Life Science · Traits
Inherited Traits & Variation
Use plant and animal data to find inherited-trait patterns, variation among similar organisms, and evidence that environmental conditions can influence how traits develop.
Teacher workspace
Start with the lesson plan.
45 min~8 min prep5 materialsNGSS verified · 3-LS3-1 · 3-LS3-2
Lesson Plan
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Lesson overview
What students will learn
- Use parent-and-offspring data to identify a repeated inherited-trait pattern.
- Identify variation in a trait among similar organisms.
Key science ideas
- Offspring often share traits with their parents.
- Offspring are not exact copies of their parents or siblings.
- A group of similar organisms can show variation in the same trait.
Lesson at a glance
- Grade 3
- 45 min
- ~8 min prep
- 3-LS3-1 · 3-LS3-2
- 5 materials
What’s included
- Lesson Plan
- Investigation
- Teacher Slides
- Printable Worksheet
- Teacher Answer Key
- Interactive Activity
- Vocabulary