Learning Science With The Flip Of A Coin In N. Bellmore

From North Bellmore School District: Heads or tails? That’s what determined the genetic traits of fictitious puppies at Park Avenue Elementary School in the North Bellmore School District. Students in Amanda DiMonda’s sixth-grade class did a series of coin flips as part of a lesson on DNA and genetics.

Each student had to create a puppy based on the coin flip result for different traits including head, ear, nose and body shape, fur and eye color, tongue length, whiskers and gender. A flip of heads meant using the specified dominant trait, while tails was for the recessive trait. After completing their coin flips, students then had to draw their dog.

Ms. DiMonda explained that the activity supported the science curriculum and provided her class with an opportunity for hands-on exploration. As a follow-up assignment, students will examine their own traits and determine if their features are dominant or recessive. Later in their year, they will study why animals have certain traits as ways of adapting to their environments.

Photos courtesy of North Bellmore School District:

(Image 1) Park Avenue Elementary School sixth-graders, from left, Mitch Savalli, Kevin White and Matthew Keegan flipped pennies as part of a genetics lesson.

(Image 2) After determining the physical features of their dogs, students, from left, Liam Williams, Matthew Rutigliano, Julia Truono, Kelsey Carioti and Riley Tavernise made drawings.