5th Grade Science—3rd Quarter
5.L.3 Understand why
organisms differ from or are
similar to their parents based on
the characteristics of the
organism.
Third Quarter
Life Science:Genetics
Objectives and Clarifying Objectives
Essential Questions
Learning Targets (The Learner Will)
5.L.3.1 Explain why organisms differ from
or are similar to their parents based on
the characteristics of the organism.
What are traits?
How do organisms get their traits?



Describe how parents pass inherited
traits to their offspring.
Describe how heredity affects an
organism’s appearance and
behavior.
Compare the traits of parents and
offspring.

5.L.3.2 Give examples of likenesses that
are inherited and some that are not.



What types of traits are
inherited?
What types of traits can be
learned or affected by the
environment?


Distinguish between traits that are
inherited and traits that are not
inherited.
Key Vocabulary
Feature
Gene
Heredity
Inherit
Life cycle
Off spring
Parent
Reproduce
Trait
transfer
5th Grade Science—3rd Quarter
Week
UNIT:
Life Science
Objective:
Resources: Literacy and
Technology
5.L.3.1
Explain why
organisms differ
from or are
similar to their
parents based
on the
characteristics of
the organism.
Discovery Education
Wordbook Online
Write to Learn
5.L.3.2
Give examples
of likenesses
that are
inherited and
some that are
not.
Third Quarter
Instructional Tasks:
DE VIDEO SEGMENTS
from the DE UNIT
SIMILARITIES OF PARENTS
AND OFFSPRING
Wonderful Resources:
Cells and Genes
http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/ Genes and DNA
Offspring
http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/ DE EXPLORATION:
content/begin/traits/activities/ Similarities of Parents and
Offspring
Discovery Education
Wordbook Online
Write to Learn
DE VIDEO SEGMENTS:
Artificial Selection
DE VIDEO QUIZ:
Reading:
Hands-On
Activities
DE READING
PASSAGES:
Parents and Offspring
The Color of Apples
WorldBook Online
UNIT:
Heredity
Inherited Traits: Lab
Report from World
Book or LCS Wiki Space
Alien Genetics
Class Traits Tree
Traits Bingo
DE READING
PASSAGES:
Parents and OffSpring
Worldbook Online
UNIT:
Heredity
Traits vs Traditions