Basic Genetic Concepts & Terms

1
 Genetics: what is it?
• What is genetics?
– “Genetics is the study of heredity, the process in which a
parent passes certain genes onto their children.”
(http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/00204
8.htm)

• What does that mean?

– Children inherit their biological parents’ genes that
express specific traits, such as some physical
characteristics, natural talents, and genetic disorders.

2
 Word Match Activity
Match the genetic terms to
their corresponding parts
of the illustration.
• base pair
• cell
• chromosome
• DNA
(Deoxyribonucleic Acid)
• double helix*
• genes
• nucleus
Illustration Source: Talking Glossary of
Genetic Terms
http://www.genome.gov/glossary.cfm?ke
y=chromosome 3
 Word Match Activity
• base pair nucleus chromosome

• cell
• chromosome
• DNA
(Deoxyribonucleic Acid) cell
• double helix*
• genes
• nucleus
base pair
(double
Illustration Source: Talking Glossary of helix)
Genetic Terms DNA
http://www.genome.gov/glossary.cfm?k
ey=chromosome
genes

4
 Genetic Concepts
• H describes how some traits are
passed from parents to their children.
• The traits are expressed by g , which are
small sections of DNA that are coded for
specific traits.
• Genes are found on ch ___.
• Humans have two sets of _ (hint: a number)
chromosomes—one set from each parent.
5
 Genetic Concepts
• Heredity describes how some traits are
passed from parents to their children.
• The traits are expressed by genes, which are
small sections of DNA that are coded for
specific traits.
• Genes are found on chromosomes.
• Humans have two sets of 23 chromosomes—
one set from each parent.
6
 Genetic Terms
Use library resources to define the following words and write
their definitions using your own words.
– allele:
– genes:
– dominant :
– recessive:
– homozygous:
– heterozygous:
– genotype:
– phenotype:
– Mendelian Inheritance:
7
 Mendelian Inheritance
1. The inherited traits are determined by genes that
are passed from parents to children.

2. A child inherits two sets of genes—one from each

parent.

3. A trait may not be observable, but its gene can be

passed to the next generation.

8
 Mendelian Inheritance
Each person has 2 copies of every gene—one copy
from mom and a second copy from dad. These copies
may come in different variations, known as alleles,
that express different traits.
For example, 2 alleles in the gene for freckles are
inherited from mom and dad:
– allele from mom = has freckles (F)
– allele from dad = no freckles (f)
– child has the inherited gene pair of alleles, Ff
(F allele from mom and f allele from dad).

9
 Pre‐lesson Activity slide notes for suggested discussion guides for teachers 
 
Slide 1:   This set of slides can be used as a review or introduction of basic genetic concepts that 
students should know before the Lessons 1 and 2.  
 
Slide 2:   Conduct a brief class discussion to assess students’ knowledge and assumptions about 
genetics, while providing the information to those students who may not have any prior 
knowledge. 
 
Slice 3:   Hand out the Word Match Activity worksheet and ask students to work in pairs to complete 
the worksheet.  If needed, tell students that “double helix*” is paired with another term, 
and that both terms should be placed in one of the six areas indicated on the illustration.  
 
Slide 4:   Have students volunteer the answers and clarify that “double helix” is the structure of DNA.  
 
Slide 5:   Use this overhead for students to complete the 4 sentences. 
 
Slide 6:   Have students volunteer their answers, and help students understand that the inherited 
traits are passed from one generation to the next as the parents’ chromosomes are copied 
and passed to their children.  
 
Slide 7:   (Optional) For this task, pre‐arrange with a school librarian or media specialist to provide 
students with the computers with the web sites, “Talking Glossary of Genetic Terms” 
(http://www.genome.gov/10002096)  and/or “DNA from the Beginning’s Classical Genetics” 
(http://www.dnaftb.org/dnaftb/), in addition to other reference materials student pairs can 
used to complete the task.  
 
Hand out the Basic Genetic Terms worksheet and provide reference materials for students 
to use in completing the worksheet.  
 
Have student pairs take turns in sharing their definitions and examples of the terms. (See 
the Basic Genetic Terms for Teachers  for sample definitions and examples.)  
 
Slide 8:  Review key concepts of Mendelian Inheritance with students. For #3, ask students what 
situations may call for an unobservable trait to be passed from parents to children. Students 
may be able to apply their understanding of dominant and recessive traits where parents 
with both dominant and recessive traits only show dominant traits while being able to pass 
their recessive traits to the next generation. 
 
Slide 9:  Review with students the term “allele” (a variant form of a gene) and help students 
understand that each gene has a pair or two alleles—one allele from mom and the other 
from dad. 
Genetics in Harry Potter’s World
Lesson 1

• Phenotypes & Genotypes

• Dominant & Recessive Traits
• Punnett Square

1
 Genetics in Harry Potter?
• What types of inherited genetic traits are
described in the Harry Potter series?

2
 Inherited Physical Traits
in Harry Potter
"All the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and
more children than they can afford."
-- Draco Malfoy (Sorcerers Stone, Ch.6)
He was almost twice as tall as a normal
man and at least five times as wide.
(Sorcerer’s Stone, Ch.1)
Harry had a thin face, knobby knees,
black hair, and bright green eyes.
(Sorcerer’s Stone, Ch.1) A pale boy with a pointed face and white-
blond hair, Draco greatly resembled his
father. His mother was blonde too...
(Goblet of Fire, Ch.8)
3
 Applying Genetics to
the Harry Potter Characters
• What are some phenotypes (observable traits)
described in the four excerpts from the Harry
Potter books?

4
 Applying Genetics to
the Harry Potter Characters
• What are some phenotypes (observable traits)
described in the four excerpts from the Harry
Potter books?
– Freckles
– Hair color
– Eye color
– Height

5
 Applying Genetics to
the Harry Potter Characters
• A genetic trait can be described in two ways:
– Phenotypes are observable traits resulting from
how one’s genes are expressed. Ex., hair color, a
talent, sickle cell disease, etc.
– A Genotype consists of two letters that represent
a gene’s allele pair that results in a phenotype.

6
 Example: Freckles
• Two possible phenotypes for freckles are:
– Has Freckles (observable)
– No freckles (observable)
• A genotype for freckles is indicated by two alleles in
one of the genes that causes freckles. The possible
alleles using the first letter of the trait “f” are:
– F (dominant) = Has Freckles
– f (recessive) = No freckles

Question: Using F and f, what are possible genotypes

of the allele pair for freckles?
7
Freckles: Genotypes & Phenotypes
Question: Using F and f, what are possible
genotypes of the allele pair for freckles?
Genotype Phenotype
(alleles inherited from parents) (physical appearance)

FF ====== has freckles

Ff ====== has freckles
ff ====== no freckles
One dominant allele (F) is sufficient for its trait (has
freckles) to be observable, but both alleles have to be
recessive (f) for the recessive trait (no freckles) to be
observable. 8
 Example: Red Hair
• In one of the genes that determines hair color, red
hair is recessive to brown hair. One way to describe
these hair color alleles are:
– Red hair = r (notes recessive red color)
– Brown hair = R (notes dominant brown color)

Question: Using r (red hair) and R (brown hair) alleles,

what possible genotypes of the allele pair are there?
Genotype (allele pair) Phenotype (appearance)

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 Example: Red Hair
Question: Using R (brown hair) and r (red hair) alleles,
what possible genotypes of the allele pair are there?
Genotype (allele pair) Phenotype (appearance)
RR ====== brown hair
Rr ====== brown hair
rr ====== red hair

10
 Punnett Square:
Heredity Prediction Diagram

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Punnett Square: Freckles Case 1
Mom has freckles and dad has none. And
each parent has a homozygous genotype
(the two alleles in the gene are the same).

