Lesson Plans

Lesson Plans

Below are some recommended teaching plans. Although it is aimed at GCSE students it is still possible to conduct these lessons with students at Key Stage 3 or advanced level.

Based on the Edexcel syllabus.

Natural Selection
	Creatures change over time. This lesson plan is directed towards the idea of Natural Selection, whereby the alterations *best suited to the environment give rise to greater* *reproductive success. After a long enough period, creatures, in different environments may have diverged to such an extent that new species* have been created. Most changes are *not beneficial* (but some are) and too many at one time will result in a lack of success. Therefore, the process of *evolution* is that of the *gradual accumulation of small but advantageous changes over a vast time-scale.*
	Curriculum Links: - understand how adaptations such as…allow survival in particular environmental conditions (2.31) - describe how new species may evolve from variants which are better adapted to their environment (2.34) - explain how natural selection can lead to evolution or extinction of species (2.36)

Genetic Engineering
	The genetic engineering lesson plan talks about a creature's genetic components which are known as its *genotype.* The individual's appearance and functionality is known as its *phenotype.* *Changes* in a creature's *genotype* will cause *changes* in its *phenotype.* It also talks about most *mutations* being detrimental. So, a large number of mutations or a big change would be unlikely to succeed.
	Curriculum Links: - understand that genes are parts of chromosomes which are found within the nucleus (2.15) - understand that the unit of inheritance is the gene, which is a section of a long chain (DNA) molecule (2.16) - recall that some alleles cause diseases, which can be inherited (2.20) - understand the terms genotype and phenotype (2.23)

Breeding Box
	This lesson plan introduces the idea of a creature *that inherits its genetic components* from its parents. The recombination of existing genes can provide a near endless source of variation. The units of inheritance are known as *genes* and form part of a *chromosome. It also covers on an individual's genotype* (coding of the genes) *determines* its *phenotype* (its appearance and performance).
	Curriculum Links: - explain how sexual reproduction… leads to variation in the new generation (2.07) - recall that individuals inherit some characteristics from their father through the sperm and some from their mother through the egg (2.08) - understand that genes are parts of chromosomes which are found within the nucleus (2.15) - understand that the unit of inheritance is the gene, which is a section of a long chain (DNA) molecule (2.16) - recall that some alleles cause diseases, which can be inherited (2.20) - understand the terms genotype and phenotype (2.23) - describe how asexual reproduction leads to genetically identical individuals (clones) (2.27)

Mutation Box
	Pupils will use the ‘ *Mutation Box* ' feature of our software and will be able to experiment with it, thereby gaining an insight into the way that changes to an individual's genes ( *genotype* ) cause changes in its appearance and functionality ( *phenotype* ).
	Curriculum Links: - understand that genes are parts of chromosomes which are found within the nucleus (2.15) - understand that the unit of inheritance is the gene, which is a section of a long chain (DNA) molecule (2.16) - recall that some alleles cause diseases, which can be inherited (2.20) - understand the terms…genotype and phenotype (2.23) - describe how asexual reproduction leads to genetically identical individuals (clones) (2.27)