Standard IV - Genetics

Compare sexual and asexual reproduction.

a) Explain the significance of meiosis and fertilization in genetic variation.

b) Compare the advantages/disadvantages of sexual and asexual reproduction to survival of species.

c) Formulate, defend, and support a perspective of a bioethical issue related to intentional or unintentional chromosomal mutations.

Predict and interpret patterns of inheritance in sexually reproducing organisms.

a) Explain Mendel’s laws of segregation and independent assortment and their role in genetic inheritance.

b) Demonstrate possible results of recombination in sexually reproducing organisms using one or two pairs of contrasting traits in the following crosses: dominance/recessive, incomplete dominance, codominance, and sex-linked traits.

c) Relate Mendelian principles to modern-day practice of plant and animal breeding.

d) Analyze bioethical issues and consider the role of science in determining public policy.

Explain how the structure and replication of DNA are essential to heredity and protein synthesis.

a) Use a model to describe the structure of DNA.

b) Explain the importance of DNA replication in cell reproduction.

c) Summarize how genetic information encoded in DNA provides instructions for assembling protein molecules.

d) Describe how mutations may affect genetic expression and cite examples of mutagens.

e) Relate the historical events that lead to our present understanding of DNA to the cumulative nature of science knowledge and technology.

f) Research, report, and debate genetic technologies that may improve the quality of life (e.g., genetic engineering, cloning, gene splicing).