MY FAMILY AND ME is a genetics unit appropriate for students with special needs. It is a language based, concrete, manipulative unit that spans the curriculum. It is an exploration of the concepts of heredity and similarities and differences, which is meant to be fun and educational. This unit includes a section of classroom lessons that can be used with primary age children and students with special needs. It also includes an annotated bibliography of children’s literature that would work well with this unit. Some of the children’s books may only be found in libraries, so planning a few weeks in advance may be necessary to ensure the availability of the books for classroom use.
LESSON PLAN #1 (LANGUAGE)
OBJECTIVE
To attatch meaning to the vocabulary words: Dominant and Recessive through language experience.
MATERIALS
bowl of chocolate batter
bowl of vanilla batter
picture of mother with brown eyes
picture of father with blue eyes
two pictures of a blue eye
four pictures of brown eyes
empty bowl
picture of baby with brown eyes
PROCEDURE
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1. Teacher will present class with pictures of 2 parents: a brown eyed mother and a blue eyed father.
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2. Teacher will present two bowls of batter; one chocolate and the other vanilla. The teacher will explain that the chocolate batter represents brown eyes and the vanilla batter represents blue eyes. Pictures of the eyes can be taped to the corresponding bowls.
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3. Each parent will contribute an eye gene shaped like an eye into a third bowl.
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4. Teacher will combine the two cake batters with student help. Each child can take turns mixing the batter.
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5. Children will witness the 2 batters become chocolate batter.
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6. Teacher will take a baby with brown eyes out of the third mixing bowl.
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7. Teacher will explain that brown eyes are dominant or strong and blue eyes are recessive or weak. Therefore, the baby developed brown eyes even though the father gave him or her a blue eye gene.
LESSON PLAN #2 (ART)
OBJECTIVE
Students will enhance their self-esteem by creating self-portraits. Students will use self-portraits to point out their similarities and their differences.
MATERIALS
large rolls of paper
pencils
crayons
paint
PROCEDURE
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1. Teacher will trace the students’ bodies on the large rolls of paper.
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2. Teacher will then draw in specific details with the help of the students. For example, hair type, eye color, glasses, etc will be added to the pictures as necessary.
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3. Students will color or paint their self-portraits as accurately as is possible. For examples, those wearing blue jeans will color their jeans with a blue crayon or use blue paint.
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4. Teacher will hang the portraits around the room to stimulate classroom discussion.
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5. Teacher will lead a group discussion about the similarities and differences among the students.
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6. Teacher will use the following sample questions:
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Who is wearing _________________?
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Who has brown hair (eyes, etc)?
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Who wears glasses?
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Who has legs (arms etc.)?
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Who has sneakers?
LESSON PLAN #3 (MATHEMATICS)
OBJECTIVE
Using a graph with columns, students will sort themselves by their hair color.
MATERIALS
pictures of various hair colors (black, brown, red, blond) a large graph with columns for each hair color
photographs of each student in the class
PROCEDURE
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1. Teacher will discuss hair color showing the various pictures of hair to the students.
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2. Teacher will discuss each student’s hair color with that particular student.
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3. Teacher will present a large graph with columns illustrating brown, black, blond, and red hair colors.
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4. Students will have pictures of themselves and take turns placing them in the appropriate columns.
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5. Students will count the number of people in each column.
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6. Students will describe the results using the vocabulary words more and less.
Please note that this lesson format can be repeated using other attributes such as hair type, eye color, skin color, eye glasses, and gender.