Media
red Orbit – What is a Chromosome? (2:58)
Genes, DNA and Chromosomes Explained (2:15)
The Amoeba Sisters – DNA, Chromosomes, Genes, and Traits: An Intro to Heredity (8:17)
Amoeba Sisters – Protein Synthesis (8:46) – The information after 4:30 goes beyond what you are expected to know in this class, but begins to describe some of the complexity of DNA translation. Watch this video fully, and then go back and review it slowly.
From DNA to Protein – 3D (2:41)
The following video describes the process of creating chromosome spreads.
Wikipedia defines a karyotype as “the general appearance of the complete set of chromosomes in the cells of a species or in an individual organism, mainly including their sizes, numbers, and shapes”. Karyotyping is an important skill in biology laboratories.
Everything you Need to Know: Chromosome Analysis (Karyotyping) (2:21)
Making Chromosome Spreads for Karyotyping (2:32)
Human Metaphase Chromosome Spread – Genetics Lab (2:09)
For an idea of the complexity inside a cell, watch the following video.
Inner Life of a Cell – Full Version (8:00)
Heredity: Crash Course Biology #9 (10:17)
Brightstorm – Alleles (2:55)
Because traits are passed down from parents to children, there are lots of pictures of people who look very similar to their ancestors or relatives.
Bees have a very different method of inheriting genes from their parents. Diagrams are available here and here, showing how drones are haploid, with 16 chromosomes, whereas workers and the queen are diploid, with 32 chromosomes.
Worksheets
Worksheet – Introduction to DNA
Worksheet Solutions – Introduction to DNA
Worksheet – Introduction to Heredity