Inherited Traits and Learned Behaviors in Animals

Inherited
Traits and
Learned
Behaviors

Lesson 1

5th

grade

LockeD! Science

I will learn the difference
between an inherited trait and
a learned behavior

TARGET:

Success Criteria:

I know I have it when I can correctly
distinguish an organism’s inherited
traits and learned behaviors 7 out of
10 times.

01

PRE-
ASSESSMENT

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is an instinctive behavior that an animal could inherit from its parents?

• A raccoon taking lids off of trash cans to find food

• A dog barking loudly when the doorbell rings

• A seal balancing a ball on the end of its nose

• A bee flying from flower to flower to get nectar

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is an example of a learned behavior?

• A turtle laying its eggs on the beach

• A dog retrieving a stick for its owner

• A bird migrating south for the winter

• A baby chick cracking open its shell

Multiple Choice

All of the following can be inherited by the offspring of an apple tree EXCEPT–

• shape of leaves

• broken branches

• type of fruit

• flower color

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is an instinctive behavior that an animal could inherit from its parents?

• Taking food from human campsites

• Having an excellent sense of smell

• Growling when there is danger

• Hibernating during the winter

Multiple Choice

A group of science students created a chart to show what they knew about inherited traits and learned behaviors in children. Which of these is an inherited trait the students could put in that column of the chart?

• Cooking a meal

• Speaking English

• Crying when hurt

• Using a pencil

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

ESSENTIAL QUESTION #1:
What is the difference between an
inherited trait and a learned behavior?

ESSENTIAL QUESTION #2
How does environment impact inherited
traits and learned behaviors?

Poll

Which question do you already know the anwer to?

• How does environment impact inherited traits and learned behaviors?

• What is the difference between an inherited trait and a learned behavior?

• Neither

• Both

Poll

Which question do you need more help to answer correctly?

• How does environment impact inherited traits and learned behaviors?

• What is the difference between an inherited trait and a learned behavior?

• Neither

• Both

Open Ended

Give your best answer:

How does environment impact inherited traits and learned behaviors?

Open Ended

Give your best answer:

What is the difference between an inherited trait and a learned behavior?

Unit 8B
Key
Vocabulary

Inherited Traits AND Learned Behaviors

Unit 8B: Key Vocabulary

Acquired trait

A trait that occurs in response to the environment

Animal

An organism made of many cells that moves on its own and eats
other organisms

Behavior

The actions or reactions of an organism in response to external or
internal stimuli

differentiate

To identify the differences between two or more things

Dominant trait

A trait that will appear in the offspring if one of the parents
contribute it

Function

The job or work done by a particular structure

generation

A group or level of offspring exhibiting traits inherited from parent
organisms

Genetic trait

An inherited characteristic determined by the combination of genes
from the parent organism

heredity

The passing of genetic traits from parent organisms to offspring

Unit 8B: Key Vocabulary

Inherited trait

A characteristic passed from parents to offspring

instinct

A behavior that is inherited by an organism

Instinctive behavior

An action in an organism that is performed by all members of their
species

Learned behavior

Behavior that is taught or acquired through experience

Offspring

The young of a person, animal, or plant

Parent

An organism that produces offspring

Plant

A living thing that makes its own food and does not move from
place to place

Recessive trait

A characteristic that is visible only when two recessive genes for
the same trait are inherited

Structure

Relating to the physical composition of an object

trait

A characteristic of an organism

Unique

Being the only one of its kind; unlike anything else

Heredity

The transfer of
traits from one
generation to

another is called

heredity.

Inherited Traits AND Learned Behaviors

Inherited Traits

An inherited trait is a
characteristic or
feature passed from
parent to offspring.

Information is passed
through the genetic
code, which is stored
in structures called
genes.

Inherited Traits AND Learned Behaviors

How is genetic information passed

down?

Genes

• Determine an organism’s traits

• Made up of genetic material
called DNA

• Passed down from both
biological parents

Inherited Traits AND Learned Behaviors

Inherited Traits AND Learned Behaviors

Examples of Inherited

Traits

• Humans:freckles, hair color,
dimples

• Animals:eye color, face shape,
hair/fur texture

• Plants:leaf shape, plant height,
flower color

What is an example

of an inherited

trait?

What is an example

of an inherited

trait?

Open Ended

What is an example of an inherited trait?

Open Ended

What is an example of an inherited trait?

Check on
Learning

Home

Open in new tab

Copy link