Annalise Observes Butterfly Wing Patterns (MS-LS3-1)

Annalise is curious about speckeled butterfiles. She comes across the following information in her research on why some butterfilies are speckled. In a forest, there are two groups of butterflies: one with solid-colored wings and another with speckled wings. A scientist discovers that a single gene determines wing pattern. This gene has two versions (alleles):

"S" for speckled wings

"s" for solid-colored wings.

Butterflies inherit one allele from each parent, leading to different wing patterns.

• GOT IT!

• I don't get it.

What is an allele?

• A type of cell

• A version of a gene

• A type of protein

• A type of organism

Which allele is dominant in determining the wing pattern of butterflies?

• "s" allele

• "S" allele

• Both "S" and "s" alleles

• Neither "S" nor "s" alleles

If a butterfly has the genotype "ss", what will its wing pattern be?

• Speckled

• Solid-colored

• Half speckled, half solid

• Unable to determine

How does a butterfly inherit its wing pattern?

• From the environment it lives in

• From the combination of alleles it receives from its parents

• From the type of food it eats

• From the amount of sunlight it receives

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS3-2

Why do some butterflies have speckled wings?

• They inherit at least one "S" allele

• They live in areas with predators

• They eat a special diet

• They fly more often

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS3-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

Why do some butterflies have solid-colored wings?

• They lack the "S" allele entirely

• They inherit two "s" alleles, one from each parent

• They live in areas without predators

• They don’t use their wings often

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

Match the following terms with their descriptions:

• Genotype

• An allele that masks the effect of another allele (e.g., "S")

• Phenotype

• The combination of alleles an organism inherits (e.g., SS, Ss, or ss)

• Allele

• The observable traits of an organism (e.g., speckled or solid wings)

• Dominant allele

• A version of a gene (e.g., "S" or "s")

Reorder the steps of how genes lead to variation in wing patterns:

• A butterfly inherits one allele from each parent

• The combination of alleles forms the genotype

• The genotype determines the phenotype (wing pattern)

• The phenotype is expressed as speckled or solid-colored wings

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS3-1

NGSS.HS-LS3-2

Complete the sentence: The "S" allele is ​ (a)   over the "s" allele.

• recessive
• dominant