Unit Description

This unit focuses on the basic concepts of genetics. Major topics include sexual and asexual reproduction, mitosis and meiosis, genes and chromosomes, and Mendel’s laws. The use of Punnett squares to predict traits will be presented in the unit.

Enduring Understandings

·         Living systems are wholes made of individual parts and processes that function interdependently to produce larger systems.

·         Experiments can yield different results; the scientific challenge is to judge if the difference is trivial or significant.

·         Models are used to explain concepts that are abstract and/or not easily observed.