Breeding cats without tails

Breeding cats without tails

Pencil and paperOnline interactive
Overview
Using this Resource
Connecting to the Curriculum
Marking Student Responses
Further Resources
This task is about genetics.
In cats the form of the gene causing them to be tailless (M) is dominant to the form of the gene which causes normal tail (m).

Question 2Change answer

a)  What would be the genotype of a true-breeding tailless cat?

Question 2Change answer

b)  What would be the genotype and phenotype of a heterozygous cat?

     i)   genotype 

     ii)  phenotype 

Question 2Change answer

c)  A tailless cat was mated with a normal tailed cat and all the kittens produced were tailless. Explain this result.
Task administration: 
This task can be completed with pencil and paper or online (with SOME auto marking).
Level:
5
Curriculum info: 
Science, Knowledge, Living World
Keywords: 
evolution, genetics, monohybrid cross, punnet square
Description of task: 
Students answer questions about genotype and phenotype in cats, and explain a breeding result for the genetic characteristic 'taillessness'.
Curriculum Links: 

Science capabilities
The capabilities focus is brought about by the conversations you have and the questions you ask.

Capability: Interpret representations
This resource provides opportunities to discuss the use of  symbols and punnet squares in interpreting genetic relationships. 
Science capability: Interpret representations (TKI)
 
Science capabilities: 
Interpret representations
Answers/responses: 
 

Y10 (08/1997)
a)   MM moderate
b) i)
ii)		 Mm
tailless		 difficult
very difficult
c)   The tailless cat must have been homozygous/ MM/true breeding. very difficult