4-2.4 Distinguish between the characteristics of an organism that are inherited and those that are acquired over time.
Inherited and Acquired Traits
Essential Question: What are the differences between characteristics that are inherited and those that are acquired over time?
You have many different traits. A trait is a characteristic of an organism. You may have brown hair. You may know how to play the piano or ride a bike. Some of your traits developed before you were born. Others developed after you were born. In this lesson, you will learn about traits of animals and plants.
Physical Features and Behaviors
Some traits are physical features. The color of an animal’s fur is a physical trait. So is the shape of a leaf. Other traits are behaviors. A behavior is a response by an organism to its environment. Building a nest is an animal behavior. Growing toward sunlight is a plant behavior.
Essential Question: What are the differences between characteristics that are inherited and those that are acquired over time?
You have many different traits. A trait is a characteristic of an organism. You may have brown hair. You may know how to play the piano or ride a bike. Some of your traits developed before you were born. Others developed after you were born. In this lesson, you will learn about traits of animals and plants.
Physical Features and Behaviors
Some traits are physical features. The color of an animal’s fur is a physical trait. So is the shape of a leaf. Other traits are behaviors. A behavior is a response by an organism to its environment. Building a nest is an animal behavior. Growing toward sunlight is a plant behavior.
Inherited Traits
Organisms get their traits in different ways. Your parents passed on many traits to you before you were born. A characteristic that a living thing gets from its parents is called an inherited trait. The color of your eyes is an inherited trait. So is the shape of your nose. A ladybug inherits its spots. A dog inherits its sense of smell. An apple tree inherits the shape of its leaves, the color of its flowers, and its kind of fruit. These are physical traits. Some physical traits change over time. Your hair gets longer unless you get it cut. You get taller and heavier as you get older. A plant can grow more leaves and longer roots. But inherited traits do not change. Your eyes will always be the same color they are not. The fruits of an apple tree will always be apples. Many behaviors are inherited. In animals, inherited behaviors are called instincts. Chasing squirrels is an instinct in dogs. Spinning webs is an instinct in many spiders. Crying and laughing are instincts in humans. You did not learn to cry. You were born knowing how to do it. Look at the behavior shown in the picture. The girl is rolling her tongue. In you can roll your Tongue, you were born with that trait. If you Cannot roll your tongue, you cannot learn to roll it. Rolling your tongue is an inherited trait. Like animals, plants inherit ways of responding to their environment. Roots grow down, toward water. Stems grow up, toward the sun. Leaves, too, grow toward light. Vines climb up a fence or tree trunk. The leaves of some plants close up if something touches them. |
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Acquired Traits
An acquired trait is a characteristic that a living thing gets during its lifetime. To acquire something means to get it. A scar is a physical trait that is acquired. An animal is not born with a scar. A scar forms after an animal is injured. Plants, too, can acquire traits. A tree may become bent by the wind or scarred by lightening. Many acquired traits are learned behaviors. Humans and other animals learn from their parents and from experience. A mother bear may show her cubs how to fish or find berries for food. A bird may teach its babies how to fly. You were born knowing how to use your voice. But you were not born knowing how to speak words. You learned to speak by listening to your parents and other people. You were born with two legs. But knowing how to use your legs to pedal a bike is a learned behavior. Acquired traits are not passed from parents to their young. A dog with a scar will not have puppies with scars. If you know how to ride a bike, your children will not be born knowing how to do that. They will have to learn, just as you did. |
Discovery:
Animal Adaptations Word Scramble |
Inherited/Acquired Characteristics
Organisms come in all sized and shapes Some are big and some are small Some characteristics are inherited Which don't have to be learned at all. Inherited Characteristics can be physical On animals, body type, color and powers Plant characteristics can be inherited too Leaves, types of fruits and flowers. Inherited Characteristics can be about behaviors Especially in plants Their roots grow down and stems grow up Non had to teach then that! Animals are born with instincts, too That allow them to survive Ducks know how to swim and migrate Bees know how to build a hive. Some animals can learn new things Without ever going to school These learned characteristics come as animals grow And sometimes involve new rules. A dog can learn to roll and beg When he wants a treat A baby bird can learn to fly And a bear learns how to catch a fish to eat. All these things are characteristics of all living things Some are inherited and some are learned See what each one brings! |