Process
You are part of a team of very talented scientists, and able to create the dream pet or plant you have always wanted. This pet or plant is like no other on earth, and you are the one who has genetically engineered this incredible speciman from rare DNA traits never before seen!
First you must capture the parents on paper. Give a detailed description (in written words) of both the mother and the father, showing a minimum of 10 characteristics for each. These can be items such as number of feet, type of teeth, etc., for an animal. Plant characteristics might include height, weight, yield of fruit, etc.
Draw a picture of the parents and label the specific characteristics you want passed on to the offspring. Be creative and use colored pencils, crayon or paint to give an acurrate portrait of the parent creations you are capturing on paper.
For ideas about what other scientists have done in cross-breeding and what DNA can do, go to:
http://www.livinghistoryfarm.org/farminginthe30s/crops_03.html
http://www.brainpop.com/health/cellsandbodybasics/dna/
http://www.answers.com/topic/hybrid
http://www.greenapple.com/~jorp/amzanim/crossesa.htm
After exploring the above sites, now decide which characteristics of the parents are the dominant ones. Create a picture of the offspring, labeling each characteristic and the parent that it came from. Explain why you chose the particular characteristics as the dominant traits. How does this help your creation adapt and live in its world? What makes it stronger or more desirable than its parents? Be specific in your explanations.