Their genotypes are:

Mom =
Dad =

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 Punnett Square: Freckles Case 1
The parents’ Punnett Square
homozygous
genotypes are:
Mom = F F
Dad = ff

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 Punnett Square: Freckles Case 1
The parents’
homozygous F F
genotypes are:
Mom = F F f
Dad = ff

Using the parents’

genotypes, each inner
f
square is filled with a
possible genotype for
their child. 14
 Punnett Square: Freckles Case 1
The parents’
homozygous F F
genotypes are:
Mom = F F f Ff Ff
Dad = ff
All possible genotypes
of their children have a f Ff Ff
freckle-dominant allele,
predicting a 100%
chance of their children
having freckles. 15
 Punnett Square: Freckles Case 2
What happens if both mom and dad have
freckles, and their genotypes are
heterozygous (the two alleles in the gene
are different)?

Their genotypes are:

Mom =
Dad =

16
 Punnett Square: Freckles Case 2
The parents’ Punnett Square
heterozygous
genotypes are:
Mom = F f
Dad = Ff

17
 Punnett Square: Freckles Case 2
The parents’
heterozygous F f
genotypes are:
Mom = F f F
Dad = Ff

Using the parents’

genotypes, each inner
f
square is filled with a
possible genotype for
their child. 18
 Punnett Square: Freckles Case 2
The parents’
F f
heterozygous
genotypes are:
Mom = F f F FF Ff
Dad = Ff

There is a 75% probability f

Ff ff
that their child will have
freckles, or a 25% chance
of a child with no freckles.
19
 Punnett Square: Weasley Family
All Weasley children have freckles and red hair. Use
a Punnett Square to predict the most likely
genotypes of their parents, Molly and Arthur
Weasley, for the two traits.
Use the following allele possibilities that we
identified previously:
– r (notes recessive red color) = Red hair
– R (notes dominant brown color) = Brown hair
– F (dominant) = Has Freckles
– f (recessive) = No freckles

20
Punnett Square: Weasley Family
All Weasley children have freckles and red hair—100%
probability. Possible genotypes for their red hair
(recessive trait) and freckles (dominant trait) are: rr
only for red hair and Ff or FF for freckles. The Punnett
Squares show the following genotypes for the children:

rr rr Ff/FF Ff/FF

rr rr Ff/FF Ff/FF

Both parents have rr. At least one parent has FF.

.
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 Punnett Square: The Potters
Question 1: Harry has dark/brown hair like his
father, but his mom had red hair. Using the
genotypes of rr, Rr, and RR, what possible
genotypes does each of the Potters have?

Questions 2: Harry marries Ginny who has red hair.

What are possible genotypes of their children’s hair
colors?
Use a Punnett Square to demonstrate how you
arrived at your answers.
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 Punnett Square: The Potters
Question 1: Harry has dark/brown hair like his
father, but his mom had red hair. Using the
genotypes of rr, Rr, and RR, what possible
genotypes does each of the Potters have?

The phenotypes of the Potters are:

James Potter (dad)—dark/brown hair
Lily Potter (mom)—red hair
Harry Potter—dark/brown hair

23
 Punnett Square: The Potters
Using the genotypes of rr, Rr, and RR, what are
possible genotypes for Harry’s parents?
– Mom-Lily (red hair) = rr
– Dad-James (dark hair) = Rr or RR
r r r r
R R

r R
The parents’ genotypes lead to 2 Punnett squares.
24
 Punnett Square: The Potters
Given Harry’s parents’ possible genotypes, the two
Punnett Squares can be completed as follows:
r r r r
R Rr Rr R Rr Rr

r rr rr R Rr Rr

In this situation, the only possible genotype for Harry’s

dark hair is Rr.
25
 Punnett Square: The Potters
Questions 2: Harry marries Ginny who has red hair.
What are possible genotypes of their children’s hair
colors?

26
 Punnett Square: Harry & Ginny

Harry marries Ginny who has red hair. What are the
possible genotypes of their children’s hair colors?

First, what are the genotypes for Harry’s and Ginny’s

hair colors?
Harry’s genotype = Rr
Ginny’s genotype = rr

27
 Punnett Square: Harry & Ginny
Harry marries Ginny who has red hair. What are
possible genotypes of their children’s hair colors?

Given Harry and Ginny’s genotypes, Rr and rr, we

can fill in the Punnett Square for their children’s
genotypes. r r

Their children have a 50% R Rr Rr

chance of being either
red- or dark-haired. r rr rr
28
 Human Mendelian Trait Examples

• Achoo Syndrome- People with this sneeze as a reflex

when they see sunlight, after having been in a dark
room. It’s a dominant trait.
• Ear wax (wet/dry)- Wet ear wax, or ear wax that is
brown and sticky, is the dominant trait. Dry ear wax,
or ear wax that is flaky, dry, and grayish-brown, is
recessive.
• Advanced Sleep Phase Syndrome- People with this
go to bed and wake up unusually early. It’s a
dominant trait.
29
 Lesson 1 slide notes for suggested discussion guides for teachers 
 
Slide 1:   Tell students that they will be applying the genetic terms they reviewed previously to some 
of the Harry Potter characters. If possible, display the Basic Genetic Terms Worksheet for 
Teachers for students to refer to as needed during the lesson.  
 
Slide 2:   Conduct a brief discussion to help students identify examples of genetic physical traits 
observed in different characters in Harry Potter. 
 
Slice 3:   Read aloud these excerpts as examples of possible genetic traits described in the series. 
  
Slide 4:   Review the definition of phenotype from the Basic Genetic Terms for Teachers sheet on 
display, and have students identify some of the phenotypes, observable traits, described in 
the excerpts on slide 3. 
  
Slide 5:   Let students know that they will be exploring the phenotypes and genotypes of these four 
physical traits. 
 
Slide 6:   Remind students about the terms phenotypes and genotypes, and help students understand 
that a genotype contains the allele pair containing genetic codes that results in a phenotype. 
  
Slide 7:   Model how to identify phenotypes and genotypes for a genetic trait using freckles as an 
example. Discuss and help students understand that genotypes are often represented by a 
letter from a trait, and that an upper‐case letter connotes a dominant trait and a lower‐case 
for a recessive trait. 
 
Slide 8:  Demonstrate how a genotype consists of two letters that represent the two or pair of alleles 
inherited from two parents. And apply the definitions of the terms, dominant and recessive 
from Basic Genetic Terms for Teachers, to the gene responsible for freckles—when a gene 
has an allele pair with one dominant and the other recessive traits, the dominant trait 
overrides recessive one. You can also reintroduce the term, heterozygous which applies to 
an allele pair with two different forms of the gene. 
 
Slide 9:  Have students think aloud about what the possible allele letters are for red hair color that is 
recessive to the brown color. Ask students how they would respond to the question in 
identifying possible genotypes and their corresponding phenotypes for this example. 
 
Slide 10:  Provide the answer for the question. Reiterate that the dominant trait becomes observable 
or expressed over the recessive trait. At least one allele with a dominant trait in the allele 
pair of a gene results in the dominant trait phenotype, while the recessive trait phenotype 
requires that both alleles in the gene have to be recessive. 
 
