sample mother and father. Then we continued to randomly select genes from the mother and father when creating three sample children. The students had a lot of fun discovering what traits had come out in their made-up kids!

Once the coin-flipping and paperwork was done, it was time to cut out templates and create a real image of their made-up children. This was when the fun really began, as you can see below! Among other things, the students were tasked with naming the children appropriately, and coming up with a family surname.

Before the experiment, one student asked why, out of three siblings, one had blonde hair and two had brown. After the experiment, we understood how it could be possible for this to occur, depending on the genes passed on, and whether or not the dominant dark hair gene was present. We found it intriguing that someone with dark hair could still carry the light haired gene, without it presenting itself in that person!

We had lots of fun learning about genetics. Happy Science Week everyone!