The basic heredity principal discovered by Mendel, applies to humans as well as to plants. This unit will be used in a seventh-grade Life Science class and can be used in grades six through eight. Genetics has to do primarily with the passing of traits from generation to generation. This is done through the passing of genes which are located on the chromosomes. Each individual inherits 23 pairs of chromosomes from each parent.
Some genes are dominant and others are recessive.
The dominant genes mask the recessive genes, therefore the dominant characters are more noticeable. Meiosis has to do with the duplication of the chromosomes and the division of the nucleus. It is also referred to as the code of life because it contains all of the information to make and control every cell of an organism. Mitosis has to do with duplication of the chromosomes and the division of the nucleus and the cytoplasm. It is through mitotic cell division that organisms grow and develop.