GENETIC

TRAITS
INHERITANCE & VARIATION OF TRAITS
Science | Grade 3
 WHAT IS A TRAIT?
A trait is an observable characteristic that is inherited (passed down) from
a living thing to its offspring. E.g:

eye color hair color tongue curling blood type

 HOW ARE TRAITS PASSED
DOWN?
Trait information is located
within an organism's genes. gene

Genes are a section of DNA

that is passed from parent to gene
child.
DNA trait
HOW ARE TRAITS PASSED
DOWN?
Genes (carrying trait information)
are passed to their offspring
ge
ne during reproduction.
s
WHAT IS REPRODUCTION?
Reproduction is the process of how living things
produce offspring (babies).
There are two main
reproductive methods:

SEXUA ASEXU
L AL
REPRODUCTION
SEXUAL
Offspring inherit half of their
trait information from one
parent, and half from the
other, making the offspring
genetically distinct.
 SEXUAL REPRODUCTION
Examples of living things that reproduce sexually:
REPRODUCTION
ASEXUAL
one
Reproduction only requires one nem
se aa
parent. Trait information from the
parent is passed down to the
offspring. The offspring is
therefore an exact copy of the
parent.
 ASEXUAL REPRODUCTION
Examples of living things that reproduce asexually:
TRAIT VARIATION Trait variation is the natural differences in traits
(observable characteristics and qualities) between
individuals of the same species.
For example, within a group
of cats, some may have green
eyes, others blue eyes. Some
might have long hair, others
short hair. Some cats may be
active, others are more laid-
back.
TRAIT VARIATIONS Trait differences between members of the same species
occurs in two main ways:

GENETIC ENVIRONME
VARIATION NTAL
VARIATION
TRAIT VARIATIONS GENETIC
VARIATION
In sexual reproduction, half of a mother's and half of
a father's genes are passed down to their offspring.
The genes that are passed down to individual
offspring will vary. This means that members of the
same species will look similar, but may have some
differences between individuals.
TRAIT VARIATIONS GENETIC
VARIATION
Example:
The puppies of the two parent
dogs are different colors. This
is because one puppy received
the trait information for hair
color from the mother, and the
other puppy from the father.
TRAIT VARIATIONS ENVIRONMENTAL
VARIATION
Environmental factors can influence the expression of
traits. For example:
• Climate and weather: rain, temperature
• Diet and nutrition
• Disease and parasites
• Exposure to toxins and pollutants
• Level of parental care
TRAIT VARIATIONS ENVIRONMENTAL
VARIATION
Example: alkaline more
acidic
soil soil
Hydrangea flowers will
change color, depending
on the acidity of the soil.

The environmental factor

is soil acidity.
IS TRAIT
VARIATIO
N A GOOD YES!
THING? Trait variation helps a species to adapt
to changes in their environment.
Thanks to trait variation, some
individuals may have traits that help
them better survive and reproduce in a
changing environment.
IS TRAIT EXAMPLE:
Scenario: a population of green lizards live in an
VARIATIO environment that includes green vegetation and
sandy soil.

N A GOOD Lizards with sandy or yellow coloration might be

better able to blend in with sandy habitats, while

THING? green lizards may blend in better with the green

vegetation. A variation in color within the population
can help the lizards to better camouflage themselves
in different environments, which can in turn help the
species to avoid predators and survive over time.
 REFLECTION QUESTIONS
• What is a trait your parents have passed down to you?

• If you have siblings, can you identify differences in

traits between yourselves?

• What environmental factors are different from your

parents growing up, and how might these influence
trait expression?
 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
• Consult reliable sources and research a plant or animal that has traits inherited from its
parents. Draw, describe and label.

• Consult reliable sources and research an example of trait variation from within the same
species, caused by genetic factors. Draw, describe and label.

• Consult reliable sources and research an example of trait variation from within the same
species, caused by an environmental factor. Draw, describe and label.

• How does trait variation relate to the evolution of a living thing?