Paper Pets - A Genetics Simulation

The Paper Pet (species Papyrus domesticus) has four distinct traits as shown below

Eyes: RR or Rr = square rr = round	Nose NN or Nn = triangular nn = oval
Teeth TT or Tt = pointed tt = square	Hair HH = 1 hair Hh = 3 hairs hh = 2 hairs

The Parents' Genotypes

Show how you would use a punnett square to determine the offspring's appearance:

1. Rr x rr

2. Nn x nn

3. Tt x Tt

4. HH x hh

 

New Parents

What if both parents were heterozygous for all traits: RrNnTtHh x RrNnTtHh

Draw the parents

Mom Dad

 

Making Your Offspring

Now your parents will mate to create four offspring. To simulate mating, flip a penny. Heads represents a dominant allele and tales is recessive. Example, for the first baby, you flip heads and then tails, that means the first set of genes is Rr. This baby has square eyes. Repeat the toss for nose, teeth and hair. Draw your four offsping.

Genotypes:

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Related Activities

Penny Genetics – flip a coin to compare actual outcomes versus predicted outcomes from a Punnett square

Heredity Simulation – use popsicle sticks to show how alleles are inherited

Variations on a Human Face – toss a penny to determine the features of a face, such as freckles, dimples; then draw that face.