When the holidays come around, I always try to have engaging lessons for my students. I created this activity with inspiration from another activity titled “Create a Baby Dragon.” I loved the activity and decided to make one Halloween themed. I used the assignment as a review for genetics vocabulary and Punnett Squares. My students love creating their own baby monsters and drawing them. This was a great opportunity to review genetics in a fun and engaging way. 

This assignment includes students making their own “baby monster” through their knowledge of genetics and Punnett Squares. Students will choose what the parent monsters look like and that will determine the different possibilities for the baby monster.

Included in this article are some tips and tricks that I use when doing this activity with my students. These ideas could work for multiple grades and tie to standards connected to genetics in middle school. The assignment could also make a great review for high school. 

Hopefully some of these tips and tricks can make your integration of this activity a little easier! I also have included the all the activity sheets that I use for this activity on our TPT store, check it out here!

What is included in the assignment?

The Create A Monster Assignment has 4 major parts. 

Major Parts of the Assignment:

1. Student Directions Sheet 
2. Student Sheet 1 
3. Student Sheet 2 (Sometimes I will have students create monster on the back of this sheet)
4. Punnett Squares 

This activity is a great review for Genetics, Heredity, Completing Punnett Squares, Recessive, Dominant, Heterozygous, Homozygous, Phenotype, and Genotype. Throughout the activity the students decide on parent alleles, cross the alleles, and draw the offspring. 

1. Materials  

Materials will vary depending on what you have available to you, but here is what I recommend. First, I recommend having the lab sheets for the assignment printed and ready to go. Remember, if you are doing the assignment in partners you only need half the number of sheets for your students. You can do one per student, but it is designed for partners. Don’t forget your students will need some type of coloring utensils for your monster creation. 

The materials given for this activity include (per group):

• Student Directions Sheet 
• Student Sheet 1 
• Student Sheet 2 (Sometimes I will have students create the monster on the back of this sheet)
• Punnett Squares 
• Colored Pencils (or other coloring utensils)
• Dice (can use virtual dice on apps)

You can make the assignment really creative by adding other materials for your students to create their monsters with, but this isn’t necessary. 

2. Set-up 

The set up and preparation for any lab is very important. If set up isn’t easy, teachers can get overwhelmed and they simply stop doing engaging activities. With proper planning, a lot of this activity can be completed before it’s time for the activity. Student helpers are so valuable when it comes to prepping for hands on activities in the classroom. Once everything is printed lay the parts out in piles and have students walk by with a partner to collect the needed materials. Have colored pencils and some dice in a place that is accessible to all students. 

This activity is easy to set up and clean up! Hand out materials and students turn in their completed work. 

3. Directions/Steps  

Before you do this activity in class, you should consider the directions or steps. I have included my steps as a guideline, but make sure you consider what is appropriate for your own classroom. 

I typically explain the assignment and show examples from the previous years. Then, I pass out materials or have the students get their materials. Then I verbally go over the steps with the students and hold up each sheet as I explain the assignment. 

The student directions for the activity are below.

1. Choose a partner carefully.  You and your partner will share some of the grade for this lab. The lab must be completed on time, if you feel there isn’t a suitable partner you can complete the lab alone. (Student Sheet 1)
2. Each partner must circle an X or Y chromosome at top of their paper. If both partners selected Y, try again until you have an XX or XY combination. (Student Sheet 1)
3. Use the decoding chart and select the genotypes you would like for your parent monster. Fill in the decoding chart below with the genotype you select. (Student Sheet 1)
4. After completing the chart (Student Sheet 1) complete your twelve Punnett Squares with you and your partner’s genotypes. Fill in all of the spaces with the appropriate information. (Student Sheet 2)
5. Next, you must roll a dice which will select your baby’s inherited phenotype. If you roll a 5 or 6 roll again until you get a 1,2,3, or 4. Then circle the phenotype your creepy baby monster will receive. Make sure you put the final result in the chart. (Student Sheet 2)
6. After the completion of the random selection of phenotypes, it is now time to create your baby monster. Using the Punnett Squares and final results, draw, and label your baby monster. Your baby monster phenotype should match the Punnett Squares with color, shape, type, and labels.

The activity sheets mentioned above, along with all needed information for this activity, are included in our TPT product! Click here to download it.

Being a science teacher, I always try to encourage engaging lessons because these lessons typically stick with the students. Engage your students with this fun science activity!

If you want more hands-on science lessons, check out our STEM ideas here!

Another fun science lab for middle school is Owl Pellets, check out our lesson and a free lab sheet here!

Thank you for Continually Learning with us!

Kyle and Sarah