Slide 11:  Introduce the Punnett Square to students as a graphic way to evaluate probability and 
possibility of genotypes of parents and children. If appropriate, provide an introduction 
using the suggested web sites in the Background Information section of the lesson plan web 
site. 
 
Slide 12:  Review the terms, homozygous and heterozygous, from Basic Genetic Terms for Teachers on 
display. Ask students to determine the genotypes of parents with freckles using the earlier 
example used in the class. Guide students to justify their answers. 
 
Slide 13:  Clarify the answers and justification for them. Model how the word “homozygous” is used to 
solve the parents’ genotypes for freckles. 
 
Slide 14:  Demonstrate how both parents’ genotypes are placed on the square before determining 
their children’s possible genotypes. 
 
Slide 15:  Allow students to explore how the Punnett Square helps determine the children’s possible 
genotype(s) and their probability. 
 
Slide 16:  Conduct a brief question‐and‐answer session with the slides 16‐19. Coach students in using 
their knowledge to solve the question step by step. 
 
Slide 17‐18: Assess students’ understanding of how to use the Punnett Square and how they apply 
genetic terms and concepts through discussion. And help students work through any 
misconceptions along the way. 
 
Slide 19:  Ask or help students interpret the Punnett Square information into a probability/chance in 
percentages. 
 
Slide 20:  Guide students in using Punnett Square to determine the parents’ genotypes when their 
children’s genotypes are known. 
 
Slide 21:  Think aloud about how known genotypes of children can provide the probable genotypes of 
their parents. The Punnett Square is filled with the children’s possible genotypes (derived 
from all of them having red hair and freckles) that are used to draw conclusions on the 
possible genotypes of their parents. 
 
Slide 22:  Distribute the Potters’ Hair Color handout to each student and have students work in pairs 
to answer the two questions on the handout. If needed, display slide 10 to remind students 
about the genotypes they worked on between red and brown hair colors.  
 
 Have student pairs volunteer their answers, and guide their reasoning using slides 23‐25 for 
Question 1, and slides 27‐28 for Question 2. 
 
Slide 23:  Ask students how the described hair colors of Lily, James and Harry Potter may help 
determine their genotypes for that trait. If needed, clarify that different phenotypes, 
observable traits, result from different allele combinations of a genotype. This means their 
described hair colors provide information about the genotypes that resulted in their 
respective hair colors. 
 
Slide 24:  Have students volunteer their answers to each question while providing details on how they 
arrived at their answers.  Confirm and correct based on the correct or false reasoning and 
answers that students provide. 
 
Slide 25:  Clarify that Harry cannot have RR genotype which also result in dark/brown hair color.  The 
only possible genotype for his hair is Rr.  Also ask students to consider what else the two 
Punnett Squares show about the possible hair colors that Harry’s sibling could have. Guide 
students to think about the two different Punnett Squares and have them use the 
percentage to indicate the probability of each.  For example, one Punnett Square shows that 
Harry’s sibling has 50% chance of having brown/dark or red hair.  But the other Punnett 
Square shows that his sibling will have brown/dark hair just like him—100% chance. 
 
Slide 26‐28: Restate Question 2 and ask students to volunteer their answer and explain how they arrived 
at the answer. 
 
Slide 29:  Display this Human Mendelian Trait Examples chart and distribute the Human Mandelian 
Traits worksheet. Allow students to work in pairs and have student pairs share their 
findings. Collect the completed worksheet to evaluate students’ understanding of the 
concepts covered during the lesson.  
 
Genetics in Harry Potter’s World
Lesson 2

• Beyond Mendelian Inheritance

• Genetics of Magical Ability

1
 Rules of Inheritance
• Some traits follow the simple rules of Mendelian
inheritance of dominant and recessive genes.
• Complex traits follow different patterns of
inheritance that may involve multiples genes and
other factors. For example,
– Incomplete or blended dominance
– Codominance
– Multiple alleles
– Regulatory genes
Any guesses on what these terms may mean?

2
 Incomplete Dominance
• Incomplete dominance results in a phenotype that is
a blend of a heterozygous allele pair.
Ex., Red flower + Blue flower => Purple flower

• If the dragons in Harry Potter have fire-power alleles

F (strong fire) and F’ (no fire) that follow incomplete
dominance, what are the phenotypes for the
following dragon-fire genotypes?
– FF
– FF’
– F’F’
3
 Incomplete Dominance
• Incomplete dominance results in a phenotype that is
a blend of the two traits in an allele pair.
Ex., Red flower + Blue flower => Purple flower

• If the Dragons in Harry Potter have fire-power alleles

F (strong fire) and F’ (no fire) that follow incomplete
dominance, what are the phenotypes for the
following dragon-fire genotypes:
Genotypes Phenotypes
FF strong fire
FF’ moderate fire (blended trait)
F’F’ no fire
4
 Codominance
• Codominance results in a phenotype that shows
both traits of an allele pair.
Ex., Red flower + White flower => Red & White
spotted flower
• If merpeople have tail color alleles B (blue) and G
(green) that follow the codominance inheritance
rule, what are possible genotypes and phenotypes?
Genotypes Phenotypes

5
 Codominance
• Codominance results in a phenotype that shows
both traits of an allele pair.
Ex., Red flower + White flower => Red & White
spotted flower (both traits)
• If merpeople have tail color alleles B (blue) and G
(green) that follow the codominance inheritance
rule, what are possible genotypes and phenotypes?
Genotypes Phenotypes
BB blue tail
GG green tail
BG blue & green tail (both traits)
6
 Multiple alleles
• Multiple alleles have more than 2 variations.
Ex., human blood type has 3 different allele variants,
A, B, and O.
Genotypes Phenotypes
AA, AO A blood type
AB AB blood type
BB, BO B blood type
OO O blood type

7
 Multiple Alleles: Human Blood type
If parents have A A O
(AO) and B (BB)
blood types, what
are the possible B
genotypes and
phenotypes of their
children?

B
8
 Multiple Alleles: Human Blood type
If parents have A A O
(AO) and B (BB)
blood types, what
are possible B AB BO
genotypes and
phenotypes of their
children?
Genotypes: AB and
BO
B AB BO
Phenotypes: AB and
B blood types 9
 Regulatory Genes
• Regulatory genes regulate the expression of other
genes.
• For example, a regulatory gene may ‘silence’ another
gene from expressing its dominant trait. The Manx
cat has no tail because it has a regulatory gene that
silences the gene that expresses the tail. This tail-
silencing gene is dominant and has possible alleles:
S = silences tail gene = no tail (Manx cat)
s = doesn’t silence tail gene = has tail (non-Manx cat)

Question: Can 2 Manx cats without tails have a kitten

with a tail? Show your answer using a Punnett square.
10
 Regulatory Genes: Manx Cat
Question: Can 2 Manx cats without tails have a kitten
with a tail? Show your answer using a Punnett square.
The possible alleles for the tail-silencing gene are:
S = no tail (dominant)
s = has tail (recessive)
S s
S SS Ss
Only if both parent cats have the
heterozygous genotype, Ss. Then,
there is a 25% chance for
their having a kitten with a tail.
s Ss ss

11
Complex Traits in Harry Potter
• What kind of gene inheritance may be
responsible for Hagrid’s height, which is
about 12 feet?

• What is the genotype for Harry’s eye

color? If he had any siblings, what colors
would their eyes be?

12
 Complex Trait: Hagrid’s Height
• Hagrid’s father was a wizard and his mother was a
giantess. The normal heights for giants and wizards
are: Giants = about 20 ft. & Wizard = 5-6 ft.

