5.10 (B) (S) Inherited traits of plants and animals

A bright-red male cardinal comes to a school bird feeder every morning. Like other cardinals, this bird makes a sharp chirping sound as it hops around the bird feeder.

Which of these is a learned behavior of this bird?

• Having red feathers

• Eating seeds during the day

• Coming to the bird feeder each morning

• Making a chirping sound

A family takes a group picture in a park where bluebonnets are blooming. The family notices that some of the blooms are white and others are blue.

The color of the blooms is most likely determined by --

• air temperature

• the age of the plant

• the types of consumers that eat the plant

• inheritance from parent plants

A group of students visited a park and collected leaves from many different trees in order to study them. They recorded their observations about the leaves. Which of these observations does NOT describe an inherited trait?

• The leaves vary in shape and size.

• Some leaves have holes made by insects chewing on them.

• Some leaves are smooth on one side and rough on the other.

• The colors of the leaves range from light green to dark green.

Which of these is a behavior that a person learns rather than inherits?

• Swallowing a sweet liquid

• Having a pleasant dream

• Digesting a chocolate-covered strawberry

• Identifying the scent of a rose

Some traits of living organisms are inherited, while some behaviors must be learned. Which statement related to inherited traits or learned behaviors is NOT correct?

• The ability of a figure skater to spin on ice is related to both inherited traits and learned behaviors.

• The ability of lions to use camouflage to hide in grassy fields is an inherited trait only.

• The number and type of legs a cricket has is an inherited trait only.

• The behavior of a dog guiding a blind person on a walk through a neighborhood is an inherited trait only.

Which of these is a learned behavior of a dog?

• Begging for food

• Drinking water

• Panting on a hot day

• Chewing on a bone

Fox squirrels live in the trees of city parks throughout Texas. Each spring they build nests of twigs and leaves in the tops of the trees. Fox squirrels are often found near park benches, waiting to be fed by visitors. For fox squirrels, which of these is a learned behavior?

• Building a nest each spring

• Taking food from people

• Having a long, bushy tail

• Having sharp claws

Crayfish live in water and often hide under rocks or plants. They come out to look for food and will eat both plants and animals. Which of these is a trait that a crayfish most likely inherits from its parents?

• The average distance it travels each day

• The number of legs it has

• The amount of food it eats each day

• The type of plants in its habitat