Name Class Date

Model-Making Lab DATASHEET C

Modeling Space Bug Genetics

Imagine that you are working with a team of scientists that has discovered a
new organism. The organism shares many characteristics with insects, but the
species also has some very strange traits. Because the new organisms look like
bugs from outer space, your team has decided to call the new organisms “space
bugs.” Space bugs inherit traits according to the principles of genetics discovered
by Gregor Mendel. In this activity, you will use your knowledge of genetics to
construct models of space bugs. You will then construct models of the offspring
that could be created by crossing space bugs that have different traits.

OBJECTIVES
Build models to further your understanding of inheritance.
Examine the traits of a population of offspring.

MATERIALS
• cup, paper • pipe cleaners (tails)
• gumdrops, green and black (feet) • pushpins, green and blue (noses)
• map pins (eyes) • scissors
• marshmallows, large (head and body • toothpicks, red and green (antennae)
segments)

SAFETY INFORMATION

PROCEDURE
1. Seven characteristics of space bugs are shown in the table “Space Bug Traits
and Alleles.” For each characteristic, there are two traits. The allele for the
dominant trait is written with a capital letter. The allele for the recessive trait
is written with a lowercase letter.
SPACE BUG TRAITS AND ALLELES
Characteristic Traits and Alleles
Antennae color red antennae (R) green antennae (r)
Number of body segments three body segments (S) two body segments (s)
Tail Shape curly tail (C) straight tail (c)
Number of leg pairs three pairs of legs (L) two pairs of legs (l)
Nose color blue nose (B) green nose (b)
Foot color green feet (G) black feet (g)
Number of eyes two eyes (E) three eyes (e)

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Modeling Space Bug Genetics continued

2. Fill in the table below entitled “Space Bug Family Traits.” Notice that the
genotypes of the parents are already entered into the table.
3. Determine the phenotype of each parent by using the table “Space Bug Traits
and Alleles” and the genotypes listed for each parent. Enter the phenotypes in
the table below.
• What are the possible genotypes and phenotypes for each characteristic for
the offspring of each cross?

SPACE BUG FAMILY TRAITS

Female Female Male Male Offspring Offspring
Characteristic genotype phenotype genotype phenotype genotype phenotype
Antennae color Rf rr
Number of ss Ss
body segments
Tail shape cc CC
Number of leg Ll Ll
pairs
Nose color BB Bb
Foot color Gg Gg
Number of eyes Ee ee

4. In a group of four students, two students will construct a model of the female
space bug and two students will construct a model of the male space bug.
(Toothpicks can be used to hold body segments together and can be used as
legs to attach the feet to the body.)
5. Based on the model that you created, determine which traits the offspring will
inherit from the parent. First, write the parent’s alleles for each characteristic
on separate, small pieces of paper. For example, if your space bug has the
genotype Rr for antennae, you will write “R” on one piece of paper and “r” on
a second piece of paper.

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Modeling Space Bug Genetics continued

6. Fold the two pieces of paper, and place them in the paper cup. Without
looking, draw one piece of paper. This is the allele that the offspring has
inherited from the parent that you created. The other members of your group
will tell you which allele the offspring has inherited from the other parent.
7. In your table, record the genotype of the offspring. Continue drawing alleles
for the other characteristics.
8. Use the table entitled “Space Bug Traits and Alleles” and the genotype to
determine the phenotype of the offspring.
9. As a group, construct a model of the offspring.

ANALYZE THE RESULTS

10. Organizing Data Take a poll of the traits of the offspring in your class. What
are the ratios for each trait? On a separate sheet of paper, draw a Punnett
square for each trait to determine the expected offspring ratio from the given
parents. Compare the observed ratios to the expected ratios.

11. Examining Data Do any of the offspring models look the same? How many
different models of offspring are there in your class?

DRAW CONCLUSIONS
12. Interpreting Information Is it possible for an offspring to have a trait that
neither of its parents have? If so, how could this occur?

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Modeling Space Bug Genetics continued

BIG IDEA QUESTION

13. Drawing Conclusions How does the inheritance of traits in the bug models
you built represent how traits are inherited in humans?

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Holt California Life Science 126 Heredity