HISD
Elementary Science
Adaptations
Inherited Traits/Learned Behaviors
Unit Connections
Plants and animals inherit their life cycle from their parents.
 Why do some insects go through complete metamorphosis?
 Why do humans not go through metamorphosis?
 What other characteristics do plants and animals inherit?
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Misconceptions
That people inherit physical traits from aunts, uncles, and
siblings because family members point out resemblances
among relatives.
Fact: Physical traits are only inherited from parents, and, by
extension, grandparents in all plants and animals.
Thinking that acquired characteristics are inherited traits.
Fact: Acquired characteristics are things that have happened
after birth and cannot be passed on to offspring, such as
changing hair color, scarring, chipped tooth, etc.
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Concept & Processes & Skills
A trait is a characteristic of an organism.
Heredity is the passing of traits from parents to offspring.
Heredity is responsible for making plants and animals
resemble others of their species.
Some behaviors are instinctive such as migration and nest
building.
Structures that are inherited are adaptations that help
organisms survive in the ecosystem.
Adaptations include special structures that help organisms to
get food, move, or protect themselves.
These structures include body coverings and body parts such
as, coloring, beaks, feet, or appendages for movement.
Observing adaptations allow predictions to be made about the
organism’s environment and the food it eats to survive.
Learned behaviors, such as manners, reading, bike riding,
and writing, must be taught and practiced.
Animals must learn how to interact with any manmade
material, including trashcans, cars, doors, etc.
Adaptations
Graphic Cues
Inherited Traits
Learned Behaviors
Structure
Function
What behaviors has
the organism
learned?
What is the body
part?
How does the body
part help the
organism survive?
How do these
behaviors help the
organism survive?
Student Outcomes
Identify characteristics that are inherited from parent to offspring.
 What the characteristics of the parent compare to the characteristics of the offspring?
 What do they have in common?
 Where did the offspring get their characteristics?
 Why do some siblings look similar but others look different?
 Looking at this offspring, what do you think the adult looks like?
 What behaviors are instinctive?
 How did these organisms get these instincts?
 How did these organisms get their adaptations?
Identify behaviors that are learned by offspring.
 What have you learned to do?
 What behaviors can you change?
 What behaviors is this organism showing?
 How did this organism learn or know to do these behaviors?
 Can an organism change this behavior?
 What behaviors were taught and practiced?
 Do plants have any learned behaviors?
 Are these animal adaptations learned? Why?
Identify and explain how specific structures help animals meet their basic needs.
 What structures helps an animal survive in its environment?
 What are the functions of these structures?
 How would an animal’s adaptations vary from a warm climate to a cold climate?
 What structures help protect animals from their predators?
 How would this animal have to change if it was to move to a new habitat?
 What can the structures of an animal tell you about that the animal can do, eat, or how it survives?
 What can a scientist learn just by looking at an animal’s adaptations?
 Describe the type of environment this animal lives in based on its adaptations? How do you know?
 Where would this animal live? How would you know?
Identify and compare structures of plants (roots, stem, leaves, and flowers).
 What are the basic needs of plants?
 How do plants get their basic needs met?
 How would a plant in the dessert compare to a plant in the rainforest?
 What is the relationship between seed dispersal and plant adaptations?
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What can you tell about a plant’s environment based on the plant’s adaptations?
What would have to change about a plant if it was to survive in another location?
Compare adaptations of organisms.
 How are the structures of these organisms the same and different?
 How are the functions of these structures the same or different?
 Most species of animals have the exact same structures, but do they all work the same way?
 What basic need does the adaptation help them meet?
 Do similar species have similar adaptations? Why would similar species have different adaptations?
 How do similar species adaptations change based on where they live? (arctic hare vs desert hare)
Vocabulary Focus
Key Vocabulary for the Week
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Trait
Inherited
Instinct
Learned behavior
Adaptation
Structure
Basic need
Function