Introduction to ABO Blood Typing

Overview & Concepts

This lesson is an introductory activity on blood types.  It emphasizes the use of Punnett Squares for predicted blood types, as well as the introduction to the antigens and antibodies involved in determining blood type.  In addition to Punnett Squares, the class will look at blood type on a molecular level by analyzing the nucleotides involved in the gene for blood type as well as sample real-time PCR data from the Bioinformatics workshop at Franklin & Marshall College.

Grade Level: 

Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12

Concepts Covered: 

Genetics, Punnett Squares, antigens, antibodies, blood type, assays, Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs)

Prior Knowledge Required: 

Dominance, recessive, Punnett Squares, alleles, genes, nucleotides, SNPs

Activity Notes

Days to Teach: 

90-130 minutes

Materials: 

  • Flinn Scientific: Simulated ABO/Rh Blood Typing Kit
  • Attached Worksheets
  • Student Computers for Extension Portion
  • Projector to analyze Light Cycler Data and Nucleotide Sequence

Teaching Tips / Activity Overview: 

Warm Up & Punnett Squares

  1. Warm-Up: Pre-Assessment
  2. Blood Type Punnett Square Practice (10-15 min).

Lab

  1. "Whodunnit: Blood Typing Lab" Prelab. Review antigens, antibodies, and agglutination as it applies to blood typing.
  2. "Whodunnit: Blood Typing Lab" using Flinn Scientific's Simulated ABO/Rh Blood Typing Kit (45 min).

Light Cyler (RealTime PCR) Explanation & Work

  1. Give each group a copy of the "Light Cycler Sample Data" and the "ABO Nucleotide Sequence".  
  2. Review how to analyze Light Cycler Data and Nucleotide Seuqence Data with the class. Do a few sample problems together or in small groups.
  3. Have students complete the "Extension" portion of the lab in their small groups.

Assessment

  1. Have students complete the "ABO Blood Type Worksheet." 

_________________________

  • Depending on your level of students, it might be helpful to do a review of blood typing prior to beginning the lesson
  • Depending on the materials available, the students will need to be in groups.
  • Separate the solutions from the activity into additional bottles to create more solutions for the other groups
  • Run a test for the students to see what agglutination looks like prior to the lab.

Assessment: 

Do a pre and post assessment.

Extensions: 

Resources: 

Acknowledgements: 

The teacher notes were produced by Beth Sholder. The "Whodunnit? Blood Type Lab" is a modification of a Ward's activity. The blood type nucleotide analysis and the Light Cycler data was obtained from the Bioinformatics Seminar at F & M.

Academic Standards
Categories & Tags
Major Category: 
Anatomy and Physiology, DNA, RNA, Genetics and Genomics
Subject Area: 
Biology, Genetics
Type of Activity: 
Paper-based activity
Keywords: 
ABO Blood Type, antibodies, antigens, genetics, molecular genotype, Punnett Squares, lightcycler