Inherited or acquired?
Look at twelve traits, from eye colour and dimples to a scar, a suntan and the language you speak. Find where each comes from and whether your children could get it from you, then sort them into inherited and acquired traits.
Core concept
Inherited traits are set by genes passed from parents to children; acquired traits are learnt or gained during life, from practice, injury or the surroundings, and are not passed on in the genes
Topic: Our body and health
You may have your mother's eyes or your grandfather's dimples. These are inherited traits: they are set by genes, the instructions in the DNA of our cell: The tiny building block that every living thing is made of. All key words, which we get half from each parent and pass on to our own children. Other traits are acquired: we gain them during our life. We learn a language or to ride a bicycle, build muscles by exercise, get a scar from a fall or a suntan from the sun. Acquired traits change the body or mind, but not the genes in the egg and sperm cells, so they are not passed on. A wrestler's children are not born with big muscles; they must train too.
What you will learn
- Tell inherited traits from acquired traits.
- Explain that inherited traits are carried by genes from both parents.
- Explain why acquired traits are not passed on to children.
Before you start
- Know that living things reproduce and that children look like their parents.
Materials
- Family photos (to spot traits that run in your family)
Equipment
- A mirror
Procedure
- Pick a trait's card and see where it comes from and whether children could get it.
- Do this for at least eight traits.
- Sort every trait into inherited or acquired.