Google Doodles Genetics’ Gregor Mendel
Posted on July 20, 2011 by Suzan Woodard in Personal Experiences, Reading Lists.
Tags: Botany, Father of Genetics, Garden Peas, Genetics Books for Children, Google doodle, Gregor Mendel, Johaann Mendel, Science Books for Children
Google's doodle of the day gives a nod to the "Father of Genetics," Gregor Mendel, who was born on July 20, 1822.
“What are those? Peas?” my eagle-eyed daughter asked as she walked by me and my laptop. I ran my mouse over the tiny graphic on my screen. It came to life.
“Gregor Mendel’s 189th Birthday,” it read.
Yup! They were peas – the Father of Genetics’ favorite subject. And now, they are – for 24 short hours – in the cyberspace spotlight, thanks to the Google doodle du jour. I give the giant magnifying glass in the sky props for turning its focus on a fitting science hero.
Teacher Created Materials, one of Big Universe’s publishing partners, has a wonderful picture book about our birthday boy, titled “Gregor Mendel: Genetics Pioneer.” Written by Lynn Van Gorp, the book covers basic genetics concepts, including how Mendel used cross-breeding to develop different kinds of peas and to predict their characteristics. Leveled for Grades 4-5 (F&P GR: Q Lexile: 660), this non-fiction explains how Mendel discovered dominant and recessive genes and other laws of heredity. Other famous geneticists and their work are mentioned briefly, too. A glossary and an outline for a trait survey lab are included at the end of the book.
Looking for other books to expand your science curriculum? Read the highlighted books linked below or click this “Science” shortcut to browse for other titles on the shelves at Big Universe.
- The World of Genetics
- Cell Scientists: Discovering How Cells Work
- Cells
- All About Mitosis and Meiosis
- Looking Inside Cells
- George Washington Carver: Agriculture Pioneer
- Gregor Mendel: Genetics Pioneer
