FREE Genetics Activity – Inheritance Patterns in the Kolo

Description

In this genetics activity, Inheritance Patterns in the Kolo, students will discover the variety of offspring that can come from one set of heterozygous Kolo parents.

Kolos are cute little creatures that are rumored to live behind Rainbow Falls on the Big Island of Hawaii. In fact, Kolo means “to creep or crawl” in Hawaiian. All Kolos are very happy, but they have a few characteristics that vary from one Kolo to the next.

Students will simulate inheritance principles as they determine the traits of their own unique Kolo, and then they get to color, name, and display their adorable Hawaiian critter.

Students will flip coins to determine 7 Kolo traits using a variety of inheritance patterns including Mendelian (straightforward dominant/recessive), codominance, and intermediate inheritance. There are also optional extension activities that allow you to take the learning to a higher level of fun.

It will be helpful if students are familiar with the following terms before attempting this activity:

• allele
• dominant
• recessive
• genotype
• phenotype
• heterozygous
• homozygous
• codominance
• intermediate inheritance

The only materials needed for this activity are coins and colored pencils, crayons, or markers. Have fun!

You might also like some of my other products related to Genetics:

Genetics Project: The Inheritance of Coat Color in Labrador Retrievers

Inheritance Review Qubes

Genetics Unit Bundle

Happy Teaching!

Carla Brooks

Science Island