• Given that Hagrid is described to be about 12 ft.,

what type of genetic inheritance may be at work for
Hagrid’s height?

13
 Complex Trait: Hagrid’s Height
• Hagrid’s father was a wizard and his mother was a
giantess. The normal heights for giants and wizards
are: Giants = 20-25 ft. & Wizard = 5-6 ft.
• Given that Hagrid is described to about 12 ft., what
type of genetic inheritance may be at work for
Hagrid’s height?
Hagrid’s height is close to the average of the heights of
a wizard and a giantess, (5+20)/2=12.5 ft, which shows
incomplete dominance.

14
 Complex Trait: Hippogriff Coats
• Hippogriff coats come in many colors, like horse coats; coat
color has multiple alleles:
– C = chestnut (codominant with other colors)
– W = white (codominant with other colors)
– B = black (codominant with other colors)
• Draw a Punnett square for the parents of a red roan (CW)
hippogriff. (“Red roan” means it’s covered in both white hairs
and chestnut hairs.)
One parent has a chestnut
coat (CC). The other has a
white coat (WW).

15
 Complex Traits: Hippogriff Coats
• Hippogriff coats come in many colors, like horse coats; coat
color has multiple alleles:
– C = chestnut (codominant with other colors)
– W = white (codominant with other colors)
– B = black (codominant with other colors)
• Draw a Punnett square for the parents of a red roan (CW)
hippogriff. (“Red roan” means it’s covered in both white hairs
and chestnut hairs.) W W
One parent has a chestnut C CW CW
coat (CC). The other has a
white coat (WW). 100% of
their offspring will have C CW CW
red roan coats (CW).
16
Complex-Trait Activity: Magical Ability
(independent group activity)
In the Harry Potter series, characters are born with
or without magical ability. Those with magical ability
also show very strong, normal or weak ability.
Assuming that magical ability is inherited, identify
the possible phenotypes and genotypes of the
following characters: Harry, Hermione, Ron,
Dumbledore, Aunt Petunia, and Mr. Filch
Hints: Start by identifying phenotypes which will provide possible
genotypes. Also consider whether simple Mendelian or complex traits
apply to the magical ability traits.

17
Complex-Trait Activity: Magical Ability
(guided activity)
In the Harry Potter series, characters are born with
or without magical ability. Those with magical ability
also show very strong, normal or weak ability.
Assuming that magical ability is a genetic trait, what
are possible phenotypes and genotypes of the
following characters?
Harry, Hermione, Ron, Dumbledore, Aunt Petunia,
and Mr. Filch

18
Magical Ability: Possible Phenotypes
How would you describe the following characters’
magical ability?
– Harry
– Hermione
– Ron
– Dumbledore
– Aunt Petunia
– Mr. Filch

19
 Magical Ability: Possible Phenotypes
How would you describe the following characters’
magical ability?
– Harry has strong magical ability
– Hermione has strong magical ability
– Ron has average magical ability
– Dumbledore has strong magical ability
– Aunt Petunia has no magical ability
– Mr. Filch has weak magical ability
The descriptions divide into two different categories of
observable traits—1) expression and 2) strength of magical
ability, which may indicate two genes responsible for the ability.
20
Magical Ability: Possible Phenotypes
How would you describe the following characters’
magical ability?
– Harry has strong magical ability
– Hermione has strong magical ability
– Ron has average magical ability
– Dumbledore has strong magical ability
– Aunt Petunia has no magical ability
– Mr. Filch has weak magical ability
Each category of magical ability description represents a gene
responsible for certain observable traits:
Expression—has the ability or doesn’t have the ability
Strength—has strong, average, or weak magical ability
21
 Magical Ability: Possible Genotypes
What are the possible genotypes that may
correspond to the 2 genes (expression and strength
of magical ability) below?
Gene 1: expression of magical ability
Expressed (witches & wizards)
Not expressed (Muggles do not have magical ability)
Gene 2: strength of magical ability
Strong
Average
Weak (i.e., squibs)
Hint: Are the two phenotypes complex traits and not simple Mendelian
traits? If so, what type of complex trait are they?
22
 Magical Ability: Possible Genotypes
What are possible genotypes for the phenotypes of
expressed and not expressed magical ability?
– Two Muggle parents can have a child with magical ability, like
Hermione Muggles must have a gene for magic that is not
expressed or silenced by another regulatory gene.
– The possible alleles for the silencing gene are: S (dominant) or
s (recessive). The genotypes of the allele pair for expressed or
not expressed phenotypes are:
Expressed (witches & wizards) —ss
Not expressed (Muggles) —SS, Ss

23
 Magical Ability: Possible Genotypes
What are possible genotypes for the phenotypes of
the strength of magical ability?
– There are three phenotypes described for the strength of
magical ability: strong, average, or weak.
– Given “strong + weak=average”, the magical strength gene
with M (strong ability) and M’ (weak ability) alleles affected
by incomplete dominance can produce the genotypes
corresponding to the three different phenotypes:
Strong ability —MM
Average ability—MM’ (incomplete dominance)
Weak ability (i.e., squibs) —M’M’

24
Magical Ability: Possible Genotypes
Summary of phenotypes and genotypes
for magical ability
There are two genes related to magical ability.
Possible genotypes of the two genes (two pairs of
alleles) are:
Expressed (witches & wizards) —ss
Not expressed (muggles) —Ss, SS (silencing gene)
Strong —MM
Good/normal—MM’ (incomplete dominance)
Weak (i.e., squibs) —M’M’

25
 Magical Genes: Summary of 2 Genes
• Must be ss to have magical ability:
– MMss = very powerful wizard
– MM’ss = average wizard
– M’M’ss = very weak wizard (or squib)

• If you have at least one S you are a Muggle:

– MMSs, MM’Ss, M’M’Ss = a Muggle who could have
children with magical ability with a spouse with at least
one s
– MMSS, MM’SS, M’M’SS = a Muggle who would never have
children with magical ability

26
Magical Ability: Characters’ Genotypes
Using the genotype summary, what are possible
genotypes of each character?
– Harry: strong magical ability (MMss)
– Hermione: average magical ability (MMss)
– Ron: average magical ability (MM’ss)
– Dumbledore: strong magical ability (MMss)
– Aunt Petunia: no magical ability (MMSs, MM’Ss, M’M’Ss,
MMSS, MM’SS, M’M’SS)
– Mr. Filch: weak magical ability (M’M’ss)

27
 Magic Runs in Families
Answer the following questions and provide
reasoning for your answers:
– Hermione’s possible genotype is MMss, indicating her
strong magical ability. What are possible genotypes of
Hermione’s parents who are Muggles without the ability?
– Harry Potter married Ginny Weasley. Will all of their
children have magical ability?
– Could Dudley Dursley potentially have children with
magical ability?

28
 Hermione’s Parents
Question: What are possible genotypes of Hermione’s
parents who are Muggles (no magical ability)?
• Hermione’s genotype is MMss.
– For Hermione’s inherited ss, both of her Muggle parents
must have Ss.
– For Hermione’s inherited MM, both parents may have MM
or MM’, but neither parents can have M’M’ allele pair.

• Hermione’s parents’ possible genotypes are:

– MMSs, or MM’Ss

29
 Harry and Ginny’s Children
Question: Will all of Harry and Ginny’s children have
magical ability?
• Parents’ magical genes:
– Harry’s genotype is MMss.
– Ginny’s genotype may be MMss or MM’ss.
• Harry’s and Ginny’s children’s genotypes:
– Since Harry and Ginny each has an ss allele pair, they can
only pass s alleles to their children. Therefore, all of their
children having inherited ss allele pair, have magical ability.

