Inherited characteristics
I can identify inherited and environmental characteristics of different offspring.
Inherited characteristics
I can identify inherited and environmental characteristics of different offspring.
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Lesson details
Key learning points
- When living things reproduce they pass on characteristics to their offspring. This is known as inheritance.
- Inherited characteristics are passed from one generation to another.
- Inherited characteristics include eye colour, height, skin colour, hair colour etc.
- Environmental characteristics are ones which are not passed down from parent to child.
Keywords
Generation - A generation in a family is all of the people born and living around the same time.
Characteristic - A characteristic is a feature or property of something that we can use to help identify it.
Inheritance - Inheritance is the process of passing on physical features from parent to offspring when they reproduce.
Inherited characteristic - An inherited characteristic has been passed from parent to offspring during reproduction.
Environmental characteristic - An environmental characteristic is one which has been learned or acquired during an organism’s lifetime.
Common misconception
Pupils may think that environmental variation, such as scars, piercings or muscle size and tone, can be passed on to offspring in the same way that inherited characteristics can.
Use the examples in the lesson to make clear the difference between characteristics that we are born with and those that are acquired, and how only those we are born with can be passed on to offspring.
To help you plan your year 6 science lesson on: Inherited characteristics, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 6 science lesson on: Inherited characteristics, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
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The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
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Explore more key stage 2 science lessons from the Evolution and inheritance unit, dive into the full secondary science curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
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Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
Exit quiz
6 Questions
