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Year 8

Reproduction and variation

I can explain why offspring look similar but not identical to their parents and one another.

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New
New
Year 8

Reproduction and variation

I can explain why offspring look similar but not identical to their parents and one another.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. When organisms reproduce they make offspring of the same kind (species resemblance)
  2. Offspring inherit features from both parents, so they look similar to their parents and one another (family resemblance)
  3. Some features are inherited when DNA is passed from parents to offspring during reproduction
  4. Some features are caused (or changed) by an organism’s lifestyle and environment
  5. There is usually variation between offspring; they are not usually identical to their parents or one another

Common misconception

Boys only inherit features from their father and girls only inherit features from their mother. All characteristics are caused by genes.

The lesson consolidates understanding from Y7 that offspring inherit characteristics from both parents, and that some characteristics are caused (or changed) by an organism’s lifestyle and environment.

Keywords

  • Reproduction - the process that creates new individuals of a species

  • Inherit - to pass on features from parent to offspring

  • DNA - the molecule that stores genetic information

  • Variation - differences between individuals within a species

In Task C, pupils will need to refer back to their completed Venn diagram (or a copy of the correctly completed version) from Task A.
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.
Match the adult with the offspring it produces.
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer:frog,tadpole

tadpole

Correct Answer:butterfly,caterpillar

caterpillar

Correct Answer:plant,seedling

seedling

Q2.
Which MRS GREN process describes the ability of an organism to make offspring?
movement
respiration
growth
Correct answer: reproduction
nutrition
Q3.
Where is DNA stored in an animal cell?
cytoplasm
Correct answer: nucleus
vacuole
Q4.
Where is DNA stored in a bacterial cell?
nucleus
vacuole
Correct answer: cytoplasm
Q5.
How many biological parents does an organism have if it is made through sexual reproduction?
one
Correct answer: two
three
Q6.
Who has the correct idea about reproduction?
Correct answer: All living organisms can reproduce.
Only organisms that make eggs or pollen can reproduce.
All organisms reproduce by either laying eggs or giving birth to a baby.

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
A species is a group of organisms which can to make fertile offspring.
Correct Answer: reproduce
Q2.
Offspring inherit features from both so they look similar to their family members.
Correct Answer: parents
Q3.
True or false? Scars are examples of characteristics that can be inherited.
An image in a quiz
True
Correct answer: False
Q4.
Which of these features are caused only by DNA?
height
Correct answer: blood type
Correct answer: eye colour
hair length
Q5.
Some of the variation between offspring that have the same parents is caused by the genes inherited from …
the mother only.
the father only.
Correct answer: both parents.
Q6.
Features that are influenced by the environment typically have __________ variants than those influenced by genes alone.
Correct answer: more
fewer
the same number of