TEACHER RESOURCES

Model-Making Lab DATASHEET

Modeling Space Bug Genetics

Teacher Notes
This activity has students model Mendelian genetics and
the inheritance of traits (covers standards 7.2.b, 7.2.d, 7.7.c,
and 7.7.d). Peggy Lubchenco
Las Colina Jr. High School
Santa Barbara, California

TIME REQUIRED
Two 45-minute class periods

LAB RATINGS Easy 1 2 3 4

Hard
Teacher Prep–3
Student Set-Up–2
Concept Level–3
Clean Up–1

MATERIALS
The materials listed on the student page are enough for groups of three to four
students.

SAFETY CAUTION
Remind students to review all safety cautions and icons before beginning this lab
activity. Students should use caution with toothpicks and should not eat any of
the materials used.

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Name Class Date
Model-Making Lab DATASHEET A

Modeling Space Bug Genetics

Imagine that you are working with a team of scientists that has discovered a
new organism. The organism shares many characteristics with insects, but the
species also has some very strange traits. Because the new organisms look like
bugs from outer space, your team has decided to call the new organisms “space
bugs.” Space bugs inherit traits according to the principles of genetics discovered
by Gregor Mendel. In this activity, you will use your knowledge of genetics to
construct models of space bugs. You will then construct models of the offspring
that could be created by crossing space bugs that have different traits.

OBJECTIVES
Build models to further your understanding of inheritance.
Examine the traits of a population of offspring.

MATERIALS
• cup, paper • pipe cleaners (tails)
• gumdrops, green and black (feet) • pushpins, green and blue (noses)
• map pins (eyes) • scissors
• marshmallows, large (head and body • toothpicks, red and green (antennae)
segments)

SAFETY INFORMATION

PROCEDURE
1. Seven characteristics of space bugs are shown in the table on the next page.
• For each characteristic, there are two traits.
• The allele for the dominant trait is written with a capital letter.
• The allele for the recessive trait is written with a lowercase letter.
SPACE BUG TRAITS AND ALLELES
Characteristic Traits and Alleles
Antennae color red antennae (R) green antennae (r)
Number of body segments three body segments (S) two body segments (s)
Tail Shape curly tail (C) straight tail (c)
Number of leg pairs three pairs of legs (L) two pairs of legs (l)
Nose color blue nose (B) green nose (b)
Foot color green feet (G) black feet (g)
Number of eyes two eyes (E) three eyes (e)

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Modeling Space Bug Genetics continued

2. Look at the table entitled “Space Bug Family Traits.”

• Notice that the genotypes of the parents are already entered into the table.
3. Determine the phenotype of each parent by using the table above and the
genotypes listed for each parent.
• Remember that if at least one dominant allele is present, the dominant trait
is expressed.
• Enter the phenotype of each parent in the table. The first row has been done
for you.
SPACE BUG FAMILY TRAITS
Female Female Male Male Offspring Offspring
Characteristic genotype phenotype genotype phenotype genotype phenotype
Antennae color Rf red rr green
Number of ss Ss
body segments
Tail shape cc CC
Number of leg Ll Ll
pairs
Nose color BB Bb
Foot color Gg Gg
Number of eyes Ee ee

4. Get gumdrops, map pins, marshmallows, pipe cleaners, pushpins, and

toothpicks.
• Form groups of four students.
• Two students in each group will construct a model of the female space bug.
• Two students in each group will construct a model of the male space bug.
• Gumdrops represent feet.
• Map pins represent eyes.
• Marshmallows are head and body segments.
• Pipe cleaners are tails.
• Pushpins are noses.
• Toothpicks are antennae.
• Toothpicks can be used to hold body segments together and can be used as
legs to attach the feet to the body.
• Use the phenotypes in the table to determine which parts to use to build
your model. For example, the female space bug has the red antennae
phenotype, so red toothpicks should be used in her model.

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Modeling Space Bug Genetics continued

5. In each group the two students who created the female space bug, and the
two students who created the male space bug will determine which traits the
offspring will inherit from each parent.
• Each pair of students will use fourteen small squares of paper. Write the
parent’s alleles for each characteristic on separate pieces of paper.
• For one characteristic, put an uppercase letter on one square and a
lowercase letter on another square. For example, the female space bug has
the genotype Rr for antennae. You will write “R” on one piece of paper and
“r” on a second piece of paper.
6. Fold the two pieces of paper, and place them in the paper cup.
• Without looking, pull out one piece of paper from the cup. This is the allele
that the offspring has inherited from the parent that your pair of students
created.
• The other pair of students will repeat for the other parent, using the same
characteristic.
7. In your table, write each allele that was drawn for each parent in the offspring
genotype column.
• This is the genotype of the offspring for this trait.
• Continue drawing alleles for the other traits, and record the genotypes in
your table.
8. Use the table entitled “Space Bug Traits and Alleles” and the genotype you
recorded to determine the phenotype of the offspring for each trait.
• Enter the phenotype of the offspring in the table that you created.
9. As a group, construct a model of the offspring using the marshmallows,
gumdrops, pushpins, map pins, pipe cleaners, and toothpicks.

ANALYZE THE RESULTS

10. Organizing Data Take a poll of the traits of the offspring in your class.
• For each trait, how many offspring express the dominant allele?

• For each trait, how many offspring express the recessive allele?

• What are the ratios of dominant to recessive for each trait? (Hint: Divide
the number of offspring expressing the dominant trait by the number of
offspring with the recessive trait.) Show your work below.

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Modeling Space Bug Genetics continued

11. Examining Data

• Do any of the offspring models in your class look the same?

