Heredity and Your Health
Heredity is the passing down of traits, or characteristics, from a parent to a child.
Some traits are obvious, such as hair color or similar appearance. Other traits may be
internal, such as similar temperance or sense of humor.
It is important to understand your heredity. Heredity has a significant impact on
your health. Some people are predisposed to certain illnesses or diseases at birth. In other
words, these health conditions may “run in the family.” Minor examples could be poor
vision or asthma. More significant examples may be diabetes or heart disease.
Understanding your heredity will empower you to take steps that reduce the risk of
potential conditions.
Assignment:
 Create your family tree that illustrates shared hereditary traits as well as
hereditary illnesses.
Required Elements:
 Poster board must be appropriately sized.
 Your family tree must include yourself, your parents and your grandparents.
 For each person on your family tree, identify shared traits: both physical and
personality.
 Identify hereditary illnesses that have been passed down through generations of
your family.
Optional Elements:
 Insert biological brothers and sisters.
 Insert biological aunts, uncles and cousins (only if you have adequate space and it
doesn’t create clutter on your poster).
Suggestions:
 Purchase a poster board that is colorful.
 Create your family tree as a landscape, not a portrait. You’ll have more room.
 Keep it neat! Take your time when you are writing. It may be a good idea to use
the computer to type your narrative.
 Apply pictures to further illustrate the shared traits between you and your family
members.
 Be creative. Make your presentation as unique as possible.
If, for any reason, this project is not possible or a comfortable assignment please have
your parents e-mail me.
Criteria
Appropriate
Topic
Slogan/Head
line
Family Tree
Effective
Individual
Plan
Grammar
5
3
Topics are well
defined. All content
follows the same
theme.
There is a well
defined slogan that is
immediately attention
grabbing.
Topic is heredity
related with a strong
theme.
Strong evidence of
knowledge of
family’s heredity and
potential health risks.
Solid individual
narrative plan is
provided.
Evidence of most
family’s heredity
traits, but lacks health
risks
Plan does not address
potential health risks.
Grammar is correct.
Free of misspelling
and errors.
1
0
Topic is heredity
related. There is not a
theme. Facts and
visuals do not relate.
Slogan is too abstract.
Takes a long time for
reader to make a
connection to the
topic.
Very limited presence
of traits and health
risks.
Topics are not
heredity related
Plan is either weak.
Plan not present.
There are only slight
syntax errors. Errors
do not take from the
overall flow of the
message.
Poster is moderately
creative.
Errors are distracting.
Full of grammatical
errors in the form of
misspelling,
punctuation, and
agreement.
Poster is copied from
other posters that
were viewed and
provided as examples.
Board is too small,
plain white and full of
marks.
Slogan is long and
wordy. Takes a long
time for reader to
view.
Poster’s content is
simply factual.
Slogan not present
There is no content.
Creativity
The poster is an
innovative and fresh
product.
Poster
Board
Poster board is of
adequate size (at least
18” x 24”). Board is
colorful and free of
tears, scratches and
marks.
Pictures, drawings,
and computer
generated images are
large, colorful and
help support the
message. Graphics
are strategically
placed to create focal
points.
Lettering looks
professional. Easy to
read. Fits the theme.
Poster board is
adequate size. Board
is plain white.
Poster board is too
small. Board is too
white. There are
slight markings on the
board.
Pictures and drawings
do not look
thoughtfully placed.
They are too busy.
Difficult for reader to
define a focal point.
Pictures and drawings
look sloppy. There is
a lot of empty space
on the board.
No graphics present.
Lettering is not
professional in
appearance, but still
readable.
No wording present.
Poster is relevant
toward peer group.
Poster’s theme is
childlike. Does not
relate to teenagers.
Lettering is sloppy.
Difficult to read.
Takes away from the
immediate flow of the
poster.
Poster’s theme seems
outdated.
Graphics
Lettering
Relativity
Poster is not
culturally relevant.