Grades 3–5 (Kit)
Bring Mendel’s experiments to life! This engaging genetics activity helps students understand inheritance by modeling how traits are passed from parents to offspring. Using green and yellow pompoms to represent alleles, students complete Punnett squares to predict trait outcomes while teachers model on a large magnetic display for the whole class.
This hands-on approach makes genetics fun and memorable, encouraging students to collaborate, think critically, and analyze real-world applications of heredity.
Kit Contents
- Small green and yellow pompoms (for student groups)
- Large green and yellow pompoms (for teacher demonstration)
- Magnets (for gluing onto large pompoms)
- Brown paper bags (for allele randomization)
- Pompom Punnett Square activity sheet master
- Pompom Punnett Square chart master
- Instructions for teacher setup and facilitation
Includes enough materials for 36 students working in groups of four.
Lesson Plans
Use this kit with the featured lesson Peas in a Pod on the National Agricultural Literacy Curriculum Matrix. Additional heredity and genetics lessons can also be found on the Matrix.
Extend the Learning
Challenge students to test different allele combinations, record their results, and compare them to predicted outcomes. Discuss how similar genetic principles are applied in selective breeding of crops and livestock.