Mendel Assignment

Instructions: Survey at least 20 people to find out what traits they have for each of the features
below. (Note: survey can include family, friends, and images from media) Tally the numbers for
each trait and record those totals in each column. When completing the survey, be sure to include
yourself as one of the individuals surveyed. Also include at least one set of parents and offspring
in the individuals you survey. Document the features of each member of the family you surveyed
within the data table, but also make a special note of these features in the observation section of
your report. This information will be important when writing your conclusion.

Data and Observations:

Family Member Earlobes Hair on Hair line Hair texture Chin Shape
(Free or knuckles (Widow’s (Curly or (Cleft or No
Attached) (Yes or No) peak or Straight) Cleft)
Straight)
1. Parent or Free Yes Widow Straight Cleft
Guardian 1
2. Parent or Attached No Straight Straight No cleft
Guardian 2
3. Offspring 1 Free No Straight Curly Cleft
1. Offspring 2 Free Yes Straight Curly No cleft
1. Offspring 3 Attached No Widow Curly No cleft
1. Offspring 4 Free No Widow Straight Cleft
1. Offspring 5 Free Yes Straight Curly Cleft
1. Grandmother Free No Straight Straight Cleft
1
1. Grandfather Free Yes Straight Curly No cleft
1
1. Grandmother Attached No Straight Curly No cleft
2
1. Grandfather Attached Yes Widow Straight Cleft
2
1. Uncle 1 Free Yes Widow Curly Cleft
1. Aunt 1 Free Yes Straight Straight No cleft
1. Uncle 2 Attached No Widow Curly No cleft
1. Aunt 2 Free Yes Straight Curly No cleft

 1. Cousin 1 Free No Widow Curly Cleft

1. Cousin 2 Free No Straight Curly Cleft
1. Cousin 3 Attached No Straight Straight No cleft
1. Cousin 4 Free Yes Widow Curly Cleft
1. cousin 5 Attached No Straight Straight No cleft

Feature Trait Total Trait Total

Earlobes Free earlobes 13 Attached earlobes 7

Hair on knuckles Hair present 9 No hair present 11

between second between second
and third knuckle and third knuckle
of fingers of fingers

Hair line (widow’s peak vs. Widow’s peak 9 Straight hair line 11
straight hair line)
Hair texture Curly hair (count 12 Straight hair 8
wavy hair as curly)

Chin shape Cleft chin 10 No cleft chin 10

Calculations:
Calculate the percentages for each trait in your total sample and list those percentages in this
section of your report.

Example calculations: (12 people with widow’s peak ÷ 20 total people) x 100 = 60% widow’s
peaks

Feature Trait Calculated Trait Calculated

Percentage Percentage
Earlobes Free earlobes 65% Attached 35%
earlobes

 Hair on knuckles Hair present 45% No hair present 55%

between second between second
and third and third
knuckle of knuckle of
fingers fingers

Hair line (widow’s peak vs. Widow’s peak 45% Straight hair 55%
straight hair line) line
Hair texture Curly hair 60% Straight hair 40%
(count wavy
hair as curly)
Chin shape Cleft chin 50% No cleft chin 50%
Analysis and Conclusion:

Using what you have learned in the lesson and gathered from your survey, write a conclusion
paragraph analyzing your results in your conclusion. Be sure to address the following questions:

• Identify the trait that you believe to be dominant for each of the features surveyed.
Explain your reasoning.

I believe that the dominant traits in my family are free earlobes, No hair on knuckles, Straight
hairline, Curly hair, and either chin.

• What recessive features do you exhibit? Do you have any relatives who exhibit those
same features?

My recessive features are, hair on my knuckles, and widows peak hairline.

• In the family you surveyed, what features did the offspring share with one or both
parents? Were there any features that the offspring exhibited that were ot exhibited by
either parent?

Curly hair, Free earlobes, straight hairline.

• How it possible for an offspring to exhibit a recessive trait if neither parent exhibited that
recessive trait? What must be true about the parents’ genes for this to occur?

Both parents have to have part of the gene and its almost like a math equation, 1+1 = 2.

 • Are there any results in your data that surprised you?

The amount of people that had curly hair in my family, I thought more people had straight hair.

• Is it possible that a recessive trait in a survey such as this one may have a greater total
number than its dominant counterpart. Explain how that might happen in a investigation
like this.

If most family members have a part of the gene it is possible for their children and grandchildren
to get that trait

• How might surveying a different number of people or different population of people

possible change the percentages that you calculated?

The Percentages would become less even and more unpredictable.