30
 Dudley’s Children
Question: Could Dudley Dursley potentially have
children with magical ability?
• Dudley’s parents’ genotypes:
– Vernon Dursley is about as magic-less as one can get. So
let’s assume Vernon’s genotype is M’M’SS.
– Petunia’s sister Lily Potter had magical ability. So, Petunia
can have a genotype of SS or Ss allele pair.
• Dudley’s genotypes:
– If Dudley inherited S allele from both parents, he cannot
have kids with magical ability.
– If Dudley inherited an s allele from Petunia, he can have
kids with magical ability with a Muggle with an Ss allele
pair, or a witch possessing an ss allele pair.
31
 Lesson 2 slide notes for teachers
Slide 1: Return students’ completed Human Mendelian Traits worksheets and review the
Mendelian inheritance concept along with genetic terms covered in previous
lesson.
Slide 2: Have students guess how these examples of genetic rules may work. Encourage
students to guess a definition or provide an example for each term
Slide 3: Define and provide an example for incomplete dominance, and help students
understand and apply the concept to the dragon’s fire power. Students may ask
about using F and F’ instead of lower and upper-case letters. Provide clarification
that lower and upper-case letters are used to indicate alleles with dominant or
recessive traits. And explain that incomplete dominance is indicated with
apostrophe (’) on an upper case letter.
Slide 4: Provide the answers for the phenotypes related to the three different genotypes
for the dragon-fire trait.

Slide 5: Define and provide an example for codominance, and help students understand
and apply the concept to merpeople's tail colors. Clarify the important
distinction between codominance and incomplete dominance--the former
resulting in a blended or averaged phenotype, the latter showing a mixture of
two traits, each trait being observable.
Slide 6: Provide the answers for both genotypes and phenotypes for merpeople’s tail
colors.
Slide 7: Explain the multiple alleles—more than 2 variant forms of a gene—related to
human blood types. Students may observe additional relationship among the
blood types: O is recessive to A and B; A and B are codominant. However they
may also notice that the recessive O blood type does not use lower case letter as
all blood types are indicated with upper case letters.
Slide 8: Guide and review with students how to use the Punnett square to determine
possible blood types of children with known genotypes of parents’ blood-types.
Slide 9: Compare students’ answers and provide further explanation as needed.

Slide 10: Define and provide the example of a silencing regulatory gene in Manx cats. Have
students work in pairs to answer whether two Manx cats without tails can have a
kitten with a tail.
Slide 11: Have student pairs volunteer their answers and review the answer using a
Punnett square.
Slide 12: Pose these two questions and help students think about the types of information
that they should consider to answer the questions.
Slide 13: Demonstrate how Hagrid’s height might be a phenotype of an
incomplete/blended trait. Concerning estimated average heights for wizards and
giants, wizards are humans whose average height may be about 5-6 ft., and
giants’ height is approximated at 20 ft. by Hermione at the beginning of the
chapter 24 in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

Slide 14: If necessary, remind students of the examples of incomplete dominance using
previous slide 4.
Slide 15: Inform students about the multiple alleles related to hippogriff coat colors. Have
students use the Punnett square to determine possible genotypes for different
hippogriffs.

Slide 16: Have students provide their findings and use this slide to guide and clarify
reasoning behind the answers.
Slide 17: If appropriate, have students work in groups of 3 or 4 to find the genotypes of
several characters in Harry Potter. Support those students with little knowledge
of Harry Potter, by provide background information on each character. Brief
descriptions of these characters are available in the Vocabulary section of the
lesson plan web site.
Have groups present their answers, along with how they arrived at their
answers. When reviewing student groups’ work, use the slides 19-27 to guide
students in applying the concepts that they have learned in identifying the
characters’ possible genotypes of their magical ability.
Slide 18: Present the guided activity. Have students work in groups of 3 so that the
activity is conducted as question-and-answer sessions that alternate between
group work and class discussion.

Slide 19: Have students describe the characters’ magical ability. If groups differ in their
descriptions, you can determine the description by majority vote.
Guide students to think about how to define different kinds/categories of
magical ability that apply to all characters, such as Hermione (a powerful witch
whose parents do not have any magical ability), Mr. Filch (a squib with very weak
magical power, although he is of a wizarding family), and aunt Petunia (a Muggle
who has no magical power and whose parents were also Muggles, but has a
sister, Harry’s mom, with magical power).
 Slides 20-22, walk through identifying two categories (i.e., genes) of magical
traits demonstrated by the characters, which is one way to be inclusive of
different observable magical traits in the characters in Harry Potter.
Slide 20: List the characters’ magical ability that is represented in two categories of the
descriptions of magical ability observed among the characters. This includes
Harry’s aunt, Petunia who has no magical ability that is defined as a Muggle in
the Harry Potter novels.
Have students review all different observable traits related to magical ability—
different strengths of magical ability (strong, average, or weak) as well as the
presence or expression of the ability.
Help students build a connection from the two categories of observable magical
traits to the corresponding two genes that are responsible for the two categories
of observable magical traits: 1) expression of magical ability, and 2) strength of
the ability.
Slide 21: Help students distinguish the two different categories/genes that affect magical
ability and identify the possible observable traits from the characters’
descriptions above.

Slide 22: Have students work in their groups to identify possible genotypes for the two
genes’ phenotypes—expressed or unexpressed magical ability; and strong,
average or week ability—that the characters demonstrate.
State the hint and help students apply their understanding of the complex traits
they learned about previously. If appropriate, provide additional hints by
reminding students about the previous examples of different complex traits—
Manx cats’ regulatory gene that silences the ‘expression’ of a tail; and dragon
fire power under incomplete dominance creating an ‘average’ trait between
strong and no fire power.
Slide 23: Have student groups share the possible genotypes for the expression of magical
ability.
Ask what types of inheritance rule(s) they applied to create genotypes that
account for all possibilities of how magical ability is expressed or not expressed
in the characters—i.e., does it include Muggles, who show no magical ability but
can have a child with magical ability?
Guide students in expressing their reasons behind how they determined the
possible genotypes for the phenotypes of the characters’ magical ability. Work
through misconceptions through discussion, and clarify that Muggles with no
 magical ability seem to have a gene for magic as they are able to produce
children with the ability, such as Hermione and Lily. And this doesn’t allow
magical ability to be simply dominant or recessive, in which case the Muggles
will not be able to have children with magical ability. One possible way for
magical ability not to express but for its gene to be passed down to the next
generation is if there is another gene that regulates (silences or expresses) the
gene for magic.

Slide 24: Have student groups share the possible genotypes for the strength of magical
ability. Clarify that this gene may be silenced or expressed by the other
regulatory gene, but also is responsible for how powerful the magical ability is—
strong, average, or weak.
Ask student groups to demonstrate how their possible genotypes account for all
possibilities of magical strength demonstrated by the characters. Discuss that
one way to account for the three different magical strengths is to apply
incomplete/blended dominance to the gene for the strength of magical ability. If
needed, review slide 4 where examples were presented earlier in the lesson.

