What Makes You, You: Understanding Traits and Genes
A trait is any characteristic that makes you who you are. Physical traits are features you can see, like eye color, hair texture, and height. Some traits are inherited, meaning you were born with them. Other traits are acquired, which means you developed them over time through practice or experience, like learning to play piano or building strong muscles from exercise.
Reasoning Question with Two Choices
1.1
If someone learns to speak Spanish by taking classes, is that an inherited trait or an acquired trait?
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acquired trait
Reasoning Question with a Predictable Answer
1.2
Your eye color is something you were born with, not something you can _____
Show Expected Answers
change (55%), choose (25%), learn (12%)
Reasoning Question with a Range of Responses
1.3
Eye color is a physical trait you can observe. Can you name another physical trait you can observe?
Open-Ended Question
1.4
Think about yourself and a family member. What traits do you share, and what traits are different between you?
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Genes are tiny sets of instructions found inside your body that tell your cells how to work and grow. Think of genes like a recipe book that gives your body step-by-step directions. These instructions are stored on structures called chromosomes, which live inside every cell of your body. Your cells act like a library, and the chromosomes are like books filled with all the information your body needs.
Reasoning Question with Two Choices
2.1
If genes give your body directions for how to work, are genes more like a blank notebook or a recipe book?
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a recipe book
Reasoning Question with a Predictable Answer
2.2
A library is a place that holds many _____
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books (75%), stories (12%), shelves (8%)
Reasoning Question with a Range of Responses
2.3
A chromosome is found inside a cell. Can you name another part found inside a cell?
Open-Ended Question
2.4
If you could write new instructions for your body, what ability or feature would you want those instructions to create?
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Children receive genes from both their biological parents, which is why family members often look alike. Each parent passes on one version of a gene, called an allele, for every trait. Some alleles are dominant, meaning they show up even when paired with a different version. Other alleles are recessive, meaning they only appear when a child inherits the same version from both parents. This explains why two brown-eyed parents can have a blue-eyed offspring if both carry a hidden recessive allele for blue eyes.