Dragon Genetics

In this activity, students create imaginary creatures, referred to as “dragons,” to explore the relationship between genes and inherited traits. Using dragons as a model, students learn how hereditary information is passed from one generation to the next, and how the physical appearance of offspring is determined by the combinations of genes received from the parents. By the end of this activity, students will be able to demonstrate why two parents can produce offspring whose characteristics not only resemble those of the parents, but also demonstrate individual variation.