وَهُوَ الَّذِيْٓ اَنْشَاَ جَنّٰتٍ مَّعْرُوْشٰتٍ وَّغَيْرَ مَعْرُوْشٰتٍ وَّالنَّخْلَ وَالزَّرْعَ مُخْتَلِفًا اُكُلُهٗ وَالزَّيْتُوْنَ وَالرُّمَّانَ مُتَشَابِهًا وَّغَيْرَ مُتَشَابِهٍۗ كُلُوْا مِنْ ثَمَرِهٖٓ اِذَآ اَثْمَرَ وَاٰتُوْا حَقَّهٗ يَوْمَ حَصَادِهٖۖ وَلَا تُسْرِفُوْا ۗاِنَّهٗ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُسْرِفِيْنَۙ
“And it is He who produces gardens trellised and untrellised, date palms, crops of different flavors, olives, and pomegranates, similar (in form and color) yet dissimilar (in taste). Eat of their fruits when they bear fruit and give their due (zakat) on the day of harvest, but do not be wasteful. Indeed, Allah does not like the wasteful” (Q.S. Al-An’am; 141).
A series of questions kicked off today’s lesson, sparking curiosity and filling their minds with a thirst for knowledge. To address these questions, let’s dive into the topic of Trait Inheritance (Heredity).
Friends, did you know that our bodies consist of trillions of cells? Inside each cell, there is genetic material that carries traits inherited from parents to offspring. This is why a child can resemble their father, have hair like their mother, or share visible characteristics like skin color, height, and more. This concept applies to animals, such as the coat color of cats, and plants, like flower color or stem height.
How can we make it easier for students to understand the concept of heredity? One effective method is the Genetics Button Method.
This method visualizes the comparison between observable traits (phenotype) and hidden traits (genotype) for both monohybrid (one differing trait) and dihybrid (two differing traits) crosses. Through this approach, students grasp dominant and recessive traits from the F1 generation (first generation) to the F2 generation (second generation).
By selecting various colors of genetic buttons, picking them at random, and testing hypotheses with their group mates, learning about inheritance becomes more engaging and accessible. Students gain foundational knowledge of genetic crossing through discussions, discovery, and comparisons with literature.
Most importantly, today’s lesson instilled in them an understanding that the diversity of living creatures on Earth serves humanity and stands as a testament to the greatness of the Creator, Allah Azza Wa Jalla.
(Fortin Sri Haryani)
