Boy or Girl?

Project #1469 on iSENSEProject.org

This is a quick activity that emphasizes the genetic probability of giving birth to a boy or a girl. Because a father is male, his sex chromosomes are x and y, and because a mother is female, her sex chromosomes are x and x. (The results should be 50/50 for male and female children, but most people predict that there will be a 1 in four chance of having a boy because there is one y to three x's.) 

Girl  or Boy?

Purpose: Students will use probability to determine the chances of having a male or female offspring

Materials: Paper bag, 4 pieces of paper – three labeled “X” and one labeled “Y”, and data table.

Procedure:

1. Students will put the three pieces of paper, folded in half, in the paper bag.

2. Students will take turns drawing two pieces of paper and recording the results.

3. Students will complete 10 draws, then enter their data in iSense.

4. Students will create a visualization of the data and use it to predict what the odds are of having a male or female offspring.

Guiding Questions:

1. What sex chromosomes do a each parent have?

2. Based on that information, what do you think the chances are that the offspring will be male or female?

3. After completing the 10 draws, was your prediction correct? Why or why not?