LEARNING MATTERS

YEAR 10 SCIENCE - GENETICS

One of the important outcomes for the National Science Curriculum at Year 10 level is the understanding of the ways heritable characteristics are handed from one generation to the next.  This is otherwise known as Genetics. 

At McKinnon, the Year 10 students engage in a number of activities and experiments as we explore this topic.  Learning is frequently skill and inquiry based.  Genetics also involves problem solving, ethical considerations and an understanding of DNA chemistry.  One of the assessed experiments involves the students randomly selecting characteristic options (called alleles) in order to create their own ‘vegetable baby’.  

The little vegetable person is the offspring of an onion father and a potato mother.  Students gather the class results and check the statistical probabilities against actual outcomes. The experiment is evaluated and a report written under test conditions.  So in addition to making creative figurines using vegetables and modeling clay, this activity is an effective way for students to develop a much deeper appreciation of the complexities associated with genetics.

Therese Sweeney 

(Science Learning Area Manager)

Richard Long 

(Curriculum Coordinator)