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Year 7

Heredity and genetic material

I can explain that some, but not all, features are inherited when genetic material is passed from parents to their offspring.

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New
New
Year 7

Heredity and genetic material

I can explain that some, but not all, features are inherited when genetic material is passed from parents to their offspring.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Biological features are inherited when genetic material is passed from parents to their offspring during reproduction.
  2. Genetic material provides instructions for growth and other life processes.
  3. Only features caused by instructions in the genetic material can be inherited.
  4. Features caused by lifestyle and the environment cannot be inherited.
  5. Examples of features caused by genetic information (e.g. eye colour) and by the environment (e.g. scars).

Common misconception

Features caused by the environment or lifestyle can be passed to offspring.

Examples of inherited features e.g. eye colour, those that are environment and lifestyle e.g. scars, and those that are both e.g. height.

Keywords

  • Environment - The environment of a living organism is its surroundings and the conditions in which it lives.

  • Lifestyle - The lifestyle of a living organism is the things it does and the choices it makes, e.g. diet and exercise.

  • Inherited - Some of the offspring's features can be inherited from parents, through the process of reproduction.

  • Genetic material - Genetic material is a substance in cells that contains instructions for various features and life processes.

Reiterate the fact that inherited features are due to genetic material that is passed from parents, if it is not in the genetic material then it cannot be passed to offspring.
Teacher tip

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What do we call the young of a living organism, produced following reproduction?
babies
children
Correct answer: offspring
young
Q2.
This is an image of a ladybird's...
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: life cycle, lifecycle, life-cycle
Q3.
Which stage of the life cycle is genetic material passed from the parent to the offspring?
growth
Correct answer: reproduction
birth
Q4.
Match the correct keyword to its definition
Correct Answer:Reproduction,Process of making offspring.

Process of making offspring.

Correct Answer:Offspring ,The young of a living organism.

The young of a living organism.

Correct Answer:Heredity,Process of passing genetic features from parent to offspring

Process of passing genetic features from parent to offspring

Correct Answer:Inherited feature,Characteristic passed on from parent to offspring.

Characteristic passed on from parent to offspring.

Q5.
This is an image of siblings. They are all offspring of the same parents. Why do they look similar but not identical?
An image in a quiz
The boys inherit features from the dad and the girls from the mum.
Some inherit more features from their mum or dad.
Some inherit features directly from their grandparents.
Correct answer: They all inherit different combinations of features from their mum and dad.
Q6.
All offspring features from both parents.
Correct Answer: inherit

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
The three factors that determine an individual's features are heredity, environment and...
Correct Answer: lifestyle, life style, life-style
Q2.
Match the feature to the factor that determines it.
Correct Answer:heredity,blood type

blood type

Correct Answer:environment,growth

growth

Correct Answer:lifestyle,piercing

piercing

Q3.
Features carried in the genetic material are by the offspring.
Correct Answer: inherited
Q4.
Which types of factors can be inherited by offspring from their parents?
Correct answer: physical features
thoughts
fitness
Correct answer: processes
Q5.
Choose features that are affected by a combination of heredity and environment/lifestyle.
Correct answer: muscle size
tattoo
Correct answer: height
scars
Q6.
Which processes are determined by heredity?
Correct answer: Digestion
Exercise
Correct answer: Respiration
Talking