Science NTI Day 3

NTI Day 3

Open Ended

Do you think the environment can affect inherited traits? Why or why not?

Peppered Moth: Variation in the Species

Peppered moth caterpillars can be brown, gray, or green. The adult moths can be white with a few black spots or black with only a little bit of white. There is also variation in how long they spend as caterpillars before they turn into moths. All caterpillars inherit instructions to turn into moths within a certain amount of time. How long it takes depends on their environment. If there is a lot of food, the caterpillars will eat a lot and turn into moths quickly. If there is not much food, it will take caterpillats longer to turn into moths. The trait of how long it takes to turn into a moth results from both inheritance and interaction with the environment.
Peppered moth caterpillars can change color as they grow. While they are growing, the caterpillars molt several times. This means they grow out of their skin and have time to shed it like a shirt that is too small. If a caterpillar's environment changes, it can change the color of its skin when it molts. It can grow new skin that blends in with its environment.

Open Ended

What was a trait of the peppered moth that you read about? How did it get this trait?

Multiple Select

Which of the following traits in peppered moths is influenced by both inheritance and the environment?

• Color of the caterpillar

• Time taken to turn into a moth

• Number of legs

• Ability to fly

Open Ended

Explain how both inheritance and the environment contribute to the variation in traits among peppered moth caterpillars.

Multiple Choice

What role does food availability play in how quickly a caterpillar turns into a moth?

• It has no effect

• More food means faster transformation

• Less food means faster transformation

• Food only affects adult moths

Open Ended

Based on the Handbook of Traits, describe how you would investigate the traits of the snowy owl and the white willow tree using the notebook page.

Open Ended

What evidence did you find in Handbook of Traits to support the idea that the environment can affect inherited traits?

Open Ended

Assessment Question:

What traits might this organism have that are inherited?

What traits might this organism have that were affected by its environment?

Open Ended

Assessment Question:

What traits might this organism have that are inherited?

What traits might this organism have that were affected by its environment?

Open Ended

Assessment Question:

What traits might this organism have that are inherited?

What traits might this organism have that were affected by its environment?