Selective Breeding

What You'll Learn

Selective breeding is when humans choose organisms with desired traits to reproduce. Dog breeds, crop varieties, and livestock have been developed through thousands of years of selective breeding.

Key Words

evolution
adaptation

Materials Needed

index cards
markers
ruler
scissors
microscope (or magnifying glass)

Safety First

Protect your work surface with newspaper or plastic.
Adult supervision recommended.
Do not taste any materials.

Steps

Step 1 — Read

Review the background information on Genetics before starting.

Step 2 — Do

Create a Punnett square to predict the offspring of two parents. Use a trait like eye color or seed shape. Calculate the probability of each outcome.

Step 3 — Observe

Note any unexpected results and think about why they happened.

Step 4 — Record

Share your findings with the class or a partner and discuss what you learned.

Check Your Understanding

Question 1

1 of 3

What is a mutation?