schmied/reid©2009	Me, Myself, and Us	Name ____________
	Data Table 1	Period _____
	Your Personal Traits	Student # ____

Good Day Mates! Today you will make an intensive study of your inherited traits. In this study you and your partner will observe every trait listed on the Master list and figure out which Trait is expressed by your genes (your Genotype) and shown as your Phenotype!

A Trait is a particular characteristic your body possesses like hair color, sex, or eye color.

1. When you do this project first record the trait in the Phenotype column of Data Table 1.

* Phenotype means what you "look" like, or how your genes are "expressed" in you.

2. Next figure out your Genotype and record it in the proper column of Data Table 1.

* Genotype is what the genes on your chromosome say you are. The genotype determines what to look like.

Dominant traits: If you show a dominant trait you CAN have both dominant genes for this trait (homozygous), OR have one dominant and one recessive gene for this trait (heterozygous). It is very hard to determine homozygous and heterozygous conditions in humans because the dominant gene always masks the recessive gene.

• If you show a dominant phenotype record both homozygous and heterozygous genotypes in the genotype column. For ex: "RR" {homozygous} or "Rr" {heterozygous}

Recessive traits: If you show a recessive trait, then you absolutely have both recessive genes for that trait. For example "rr" {homozygous}

• If you show a recessive phenotype, simply record the homozygous recessive genotype in the genotype column and move on!

*Note: Sex is neither dominant or recessive!

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