• How many different models of offspring are there in your class?

DRAW CONCLUSIONS
12. Interpreting Information
• Could offspring have a trait that neither parent has?

• How could this occur? (Hint: If each parent has green feet, will offspring
always have green feet?)

BIG IDEA QUESTION

13. Drawing Conclusions In humans the inheritance of traits is influenced by
genes. How is inheritance of traits in the bug models you built similar to how
traits are inherited in humans?

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 TEACHER RESOURCES
7. The offspring with genotypes RR and
Rr will have round-seed phenotypes.
The offspring with the genotype rr
will have wrinkled-seed phenotypes.
The probability for wrinkled seeds is
1 out of 4, or 25%. If the parents are
heterozygous for the trait, they have
a 25% chance of having offspring with
the recessive trait. They each carry a
copy of the recessive allele and it can
be expressed in their offspring.
Quick Lab: Exploring
Probability
DATASHEET A
4. Students should get bb about 1/4 or
25% of the time.
5. 1/2 ⴛ 1/2 ⴝ 1/4, or 25%
6. If brown fur results from genotype Bb,
white fur will result from the genotype
bb. The chances that a guinea pig will
have white fur are 1/4.
DATASHEET B
4. Students should get bb about 1/4 or
25% of the time.
5. 1/4 or 25%
6. 1/4 (If brown fur results from genotype
Bb, then brown fur is dominant, and
white fur will result from the genotype
bb.)
DATASHEET C
4. Students should get bb about 1/4 or
25% of the time.
5. 1/4 or 25%. The probability of getting b
on any one coin is 1/2, so multiply
the probability for one coin by the
probability for the other to get the
probability of bb (1/2 ⴛ 1/2 ⴝ 1/4).
6. 1/4 (If brown fur results from genotype
Bb, white fur will result from the
genotype bb.) The predicted ratio of
brown to white is 3:1.
Quick Lab: Meiosis Skit
DATASHEET A
5. There are two chromosomes in each
haploid cell.
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Holt California Life Science
DATASHEET B
5. There are 2 chromosomes in each
haploid cell.
DATASHEET C
5. There are two chromosomes in each
haploid cell. Sample answer: For traits
Mendel studied, each parent has a
homologous pair of chromosomes,
which carry one allele for the trait.
During meiosis, the pairs separate and
the alleles are randomly distributed to
the sex cells. In true-breeding plants,
the alleles for the trait are the same
and each sex cell will get the same
allele. In heterozygous plants, the
alleles for the trait are different and
sex cells will get different alleles. Then
during fertilization, any egg can be
fertilized by any sperm. The phenotype
of resulting offspring will depend on
what allele they got from each parent.
Chapter Lab
DATASHEET A
10. Answers will depend on the traits of
the offspring each group creates.
11. Answers will depend on the traits of
the offspring each group creates.
12. An offspring can have a trait that
neither of its parents has. For
example, in the space bug model,
parents with green feet could have the
genotype GG or Gg. If both parents
have the genotype Gg, they could each
pass on the recessive allele (gg) to
their offspring. The offspring would
have black feet. The phenotype of the
parents will be the dominant trait, and
the phenotype of the offspring will be
the recessive trait.
13. In both the bug models and in humans,
traits are influenced by genes. Two
copies of genes, or alleles, are
inherited for most genes. How these
genes interact determines what the
offspring look like. Humans are more
complicated, however, because many
genes influence some traits. Also, one
gene can influence many traits.
139 Heredity
 TEACHER RESOURCES

DATASHEET B 12. An offspring can have a trait that

10. Answers will depend on the traits of neither of its parents hava. Both
the offspring each group creates. parents could have both the dominant
11. Answers will depend on the traits of allele and the recessive allele for a
the offspring each group creates. trait. If both parents pass the recessive
12. An offspring can have a trait that allele to the offspring, the offspring
neither of its parents have. Both will have two recessive alleles for that
parents could have both the dominant gene. The phenotype of the parents
allele and the recessive allele for a will be the dominant trait, and the
trait. If both parents pass the recessive phenotype of the offspring will be the
allele to the offspring, the offspring recessive trait.
will have two recessive alleles for that 13. In both the bug models and in
gene. The phenotype of the parents humans, traits are influenced by genes.
will be the dominant trait, and the Two copies of genes, or alleles, are
phenotype of the offspring will be the inherited for most genes. How these
recessive trait. genes interact determines what the
13. In both the bug models and in humans, offspring look like. Humans are more
traits are influenced by genes. Two complicated, however, because many
copies of genes, or alleles, are genes influence some traits. Also, one
inherited for most genes. How these gene can influence many traits.
genes interact determines what the
offspring look like. Humans are more Science Skills Activity
complicated, however, because many
DATASHEET
genes influence some traits. Also, one
1.–4. Answers may vary depending on the
gene can influence many traits.
genetic disorder students choose to
DATASHEET C research.
3. Antennae color: Rr, red, or rr, green
Number of body segments: sS, three,
or ss, two
Tail shape: cC, straight
Number of leg pairs: LL, three, Ll,
three, or ll, two
Nose color: BB, blue, or Bb, blue
Foot color: GG, green, Gg, green, or
gg, black
Number of eyes: Ee, two, or ee, three
10. Answers will depend on the traits
of the offspring each group creates.
Students’ answers should include
Punnett squares based on the parental
traits. Except for the results obtained
by parental genotypes that are all
homozygous recessive, students will
see other possibilities for genotypes
and phenotypes from the same
parents.
11. Answers will depend on the traits of
the offspring each group creates.

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Holt California Life Science 140 Heredity