Genetics - Design a Species
Objective: In this project, you are going to design your own species of gingerbread person, coffee mug,
penguin, or elf by giving it traits that follow genetic rules from this unit. The creature should have at least 5
genetic traits from the following list. You are free to create whatever traits you like (such as hair color, size,
shape, or other features). This will be hand drawn.
 2 Simple traits that follow Mendel’s law of dominance (dominant hides recessive)
 1 Co-dominant trait (both are dominant and fully expressed)
 1 Incompletely dominant trait (blending of two traits)
 1 Sex-linked trait (on the X sex chromosome)
Your final product should have the following elements:
Part 1 KEY: Create a key showing each of the 5 traits listed above within the assigned data table. Sketch
illustrations for each phenotype and list all possible genotypes associated with each trait. Partial sketches
are fine in this case, meaning if your organism has wings vs no wings, you can just draw the part of the body
where the wings attach and don’t need to draw the whole organism for each part of the key.
Example...(this is what I am looking for in the key, but you will include all five traits instead of just the two I
have listed below)
Simple Trait # 1: No Wings (ww) Wings (Ww or WW)
Co-dominant trait: Red dots (RR) Purple dots (PP) Red and Purple dots (RP)
Part 2 MODEL MALE AND FEMALE: Sketch two examples of your creature – one male and one female.
The two examples must model different phenotypes. Each sketch should also have the genotype listed for all
5 traits. You must model a variety of genotypes (homozygous dominant, homozygous recessive, and
heterozygous) for both male and female models. You will not be able to show the third phenotypes for
incomplete and codominance. That’s ok...just pick two phenotypes for those types of inheritance to model.
Phenotypes: Phenotypes:
(no wings, stripes on tail, red dots on body, blue star on head, no heart on tail) (wings, no stripes on tail, red & purple dots on body, green star on head, heart on tail)
Part 3 PUNNETT SQUARES: Create 5 one factor/monohybrid Punnett squares by crossing your male and
female for each of the traits. Be sure to give the genotypic and phenotypic ratios for each. For example, my
first Punnett square would be between my female ww and male Ww. My second would be RR and RP etc...
Female Genotype: ww Tt RR BB XrXr
Male Genotype: Ww tt RP BY XRY
NAME: ____________________________________________ BLOCK: ____________ DATE: __________
GRADING RUBRIC
Requirements
Possible
Points
Earned
Points
Part 1: The KEY Each trait shown with clearly drawn picture
Follows Genetic Rules
Each mode of inheritance shown
All genotypes are correctly labeled
25
Part 2: The MODELS Male and Female model different phenotypes
Each mode of inheritance shown
Pictures are clearly drawn
Genotypes and phenotypes agree
25
Part 3: The
PUNNETT SQUARES
All 5 Punnett squares set up correctly
Genotypic ratios correct
Phenotypic ratios correct
25
OVERALL
Creative
Attractive/Neat
Accurate
Thoughtful/Effort
Colorful
25
TOTAL 100
Organism Key
Phenotypes
Simple
Trait #1
Possible
Genotypes
Phenotypes
Simple
Trait #2
Possible
Genotypes
Phenotypes
Codominant
Trait
Possible
Genotypes
PhenotypesIncomplete
Dominant
Trait
Possible
Genotypes
Phenotypes
Sex-Linked
Trait
Possible
Genotypes