Traits we inherit
Parents pass information to their offspring before the offspring are born, hatch or sprout. This information decides many traits, such as fur colour or the stripes of a zebra. Traits that come from parents are called inherited traits. Every zebra has stripes, but no two zebras have exactly the same pattern, because each one gets its own mixture from its mother and its father. Some inherited traits help animals survive. A zebra has strong teeth for biting tough grass. A camel has long eyelashes that keep sand out of its eyes. Not every feature is inherited. A scar on a cat’s ear, a tree bent by the wind, and a dog taught to sit are things that happened to them during life. They are not passed on to offspring. Kittens in one litter may grow to different sizes, because they inherit different mixtures and because of how much food and care each gets.
| Inherited trait | Not inherited |
|---|---|
| stripes of a zebra | a scar on a cat’s ear |
| long eyelashes of a camel | a tree bent by the wind |
| yellow petals of a sunflower | a dog taught to sit |
| Important fact | I think… |
|---|---|
| No two zebras have the same stripe pattern. | It is like leaves on a tree: alike, yet each one is a little different. |
| Strong teeth help a zebra eat tough grass. | A trait can be useful for the place where an animal lives. |
Leaves are alike but different. With a grown-up, collect five leaves of the same kind that have fallen on the ground, for example from one tree in the school yard. Do not pull leaves from plants. Measure each leaf in cm and record it in a table. Find the longest and the shortest and the difference between them. Then fill in a double-entry journal: write one fact in the left column and what you think about it in the right column. Wash your hands afterwards.