Mom and Dad, Can We Talk?

Two days a week, I teach 5th gade at our Homeschool Tutorial. The past couple of weeks, we have been studying cells. So, today we began talking about passing on traits and how our genes help determine our characteristics.

Every year we do an activity where the kids gather data about their classmates: eye color, hair color, etc. Then we compile the info. and study the most common traits. This leads into a discussion about dominant and recessive genes.

Today we were doing that activity. I was explaining the meaning of dominant and recessive and how if Mom has blue eyes and Dad has brown eyes, you are more likely to have brown eyes.

All of the sudden, one of my kids said incredulously, "You mean if I am in my mom's tummy, I could get my dad's eyes!"

I began explaining that you could get the gene from the father. Then it began: "But how? If I am in my Mom's tummy...how do I get my Dad's genes?" In five years of teaching this curriculum NO ONE has ever gone here! I began searching for an answer.

Suddenly, another child joined in, "I think you get them from kissing. That is why our moms and dads kiss all the time! Is that how you get them?"

My response..."Ask your mom and dad tonight!" Oh, I would like to be a fly on the wall of some 5 th grade houses tonight!