Slide 25: Summarize all possible genotypes for the two genes—a gene for expression of
magical ability and another gene for strength of magical ability.
Slide 26: Apply the possible genotypes of the two genes to the phenotypes of witches,
wizards, and Muggles, and the strength of magical ability they demonstrate.
If needed, explain that the letters represent the two allele pairs in the two
genes—one regulatory and the other magic strength genes—that affect magical
ability.

Slide 27: Have student groups assign possible genotypes for the magical ability of the
characters. As groups volunteer their answers, use the Summary slide 26 to
clarify as needed.
Slide 28: Distribute the handout to all students and have students work in their groups to
answer these three questions.
If appropriate, display slides 25 and 26 for students to refer to as they work to
answer the questions on the handout.
Slide 29: Have student groups volunteer their answers and how they arrived at their
answers. Clarify and correct answers as needed.

Slide 30: Have student groups volunteer their answers and how they arrived at their
answers. Clarify and correct answers as needed.
Slide 31: Have student groups volunteer their answers and how they arrived at their
answers. Clarify and correct answers as needed.
 Student Name
HARRY POTTER’S WORLD Date
Science-Genetics Class Period

Word Match Activity

Instructions: Match the following genetic terms to their corresponding parts of the illustration: base pair, cell, chromosome, DNA
(Deoxyribonucleic Acid), double helix*, genes, nucleus

Illustration Source: Talking Glossary of Genetic Terms http://www.genome.gov/glossary.cfm?key=chromosome

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 Student Name
HARRY POTTER’S WORLD Date
Science-Genetics Class Period

Teacher’s Word Match Activity

Instructions: Match the following genetic terms to their corresponding parts of the illustration: base pair, cell, chromosome, DNA
(Deoxyribonucleic Acid), double helix*, genes, nucleus

Nucleus Chromosome

Cell

Base Pair

(double helix)
DNA

Genes

Illustration Source: Talking Glossary of Genetic Terms http://www.genome.gov/glossary.cfm?key=chromosome

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 Student Name
HARRY POTTER’S WORLD Date
Science-Genetics Class Period

Basic Genetic Terms

Instructions: Use the available reference resources to complete the table below. After finding out the definition of each word,
rewrite the definition using your own words (middle column), and provide an example of how you may use the word (right
column).

Genetic Terms Definitions in Your Own Words An Example

Allele

Genes

Dominant

Recessive

Homozygous

Heterozygous

Genotype

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 Student Name
HARRY POTTER’S WORLD Date
Science-Genetics Class Period

Basic Genetic Terms

Genetic Terms Definitions in Your Own Words An Example
Phenotype

Mendelian
Inheritance

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 Student Name
HARRY POTTER’S WORLD Date
Science-Genetics Class Period

Teacher’s Basic Genetic Terms

Instructions: Use the available reference resources to complete the table below. After finding out the definition of each word,
rewrite the definition using your own words (middle column), and provide an example of how you may use the word (right
column).

Genetic Terms Definitions in Your Own Words An Example

Allele Different forms of a gene, which produce Different alleles produce different hair colors—
variations in a genetically inherited trait. brown, blond, red, black, etc.

Genes Genes are parts of DNA and carry hereditary Genes contain blue‐print for each individual for her
information passed from parents to children. or his specific traits.

Dominant Dominant version (allele) of a gene shows its When a child inherits dominant brown‐hair gene
specific trait even if only one parent passed the form (allele) from dad, the child will have brown
gene to the child. hair.

Recessive Recessive gene shows its specific trait when both When a child inherits recessive blue‐eye gene form
parents pass the gene to the child. (allele) from both mom and dad, the child will have
blue eyes.

Homozygous Two of the same form of a gene—one from mom Inheriting the same blue eye gene form from both
and the other from dad. parents result in a homozygous gene.

Heterozygous Two different forms of a gene—one from mom Inheriting different eye color gene forms from mom
and the other from dad are different. and dad result in a heterozygous gene.

Genotype Internal heredity information that contain genetic Blue eye and brown eye have different genotypes—
code. one is coded for blue and the other for brown.

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 Student Name
HARRY POTTER’S WORLD Date
Science-Genetics Class Period

Teacher’s Basic Genetic Terms

Genetic Terms Definitions in Your Own Words An Example
Phenotype Outwardly expressed traits or characteristics. Both having or not having a widow’s peak are
phenotypes.

Mendelian A simple genetic rule where a gene only comes in Some genetic traits follow Mendelian Inheritance,
Inheritance dominant or recessive forms. while other genetic traits follow different
inheritance patterns or rules.

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 Student Name
HARRY POTTER’S WORLD Date
Science-Genetics Class Period

Harry Potter Terms and Characters

The following characters and terms from the Harry Potter series are found in this lesson plan.

• Muggles in the Harry Potter series refer to those who show no magical ability. For example, people who live
unaware of the magical world are called Muggles by witches and wizards with magical ability.

• Harry, a wizard, is the son of Lily and James Potter. Lily Potter had two parents without any magical ability—i.e.,
Muggles. Lily’s sister, Petunia, does not have the ability either.

• Hermione is one of Harry’s best friends and is a powerful witch. She has parents who are Muggles, meaning they do
not possess magical ability.

• Ron Weasley, another wizard, is one of Harry’s best friends and is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, and Ginny
Weasley’s brother. He has other siblings, all of whom have red hair and freckles.

• Dumbledore is a powerful wizard who is the headmaster of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

• Mr. Filch is the caretaker of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Both of his parents have magical ability,
but he has very weak magical ability, himself. Witches and wizards with weak magical ability are called squibs in the
Harry Potter series.

• Dudley Dursley is Harry’s cousin, the only son of his maternal aunt, Petunia, who is married to Vernon Dursley.

• Hagrid is the Keeper of the Keys and Grounds of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and teaches the class,
Care of Magical Creatures. His father was a human wizard, while his mother was a giantess.

• A hippogriff is a creature with the head, wings, and forelimbs of a giant eagle, and the body of a horse. Their coat
colors come in the same varieties as horses’ coats (e.g., chestnut, black, gray, roan, white, etc.)

*For information on more characters and lineages from the Harry Potter series, refer to The Harry Potter Lexicon at www.hp-
lexicon.org.

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 Student Name
HARRY POTTER’S WORLD Date
Science-Genetics Class Period

Hair Colors
Instructions: Solve the two questions below and use a Punnett square to demonstrate how you arrived at your answers.

Question 1: Harry has dark hair like his father, but his mom had red hair. Using the genotypes of rr (red hair), Rr (dark/brown hair),
RR (dark/brown hair), what possible genotypes does each of the Potters have?

Question 2: Harry marries Ginny who has red hair. What are possible genotypes of their children’s hair colors?

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 Student Name
HARRY POTTER’S WORLD Date
Science-Genetics Class Period

Teacher’s Hair Colors

Instructions: Solve the two questions below and use a Punnett square to demonstrate how you arrived at your answers.

Question 1: Harry has dark hair like his father, but his mom had red hair. Using the genotypes of rr (red hair), Rr (dark/brown hair),
RR (dark/brown hair), what possible genotypes does each of the Potters have?

The phenotypes of the Potters are:

James Potter (dad)—dark/brown hairgRr or RR
Lily Potter (mom)—red hairgrr
Harry Potter—dark/brown hairgRr

• In this situation, the only possible genotype for Harry’s dark hair is Rr.

Question 2: Harry marries Ginny who has red hair. What are possible genotypes of their children’s hair colors?

Given Harry and Ginny’s genotypes, Rr and rr, we can fill in the Punnett Square for their children’s genotypes.
• Their children have a 50% chance of being either red-or dark-haired.

