Genetics variety blog

We have been doing a project recently with Reebops. Reebops are a species of bugs that we made in our class. Anyway it has to do a lot with Genetic Variety. If you don't know what genetic variety is, then it is what makes being different. If there wasn't such thing as Genetic Variety, then everybody would look exactly the same!!! If there wasn't genetic variety in our project, then everybodys bug (or reebop) would look the same. We had to label our bugs to see what generation they were. The first is P1 then F1 then F2 then F3.

Here is a picture of my F3 reebop.(sorry its not colored in perfectly)

When we mated the two bugs with each other, we were practically giving each other our chromosomes, or genes. Most of the time the genes would be mixed so your bug would have very colorful genes colored in. Once we were done mating and had all the genes written down, then we colored them on the back. We colored them according to the other persons colors.

The best way to see genetic variety in our Reebops is to look at their genotypes on the back of their card, especially the F3 generation (since so many different traits have been passed on, there is more genetic variety) All the different colors in the genotypes represent your family.

In the beginning of this project, we were given a paper which had all of our P1's genotypes on it. Mine was just pure yellow. Like I said before, when the two bugs mated then the colors would be passed down to the child. 

Heres an example...

Say I mated with someone's bug who was pink with a gray outline. I would mate with them and have their genes, and they would have mine. Then since mine was all yellow, he would have a mix between pink,gray, and yellow. And so would I. The child will have that and go with mate with someone else. The before you know it... you will have your F3 gen.. with maybe 7 colors!!!!!

A good way to overview how your mating is going on could be, look at the P1 bug. The look at your F3 bug. If there are a lot of colors and it looks funky, then your on the right path.

In conclusion, this shows how important genetic variety can be. It can change your look, the way you think, how your body works,etc. Like I said, If there were no genetic variety. then everybody would be exactly the same. This is how genetic variety is important to life and this project.

Science Week of 3/1/09

MONDAY:

On Monday, Mr. Finley said that our previous quiz had some errors on it. So we got toy cubes for our table. We started out with 6 cubes and did meisos with them. This is how we did it...

1) Double the amount of cubes

2) Pair all the cubes

3) Split the pairs

4) Split them again (you should have 4 groups of 3 cubes)


Tuesday:

On Tuesday, we did a simulation that was based on Mendals pea genetics experiment. It showed us how when you combine 2 genes, almost all the time, the outcome will be different. We also learned about recesive and dominate genes. A dominant gene is stronger than a recesive gene.

Wednesday:

We learned that each letter in a gene is an allele. If you have two alleles that are the same in your genotype or genetic code, it is a homozygous. It you have 2 different alleles than it is considered a heterozygous. We practiced a little of this through that night homework.

Thursday:

Fin was gone for Wed. and Thurs. so we had a sub. basically, we reiveived the homework and started a lab.

Friday:

Mr. Finley was back!!! We picked up the lab that we had started. We also tasted something called the PTC taster. If your taste buds were like this, you could taste a nasty bittery taste. I did taste it. If you didnt taste anything. It tasted like plain old paper.