Genetics, one of the most influential fields, underlies all of biology and produces discoveries that are in the news daily. However, many students leave introductory biology and genetics courses lacking a coherent framework of knowledge to use in their daily lives. We identify substantial "missing links" in the teaching of foundational concepts in genetics that should be addressed, as well as provide examples and suggest activities toward integration. Teaching in this manner can help students build on their knowledge in more advanced courses and allow them to use this knowledge throughout their lives.