✍🏻 7th Grade Life Science: Genetics and Punnett Squares

Have you ever wondered why you have your parents' eye color or hair type? That's all thanks to genetics! Genetics is the scientific study of heredity, which is how traits are passed down from parents to their offspring. Inside every living thing, there are tiny instructions called genes, made of DNA, that determine everything from your height to whether you can roll your tongue. But how do we predict what traits an offspring might inherit? That's where Punnett Squares come in! A Punnett Square is a simple diagram used to predict the probability of an offspring inheriting specific traits from its parents. It helps us visualize the different combinations of genes (alleles) that can occur. By understanding dominant and recessive alleles and using this handy tool, you can predict the chances of a child having blue eyes, a plant having red flowers, or even a guinea pig having black fur. It's like a genetic puzzle, and Punnett Squares give you the key to solving it!