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 Student Name
HARRY POTTER’S WORLD Date
Science-Genetics Class Period

Human Mendelian Traits

Mendelian Traits are those traits which follow Mendel’s rules of only 2 possible versions of a gene (1 dominant, 1 recessive). There
are only a few examples of this in humans.

1. Use the chart below to determine your phenotype (observable characteristic) and possible genotype(s) (a pair or pairs
of alleles). Since you cannot do a genetic test right now, if you have the dominant phenotype, you should include both the
homozygous and heterozygous genotypes—see the example for Advanced Sleep Phase Syndrome in the first row.

Trait Possible Alleles Your Phenotype Your Genotype(s)

Advanced Sleep Wakes up very early (E) Ex., wakes up very early EE (homozygous) or Ee
Phase Syndrome Wakes up at normal time (e) (heterozygous)

Achoo Syndrome Sneezes in the sun (A)

Doesn’t sneeze in the sun (a)

Ear wax (wet/dry) Wet (W)

Dry (w)

2. Did you have mostly dominant or recessive traits?

3. Compare your findings with other students.

a. For which trait were most students dominant?

b. For which trait were most students recessive?

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 Student Name
HARRY POTTER’S WORLD Date
Science-Genetics Class Period

4. First complete the Punnett Squares below using your own genotype for each trait. If you have a dominant trait, choose to
use either the heterozygous or homozygous genotype. The other person’s genotype is provided. After completing the Punnett
Square, identify possible phenotypes of offspring and the probability of each phenotype in percentage.

a) Achoo Syndrome genotypes: Yours & the other person’s Aa.

List Possible Phenotypes % (Probability of Inheritance)

b) Ear wax genotypes: Yours & the other person’s ww.

List Possible Phenotypes % (Probability of Inheritance)

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 Student Name
HARRY POTTER’S WORLD Date
Science-Genetics Class Period

Teacher’s Human Mendelian Traits

Mendelian Traits are those traits which follow Mendel’s rules of only 2 possible versions of a gene (1 dominant, 1 recessive). There
are only a few examples of this in humans.

1. Use the chart below to determine your phenotype (observable characteristic) and possible genotype(s) (a pair or pairs
of alleles). Since you cannot do a genetic test right now, if you have the dominant phenotype, you should include both the
homozygous and heterozygous genotypes—see the example for Advanced Sleep Phase Syndrome in the first row.
[Note: Review each trait to ensure that students know what to look for.]

Trait Possible Alleles Your Phenotype Your Genotype(s)

Advanced Sleep Wakes up very early (E) Ex., wakes up very early EE (homozygous) or Ee
Phase Syndrome Wakes up at normal time (e) (heterozygous)

Achoo Syndrome Sneezes in the sun (A)

Doesn’t sneeze in the sun (a)

Ear wax (wet/dry) Wet (W)

Dry (w)

2. Did you have mostly dominant or recessive traits?

[Note: Discuss with students what may affect the balance between the number of dominant and recessive traits. Use the class
data to point out that a dominant gene isn’t always the most common trait observed. For examples, your students’ data may
show that there are fewer people with Achoo Syndrome, even though it is a dominant trait.]

3. Compare your findings with other students.

[Note: This is to help students practice applying the terms
“dominant” and “recessive.” Clarify so that students understand that the dominance and recessiveness of these traits do not
indicate that one is better than the other. If needed, have students consider how a recessive gene, although not expressed
phenotypically in a parent, can be passed to offspring, keeping the recessive gene in the gene pool.]

a. For which trait were most students dominant?

b. For which trait were most students recessive?

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HARRY POTTER’S WORLD Date
Science-Genetics Class Period

4. First complete the Punnett Squares below using your own genotype for each trait. If you have a dominant trait, choose to
use either the heterozygous or homozygous genotype. The other person’s genotype is provided. After completing the Punnett
Square, identify possible phenotypes of offspring and the probability of each phenotype in percentage.
[Note: Use the following exercises to assess students’ proficiency and provide additional instructions as needed, so that they
become comfortable using the Punnett square.]

a) Achoo Syndrome genotypes: Yours & the other person’s Aa.

List Possible Phenotypes % (Probability of Inheritance)

b) Ear wax genotypes: Yours & the other person’s ww.

List Possible Phenotypes % (Probability of Inheritance)

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HARRY POTTER’S WORLD Date
Science-Genetics Class Period

Complex Traits
1) Incomplete dominance
Let’s assume that dragons show incomplete dominance for fire breathing. The Fallele provides lots of fire and the F’ allele gives
no fire. (a) If a dragon that has very strong fire is crossed with a dragon that has moderate fire, what will their offspring be like? (b)
Under what conditions can a baby dragon be born that never has fire? Justify your answer with Punnett Squares.

2) Codominance
Let’s say that the color of merpeople’s tail is controlled by a codominant gene and the alleles are blue (B) and green (G). Show a
cross between two merpeople who have bluish-green tails (BG). Give the offspring phenotypes with percentages.

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 Student Name
HARRY POTTER’S WORLD Date
Science-Genetics Class Period

Teacher’s Complex Traits

1) Incomplete dominance
Let’s assume that dragons show incomplete dominance for fire breathing. The Fallele provides lots of fire and the F’ allele gives
no fire. (a) If a dragon that has very strong fire is crossed with a dragon that has moderate fire, what will their offspring be like? (b)
Under what conditions can a baby dragon be born that never has fire? Justify your answer with Punnett Squares.

[Note:
a) Parent dragons with FF (strong) and FF’ (moderate) have a 50% chance of having a baby dragon with strong fire (FF)
or with moderate fire (FF’).

b) A baby dragon with no fire (F’F’) can be produced by two dragons with no fire (F’F’ X F’F’), both with moderate fire (FF’ X
FF’), or one with no fire and the other with moderate fire (F’F’ X FF’).]

2) Codominance
Let’s say that the color of merpeople’s tail is controlled by a codominant gene and the alleles are blue (B) and green (G). Show a
cross between two merpeople who have bluish-green tails (BG). Give the offspring phenotypes with percentages.

[Note: Between parents with BG and BG tail color genotype, their children have 50% chance having blue-green tails and 25%
chance having blue or green tails.]

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 Student Name
HARRY POTTER’S WORLD Date
Science-Genetics Class Period

Magic Runs in Families

Instructions: Use the genetic concepts and terms you have learned to find answers and explain your answers to the following
three questions.

Question 1: Hermione’s possible genotypes are MMss or MM’ss. What are possible genotypes of Hermione’s parents who are
Muggles?

Question 2: Harry Potter married Ginny Weasley. Will all of their children have magical ability?

Question 3: Could Dudley Dursley potentially have children with magical ability?

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 Student Name
HARRY POTTER’S WORLD Date
Science-Genetics Class Period

Teacher’s Magic Runs in Families

Instructions: Use the genetic concepts and terms you have learned to find answers and explain your answers to the following
three questions.

Question 1: Hermione’s possible genotypes are MMss or MM’ss. What are possible genotypes of Hermione’s parents who are
Muggles?
• Hermione’s genotype is MMss.

• For Hermione’s inherited ss, both of her Muggle parents must have Ss.

• For Hermione’s inherited MM, both parents may have MM or MM’, but neither parents can have M’M’ allele pair.

• Hermione’s parents’ possible genotypes are:

• MMSs, or MM’Ss

Question 2: Harry Potter married Ginny Weasley. Will all of their children have magical ability?
• Parents’ magical genes:

• Harry’s genotype is MMss.

