Elementary Science Methods 1

  What did you learn this week? This week, we learned about natural selection. In class we did simulations for natural selection. The simulation I found most interesting was the birds and moths. When it was dark, the lighter moths were easy prey, whereas when it was light, the darker moths were easier prey. This demonstrated how different conditions determine the natural selection of that specific organism.  Are you able to relate what you learned to what you already knew? Yes, in highschool biology, we learned about natural selction and evolution. In high school, we did an activty with Darwins theory of evolution. It was helpful that this lecture was review of what I previously learned.  Which parts did you find clear and which were confusing? The whole concept of evolution still is hard for me to understand, however I do understand the holstic view. Evolution invloves natural selection, migration, gene drift, and mutation. 

  What did you learn this week? This week, I learned more in depth about DNA and RNA. We did an activity in class that resembled how traits different, there are dominant and recessive genes. Depending on the parents, the children can get different genes and traits.  Are you able to relate what you learned to what you already knew? Yes, I remember learning about DNA in biology freshman year of high school. We did a similar activity with a coin to determine genes, to demonstrate that sometimes it can be random, while it also has something to do with the parents type of genes ( recessive or dominant). What are new or remaining questions?  What are other activities involving DNA that can be taught to elementary students other than gene charts? 

  What did you learn this week? This week in lecture, we learned about how traits are determined by genetics and environmental factors, genetics are patterns with the way information is stored, expressed, and passed on. We also learned about alleles. I remember learning about them in high school but needed the refresher. Alleles are found at the same location on chromosomes and are encoded for varying specific traits. There are 2 types of alleles, homozygous - 2 alleles that are the same, and heterozygous- 2 alleles that are different.  Are you able to relate what you learned to what you already knew? Yes, when we learned about how traits are determined, it reminded me of the genes charts that I did in high school where we desribed the different between a ressesive trait and a dominiant trait to see the liekly hood of that child receving which specific traits. Genes can be anwhere from a few pairs to thoundands of base pairs long, and each gene determines a specifc characteris...