Inheritance and Traits

Inheritance and Traits

Lesson 1.5: Variation in a Species

Open Ended

DO NOW: What are some traits in humans that are similar?

Looking for Patterns in the Wolf Pack

Introduction

Remember, our task is to help the students at Graystone Elementary School understand why Wolf 44 looks different than the other wolves in its pack.

Poll

Let 's change his name

• Rocky

• Beck

• Charlie

• Maxx

Today, we are going to investigate this question:

• How can we describe the traits of organisms in a species?

• Remember that the wolves of Graystone National Park are all one species.

Chapter 1 Question

Why are wolves different even though they are all the same species?

Think back to sorting the songbirds into groups by traits. 

What are some things you know about traits from what you have learned so far?

Quick Reminder!

TRAITS are:

colors

size

body parts/ body covering

how an organisms moves around

how they sound

how many limbs or fingers

This is a map of Graystone National Park, where the pack lives and hunts.

What do we know about mountain, how do they look?

ZOOM IN (Elk mountain pack)

Turn to page 12 in your notebooks.

• use page 12 to collect our data

• We are looking for traits similarities and variations 

Let's Practice

• I notice is all the wolves have pointy ears (write pointy ears under Similarities)

• One variation in the wolves is the thickness of their fur.(write thicker or thinner fur under Variations)

Now its your turn. 5min, ZOOM IN

Complete your observations

Open Ended

SHARE DATA:

What are some similarities you observed in this species?

Open Ended

SHARE DATA:

What are some variations you observed in this species?

Patterns

• What is a pattern you noticed about the wolves in the Elk Mountain Pac?

• For example: Mostly dark fur.

Complete the bottom of page 12. (3mins)

A pattern I notice was...........

What patterns do you notice?

Poll

CHECK POINT: Based on the data we collected, what can you say about traits in the wolf species?

• some traits can have variation

• some traits in a species can be similar

• no species share traits

• some species only have one trait.

WAIT!

What does DATA mean?

Open Ended

GIVE ME YOUR DEFINITION FOR THE WORD DATA....

DATA

observations/information or measurements recorded in an investigation

Class Traits Data Polls

• Hair Texture

• Eye color

• Pinky Length

• Can you roll your tongue ?

Poll

What is your hair texture?

Poll

What is your eye color ?

• Brown

• Blue

• Green

• Light Brown

Poll

Are your pinky fingers the same length?

• Yes

• No

Poll

Can you roll your tongue ?

• Yes

• No