• Ginny’s genotype may be MMss or MM’ss.

• Harry’s and Ginny’s children’s genotypes:

• Since Harry and Ginny each has an ss allele pair, they can only pass s alleles to their children. Therefore, all of their
children having inherited ss allele pair, have magical ability.

Question 3: Could Dudley Dursley potentially have children with magical ability?
• Dudley’s parents’ genotypes:

• Vernon Dursley is about as magic‐less as one can get. So let’s assume Vernon’s genotype is M’M’SS.

• Petunia’s sister Lily Potter had magical ability. So, Petunia can have a genotype of SS or Ss allele pair.

• Dudley’s genotypes:

• If Dudley inherited S allele from both parents, he cannot have kids with magical ability.

• If Dudley inherited an s allele from Petunia, he can have kids with magical ability with a Muggle with an Ss allele
pair, or a witch possessing an ss allele pair.

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 Student Name
HARRY POTTER’S WORLD Date
Science-Genetics Class Period

Monster Genetics Lab

You have learned about many different patterns of inheritance. Some are simple dominant or recessive, as in Mendelian traits.
Some are more complex, such as incomplete dominant or codominant traits. In this lab you will investigate how a combination of
these genes works to create an organism.

Part 1 Procedure:

1. Flip a coin twice to determine the genotype for each trait and record it in the data table.
Heads = allele 1, Tails = allele 2 (Example: if you flipped heads twice, your monster will have two copies of allele 1 for
his genotype.)
2. Determine the phenotype resulting from the allele pair for each trait.

3. Repeat steps 1-2 for each trait and complete the female monster’s Table 1.

Table 1: Genotypes & Phenotypes for Female Monster

Trait Allele 1 Allele 1 Genotype Phenotype

Eye Two small eyes (E) One large eye (e)

Eye Color Red (R) White (R’)

(incomplete)

Skin Color Green (G) Blue (B)

(codominant)

Tail Shape Curly (C) Straight (c)

Tail Color Purple (P) Orange (p)

Tail Have tail (T) No tail (t)

(regulatory gene)

Teeth Sharp (S) Round (s)

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 Student Name
HARRY POTTER’S WORLD Date
Science-Genetics Class Period

Monster Genetics Lab

Trait Allele 1 Allele 1 Genotype Phenotype
Feet Four toes (F) Two toes (F’)
(incomplete)

Horn Color Purple (W) White (w)

Ear shape Pointy (Y) Round (y)

Ears No ears (N) Two ears (n)

(regulatory)

Claws Long (L) Short (l)

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 Student Name
HARRY POTTER’S WORLD Date
Science-Genetics Class Period

Monster Genetics Lab

Part 2 Procedure:

The female monster (described in Table 1) and a male monster (see Table 2 below) plan to have baby monsters. They are
interested in finding out for each trait the probability that their offspring will have that trait.
1. Fill in the missing genetic information in the table for the male.

Table 1: Genotypes & Phenotypes for Female Monster

Trait Genotype Phenotype

Eyes ee

Eye Color White

(incomplete)

Skin Color Green

(codominant)

Tail Shape Straight

Tail Color Pp

Tail No Tail
(regulatory gene)

Teeth Round

Feet FF’
(incomplete)

Horn Color ww

Ear shape yy

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 Student Name
HARRY POTTER’S WORLD Date
Science-Genetics Class Period

Monster Genetics Lab

Trait Genotype Phenotype
Ears Have 2 ears
(regulatory)

Claws Short

2. Create Punnett squares (attach your work to this handout) to predict what traits would result from a cross between the two
monsters for each trait, and answer the following questions:

a. Eyes – What percent of offspring will have only one eye?

b. Eye Color – What percent of offspring will have red eyes?

c. Skin Color – What percent of offspring will have green skin?

d. Tail – What percent of offspring will have a tail?

e. Feet – What percent of offspring will have three toes?

f. Horn Color – What percent of offspring will have purple horns?

g. Ears – What percent of offspring will have ears?

h. Claws – What percent of offspring will have long claws?

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 Student Name
HARRY POTTER’S WORLD Date
Science-Genetics Class Period

Teacher’s Monster Genetics Lab

[Note: The two lab activities allow students to apply their knowledge of simple and complex genetic traits. Students
demonstrate how they are able to apply and synthesize what they have learned in a fun activity. If possible, allow students to
illustrate both parent and child monsters based on the genetic information identified for all three monsters during the lab.]

You have learned about many different patterns of inheritance. Some are simple dominant or recessive, as in Mendelian traits.
Some are more complex, such as incomplete dominant or codominant traits. In this lab you will investigate how a combination of
these genes works to create an organism.

Part 1 Procedure:

1. Flip a coin twice to determine the genotype for each trait and record it in the data table.
Heads = allele 1, Tails = allele 2 (Example: if you flipped heads twice, your monster will have two copies of allele 1 for
his genotype.)
2. Determine the phenotype resulting from the allele pair for each trait.

3. Repeat steps 1-2 for each trait and complete the female monster’s Table 1.

Table 1: Genotypes & Phenotypes for Female Monster

Trait Allele 1 Allele 1 Genotype Phenotype

Eye Two small eyes (E) One large eye (e)

Eye Color Red (R) White (R’)

(incomplete)

Skin Color Green (G) Blue (B)

(codominant)

Tail Shape Curly (C) Straight (c)

Tail Color Purple (P) Orange (p)

Tail Have tail (T) No tail (t)

(regulatory gene)

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 Student Name
HARRY POTTER’S WORLD Date
Science-Genetics Class Period

Teacher’s Monster Genetics Lab

Trait Allele 1 Allele 1 Genotype Phenotype
Teeth Sharp (S) Round (s)

Feet Four toes (F) Two toes (F’)

(incomplete)

Horn Color Purple (W) White (w)

Ear shape Pointy (Y) Round (y)

Ears No ears (N) Two ears (n)

(regulatory)

Claws Long (L) Short (l)

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 Student Name
HARRY POTTER’S WORLD Date
Science-Genetics Class Period

Teacher’s Monster Genetics Lab

Part 2 Procedure:

The female monster (described in Table 1) and a male monster (see Table 2 below) plan to have baby monsters. They are
interested in finding out for each trait the probability that their offspring will have that trait.
1. Fill in the missing genetic information in the table for the male.

Table 1: Genotypes & Phenotypes for Female Monster

Trait Genotype Phenotype

Eyes ee

Eye Color White

(incomplete)

Skin Color Green

(codominant)

Tail Shape Straight

Tail Color Pp

Tail No Tail
(regulatory gene)

Teeth Round

Feet FF’
(incomplete)

Horn Color ww

Ear shape yy

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 Student Name
HARRY POTTER’S WORLD Date
Science-Genetics Class Period

Teacher’s Monster Genetics Lab

Trait Genotype Phenotype
Ears Have 2 ears
(regulatory)

Claws Short

2. Create Punnett squares (attach your work to this handout) to predict what traits would result from a cross between the two
monsters for each trait, and answer the following questions:

a. Eyes – What percent of offspring will have only one eye?

b. Eye Color – What percent of offspring will have red eyes?

c. Skin Color – What percent of offspring will have green skin?

d. Tail – What percent of offspring will have a tail?

e. Feet – What percent of offspring will have three toes?

f. Horn Color – What percent of offspring will have purple horns?

g. Ears – What percent of offspring will have ears?

h. Claws – What percent of offspring will have long claws?

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