Characteristics and Behaviors

Ian recorded inherited traits of a rose plant, as well as traits that are not

inherited, on the provided table. Which inherited characteristic did Ian not write down?

• sharp thorns

• picked flowers

• bending to reach sunlight

• spots on leaves from black spot disease

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

NGSS.MS-LS3-1

Monarch caterpillars are the larval stage of a Monarch butterfly. They have black, white, and yellow stripes. Monarch caterpillars have six pairs of eyes that do not work very well. Instead, the caterpillar uses its two tall tentacles on its head to feel their way around. Birds have learned to avoid eating Monarch caterpillars because they can be poisonous due to the toxins in food, the milkweed plant. Which of the following is an acquired characteristic of a Monarch caterpillar?

• black, white, and yellow stripes

• becomes poisonous after eating milkwood leaves

• two long black tentacles

• six pair of weak eyes

All plants inherit characteristics from their parents, but some characteristics are affected by the plant’s environment.

 

Which characteristic of an orange tree is an example of a characteristic that was affected by its environment?

• oval-shaped leaf between 4 to 10 cm long

• tree grows to a height of about 10 meters tall

• discolored leaves caused by Citrus Greening Disease

• white flowers with a sweet odor

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

Which example below is an example of a characteristic that was inherited from an animal’s parents?

• the scars on the back of a Florida Manatee from a boat strike

• the algae growing on the back of a Florida Softshell Turtle

• a skinny Florida Black Bear struggling to find food

• the short tail of a Florida Bobcat

Children inherit certain behaviors from their parents, while other behaviors are learned. Which behavior is a learned behavior?

• blinking

• breathing

• crying when hungry

• speaking English

Instincts are behaviors that animals are born with. Which behavior below is an instinct for a bear?

• hibernating during winter

• looking for food in a dumpster

• staying away from busy roads

• knowing which stream is best for catching fish

Fox squirrels live in the trees of city parks throughout Florida. 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

• storing food for winter

• hiding from predators

• taking food from people

Look at the chart. Which animal MOST LIKELY inherited its ability to hunt for prey?

• Panther

• Dolphin

• Cotton Mouth Snake

• Manatee

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

NGSS.MS-LS1-4

Bernard Kettlewell was a British scientist who studied the Peppered Moth. For twenty years between 1952 and 1972, he observed the moths in the field. Over the two decades, he collected data that he used to conclude that the change in the moth’s color from white to black and back to white was due to the change in the color of the trees the moths lived on. If Kettlewell did not follow the scientific method while observing the moths, are his findings still valid?

• Yes, because he made observations and collected evidence.

• Yes, because he was a scientist and scientist are always right.

• No, if he did not follow the scientific method then his findings are invalid.

• No, because he did his work outside of a laboratory.

In 1941, Swiss engineer George de Mestral went for a hike in the Alps with his dog. Upon returning home, he looked at the small Burdock burrs that stuck to his clothes and noticed that the little seeds were covered in small hooks, which is how they became attached to fabric and fur. He had not set out to create a fastening system, but after noting how firmly those little burrs attached to the fabric, he decided to create the material that we now know by the brand name Velcro. Which answer below best describes the discovery of Velcro?

• The discovery is not valid because he was not investigating Velcro.

• The discovery is valid because the scientist made an observation and collected evidence.

• The discovery is not valid because the scientists did not use all of the steps of the scientific method.

• The discovery is valid because an engineer did it.