1. Inherited
Traits

2. Essential Questions
How are characteristics passed from parent to offspring?
What are some of the traits passed from parent to offspring?
What is an inherited trait?
What is an instinct?

3. Do you see any ways that these children are similar to their parents or brothers and sisters?

4. Inherited Traits
Look around. Is anyone just like you? You and everyone else are unique. No two people are exactly alike, including identical twins.
People in a family may have things in common. They can share traits.
A TRAIT is simply a characteristic that one possesses
Ex. freckles, green eyes, etc.

5. What is Heredity?
Heredity is the passing of traits from parent to offspring. This includes your gender.

6. What are Chromosomes? A packet of coiled up DNA
Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes
There are 23 pairs of chromosomes found in the nucleus of any one of your cells

7. How are Traits Passed?
When organisms reproduce, traits are passed from parent to offspring.
These traits are carried in DNA, the genetic material found in a cell’s ________
DNA acts like a blueprint.
Nucleus

8. Inherited Traits
INHERITED TRAITS are those traits that are passed down from parents to their offspring.
EX. In humans- eye color, hair color, skin color, freckles, dimples, etc. are all examples of inherited traits
EX. In animals- eye color, fur color and texture, facial shape, etc. are examples of inherited traits.

9. Inherited Traits- BIG IDEA!
Inherited traits are passed down from your parents!
Have you ever heard someone say “you look like your father” or “you have your mother’s eyes?”
Some inherited traits are not so easily seen- they affect structures inside your body.

10. Examples of inherited traits
This family has an inherited trait. Can you tell what it is?
They have brown hair.

11. Examples of inherited traits
Some people have a genetic trait that creates indentations on their cheeks called dimples.

12. Inherited Traits in Plants
Plants also pass on traits to their offspring. This could include:
flower color,
shape,
leaf shape, and
plant height.

13. What are some inherited traits?
What are some inherited traits in animals?
A tiger has stripes.
A giraffe has a long neck.
An elephant has a trunk.
A snake has no legs.

14. Examples of inherited traits
Look at the elephants. What traits do they have in common?

15. Instincts Inherited traits include instincts.
An INSTINCT is a behavior that has been passed on from the parents that is ready to use without learning and that does not require practice
Ex. A lion’s instinct to catch prey
Ex. Sea turtles laying eggs on the beach
Ex. Bird migration
Ex. Making a nest- birds just KNOW how to build a nest correctly time after time

16. Let’s Review B. Which is not an inherited behavior? A. dimples
B. reading
C. freckles
D. brown eyes B.

17. Let’s Review D. What are inherited behaviors called? A. old behaviors
B. recessive traits
C. environments
D. instincts D.

18. Let’s Review
How is hunting both learned and instinctive in animals?
A. Animals learn to hunt.
B. Animals have the instinct to hunt.
C. Animals have the instinct to hunt but must learn hunting skills.
D. Animals have the instinct to teach their young how to hunt. C.

19. Let’s Review
What kind of behaviors do organisms inherit from their parents?
A. acquired traits
B. learned behaviors
C. instincts
D. eye color C.

20. Let’s Review
Plants make their own food through photosynthesis. Photosynthesis in plants is an example of _______.
A. an inherited trait
B. a learned behavior
C. an acquired trait
D. a life cycle A.

21. Your assignment:
Write a paragraph about at least three traits you share with your parents, brothers or sisters.
You may also choose to write about what traits someone you know shares with his or her parents, brothers or sisters.