Genes & Heredity

Most young animals inherit similar appearances, such as shape and color, from their parent animals. Which best describes why a baby deer (fawn) has spots when the adult deer do not?

• The spots help camouflage the fawn for protection.
• The spots help a fawn to be seen when crossing roads.
• The adult deer lose their spots by rubbing against trees.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

Emily has brown hair. Which is most likely a true statement about Emily?

• Emily’s favorite color is brown.
• Emily has a parent with brown hair.
• Emily’s older brother has brown hair. 

What characteristic is inherited by only some members of its species?

• gills on a fish
• wings on a bird
• spots on a horse
• trunk on an elephant

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

Bunny A’s fur is all brown, while his brother and sisters are half brown and half white. The bunnies’ father is all brown, and the mother bunny is half brown and half white. Which best describes why Bunny A has brown fur?

• The bunny inherited a brown fur characteristic from each parent. 
• The bunny inherited a white fur characteristic from each parent. 
• The bunny rejected the white characteristics from its mother.
• The bunny rejected the brown characteristics from its father.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

James and his father are both great athletes. Which characteristic did James most likely learn from his father?

• height and weight
• fast swimming stroke
• large feet and hands
• muscular body structure

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS3-1

NGSS.HS-LS3-2

Which characteristic would a child not inherit from one or both of its parents?

• freckles
• hair style
• eye color
• dimples

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS3-1

NGSS.HS-LS3-2

Which trait does a puppy inherit from its parents?

• fur color and pattern
• obedience to commands
• food brand preferences
• affection for a specific home

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS3-1

NGSS.HS-LS3-2

A litter of kittens have traits that are similar to both the mother cat and the father cat. Which best explains this situation?

• The kittens are provided the same kind of milk from their mother as they grow.
• The kittens inherit some of their traits from their mother and some from their father.
• The kittens are kept at the same temperatures by their mother when they are first born.
• The kittens are taught by their parents to have similar traits.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS3-2

What should students use to identify the percent chance of a trait being passed down from a parent to its offspring?

• a graph
• a flow chart
• a data table
• a Punnett square

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS3-3

Which statement best supports why many offspring look similar to their parents?

• Offspring inherit characteristics from one parent.
• Offspring inherit characteristics from both parents.
• Parents choose which characteristics to pass on to their offspring.
• Parents choose to change their appearance to match that of their offspring.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS3-2