Gregor Mendel
Giving Peas a Chance Since 1886
Essential Questions:
1. Who was Gregor Mendel?
2. What is Mendel’s contribution to our understanding of genetics?
3. How are Mendel’s ideas used in the field of genetics today?
The “Father of Genetics”…
Our modern understanding of genetics originated with the work of Austrian Monk Gregor Mendel. Mendel
carried out detailed investigations of inheritance using the common garden pea. He kept accurate and detailed records
of his work. It is with his data that he was able to formulate the basic principles of inheritance.
Mendel proposed the concept of hereditary units (what we now know to be genes), which are passed down
from parent pea plant to offspring pea plant, and that it is the combination of these units which result in the appearance
of the offspring.
Your assignment…
You and a partner will gain a better understanding of Mendel’s work by
creating either a {fake} Facebook profile or a {fake} Twitter profile for Gregor
Mendel. Your final assignment will be put on a sheet of paper and should reflect
the format used by either the Facebook or Twitter website. You may choose how
you want to present this information – status updates, friend comments, hashtags, pictures, news
feed updates, tweets, retweets, etc. Mendel’s profile will need to address the following…
1. Include a representative picture
a. This may be of Gregor Mendel himself or something that represents his work.
2. Who was Gregor Mendel?
a. Where did he live?
b. Early life biography – basic life facts.
c. What did he study in school? What was his occupation?
3. What did Gregor Mendel contribute to our understanding of genetics?
a. What did he study in the field of genetics?
b. Outline his experiments with pea plants.
c. Describe his conclusions regarding our understanding of genetics.
4. How are Mendel’s ideas used in the field of genetics today?
a. What was concluded by Mendel that applies to what we study about genetics in school?
b. Identify modern day geneticists that use the conclusions drawn by Mendel.
Helpful tools: Online biographies of Gregor Mendel, class documents, Section 10.2 in textbook (pg 277).
Final assignment is due on: Friday, March 15th
Mendel Activity
Facebook
Twitter
 Profile Picture
 Picture
 5 friends
 Name
 About
 Screen Name
o Work
 # of Tweets
o Relationship Status
 # of Followers
o Education
 # of Following
o About You
o Favorite Quote
 Status Updates (minimum of 5)
 Minimum of 3 comments on statuses
by the 5 “friends”
o Specifically name at least 2 of
them (through tweets, retweets,
connections, etc)
 Minimum of 10 tweets
 Minimum of 7 different hashtags