Each year students in the Timothy Christian School Biology course study a variety of topics that show the depth and breadth of God’s amazing creation. Students recently completed one of the highlights of the year, the Face Lab. In the Face lab, the students experience first-hand the infinite variety that God has built into the human genome. All students start with the possibility of having the same facial traits in “their child.” The lab assumes that all students have one dominant and one recessive gene for each of the 29 traits being studied. The flip of a coin is used to determine whether the dominant or recessive trait will be passed down to the child (ie. Large eyes verses small eyes). Students are able to practically see how traits are passed from one generation to the next. It is fascinating to watch the students as they hope that the coin flip will result in a certain trait and are then sometimes disappointed when it turns out to be something else. Remarkably though, most of the students say that they will love the child no matter what -even if they will have to wax the child’s ‘unibrow’ when they get older! Once all the traits have been determined, students draw pictures of “their child.” Each child is unique and a reflection of God’s creative ability. Psalm 139:13-16 is utilized to remind student that each member of the human race is “fearfully and wonderfully made” and that God knows every detail that went into forming every person. Students are able to use the information they have learned from this genetics lab to better understand and appreciate how God created each of them uniquely for His purpose.
