CREATURE FEATURES Explore inheritance with monster traits. Terms of Use © 2016 iTeachSTEM. All rights reserved by author. By purchasing this file, you agree to the terms of use stated below. This product is to be used by the purchaser only. It is intended for reproduction and use in a single classroom only. Copying for more than one teacher, classroom, or department is prohibited. You may not post this item anywhere to share with other teachers online or on shared clouds or devices. Instead, send them to my store or purchase an additional license at a discounted rate. You may show images of this product in use on social media, but please do not repost or resell this file. Failure to comply is a copyright infringement and a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Table of Contents Page Number(s) Description 1 Cover Page 2 Terms of Use 3 Table of Contents 4 Teacher Instructions 5-6 Monster Parents Posters 7-8 Student Sheets 9-10 Answer Key 11 Samples of Student Work 12 Note from the Seller 13 Credits Teacher Instructions Advance Preparation 1. Print “Parent Monster Posters” and laminate if you choose. 2. Copy student sheet onto white paper. You will need one page for each student. 3. Gather enough pennies (or other two-sided coins) for each student to use for the activity. Activity Directions Option 1 (class activity) 1. Students will complete the traits chart and respond to question #1 independently. 2. Working with a partner, students will flip a coin to determine the traits of their creature based on the traits of the parent monsters. 3. Have students share their creatures in small groups and develop a group response to question #2 on the front of the student sheet (this does not have to be written). 4. Give each group the chance to share their ideas and facilitate a discussion based on their comments. Option 2 (independent homework) 1. Students will complete the assignment independently. 2. Teacher will review responses to determine students’ level of understanding. 2 arms 1 horn No hat 2 eyes 2 feet Green skin Scar on foot No earrings Straight teeth Green spots 4 ears Furry Wears a watch MONSTER DAD 2 arms 2 horns Wears a hat 1 eye No feet Pink skin No Scars Wears earrings Pointy teeth Pink & orange spots 2 ears Not furry No watch MONSTER MOM Name: ____________________________________ Date: ___________________ CREATURE FEATURES Complete the table below based on YOUR OWN personal traits. INHERITED TRAITS passed on from parents to their offspring TRAIT HOW YOU “GOT IT” ENVIRONMENTAL TRAITS obtained through interactions with the environment TRAIT HOW YOU “GOT IT” 1. Why do you look similar to your parents but NOT exactly like them? Cite at least one specific example. 2. Every student in our class will be “making” a creature. Why will each creature look different even though the creatures all inherited their traits from the same parents. Explain your answer using scientific reasoning and vocabulary. 3. Flip a coin to determine which characteristics your creature will inherit. Circle the characteristic on the chart below after flipping the coin each time. 2 ARMS 2 HORNS WEARS A HAT 1 EYE NO FEET PINK SKIN NO SCARS WEARS EARRINGS POINTY TEETH PINK & ORANGE SPOTS 2 EARS NOT FURRY NO WATCH 1 HORN NO HAT 2 EYES 2 FEET GREEN SKIN SCAR ON FOOT NO EARRINGS STRAIGHT TEETH GREEN SPOTS 4 EARS FURRY WEARS A WATCH DAD’S TRAITS (tails) 2 ARMS MOM’S TRAITS (heads) Is this trait inherited or environmental? 4. Complete the chart by writing “I” for inherited or “E” for environmental in the boxes under each trait. 5. Draw an illustration of your creature in the box. DO NOT INCLUDE ANY ENVIRONMENTAL TRAITS IN YOUR DRAWING. Label each of its inherited traits. POSSIBLE ANSWERS Name: ____________________________________ Date: ___________________ CREATURE FEATURES Complete the table below based on YOUR OWN personal traits. INHERITED TRAITS passed on from parents to their offspring ENVIRONMENTAL TRAITS obtained through interactions with the environment TRAIT HOW YOU “GOT IT” TRAIT HOW YOU “GOT IT” Brown hair Born with it Scar on chin Fell in the bathtub Right handed Dad is right handed Wear earrings Pierced ears at the mall Blue eyes Born with them Good reader Practiced Birthmark Born with it Red toenails Painted with nail polish 1. Why do you look similar to your parents but NOT exactly like them? Cite at least one specific example. Children look similar to their parents because their traits are passed on to them through the alleles of each parent. There are two parents and alleles are taken from each of them forming many pairs of genes. The combined genes are expressed as physical traits in the children leading to similar appearances between parents and offspring as well as among siblings. 2. Every student in our class will be “making” a creature. Why will each creature look different even though the creatures all inherited their traits from the same parents. Explain your answer using scientific reasoning and vocabulary. The creatures will have some similarities. For example, there may be several creatures with the same skin color and number of eyes. There will not be any creatures that look exactly the same. This is because pairs of alleles can be homozygous or heterozygous. Homozygous pairs of alleles can be either dominant or recessive. Heterozygous pairs of alleles are made up of one dominant and one recessive allele. The unique pairing of alleles determines the overall structural appearance of each individual. The likelihood that every student in the class will have the exact same combination of dominant and recessive pairs of alleles is minimal. Flip a coin to determine which characteristics your creature will inherit. Circle the characteristic on the chart below after flipping the coin each time. WEARS A HAT 1 EYE NO FEET PINK SKIN NO SCAR WEARS EARRINGS POINTY TEETH PINK & ORANGE SPOTS NO HAT 2 EYES 2 FEET GREEN SKIN SCAR ON FOOT NO EARRINGS STRAIGHT TEETH GREEN SPOTS 4 EARS FURRY WEARS A WATCH I I E I I I E E I I I I E 4. Complete the chart by writing “I” for inherited or “E” for environmental in the boxes under each trait. 5. Draw an illustration of your creature in the box. DO NOT INCLUDE ANY ENVIRONMENTAL TRAITS IN YOUR DRAWING. Label each of its inherited traits. 2 EARS GREEN SKIN NO WATCH NOT FURRY 2 HORNS 1 HORN Is this trait inherited or environmental? 2 ARMS DAD’S TRAITS (tails) 2 ARMS MOM’S TRAITS (heads) 2 EARS 3. 2 HORNS 2 EYES POINTY TEETH NOT FURRY 2 ARMS NO FEET GREEN SPOTS Student Work Samples Note from the Seller Thank you so much for your purchase. I hope you and your students enjoy it. Questions, comments and suggestions inspire me so I would love to hear from you. My email address is: iTeachSTEM2kids@gmail.com. Don’t forget to leave feedback on Teachers Pay Teachers to earn credits toward your next purchase! Get Connected Click on the icons above for more products, freebies and ideas for your classroom! Visit my blog here: http://iteachstem.blogspot.com/ Click HERE to follow my Teachers Pay Teachers store so you never miss out! Credits (clipart, paper and font artists) A special thanks to the following graphic artists.
