Skip to main content Skip to navigation

Genetics

Key Stage: KS4/5

Experiment: Genetics
Duration: 2 Sessions each lasting approximately 1.5-2 hours
Description: We can provide a two-session visit to perform a simple cross using the organism Drosophila melanogaster.

Visit 1: a talk on genetics, the process of meiosis and the nomenclature used. A discussion of the history and sexual behaviour of flies and why they have been so fundamental. Flies are then sexed, sorted into males and females, under the dissecting microscope – before being placed in mating vials. These are returned to the University and incubated for two weeks.

Visit 2: flies are returned to the students for counting. Crosses can be organised to show effects of sex linkage of genes or recombination between genes.

Drosophila melanogaster

Drosophila melanogaster

Drosophila in vial

Drosophila in a vial