Content Benchmark L.8.A.1
Students know heredity is the passage of genetic instructions from one generation to the next
generation.
Sample Test Questions
1st Item Specification: Know reproduction of organisms includes cell division, transfer of
genetic information, and the probability of certain characteristics passed from one
generation to the next
Depth of Knowledge Level 1
1. What molecule allows hereditary information to be passed from generation to generation?
A. DNA
B. ATP
C. Lipids
D. Proteins
2. Which of the following is a TRUE statement about human reproduction?
A. Each parent contributes an equal number of chromosomes to their offspring.
B. Mothers contribute a higher number of chromosomes to daughters than sons.
C. Fathers contribute a higher number of chromosomes to sons than daughters.
D. Mothers contribute a higher number of chromosomes to sons and daughters.
Depth of Knowledge Level 2
3. Having a hitchhiker's thumb is a recessive trait to having a straight-thumb. When a
straight-thumbed homozygous person has offspring with a hitchhiker's thumbed
homozygous person, the offspring will
A. have a 50% chance of having hitchhikers thumb.
B. have a 50% chance of having straight thumb.
C. all be heterozygous with a straight thumb.
D. all be heterozygous with a hitchhikers thumb.
4. In human blood types, type A and type B are codominant over the allele for type O blood.
If a female with type O blood and a male with type AB blood have children, which of the
following statements will be TRUE?
A. 50% of their offspring will have type O blood.
B. 50% of their offspring will have AB blood.
C. 50% of their offspring will have type A blood and 50% will have type B blood.
D. 50% of their offspring will have type A blood and 50% will have type AB blood.
2nd Item Specification: Differentiate between asexual and sexual reproduction
Depth of Knowledge Level 1
5. A process that involves two parent cells fusing to form the first cell of a new
organism is known as
A. sexual reproduction.
B. asexual reproduction.
C. meiosis.
D. mitosis.
6. A process in which one organism produces genetically identical offspring, by
itself, is known as
A. sexual reproduction.
B. asexual reproduction.
C. meiosis.
D. mitosis.
7. A form of asexual reproduction in single-celled organisms, in which one cell
duplicates its DNA and then divides into 2 cells, is known as
A. binary fission.
B. translation.
C. transformation.
D. conjugation.
8. A form of asexual reproduction in which a part of the parent organism “pinches
off” to form a new organism is known as
A. transcription.
B. budding.
C. transformation.
D. conjugation.
Depth of Knowledge Level 2
9. A colony of E. Coli bacteria asexually reproduce every 20 minutes. If the colony begins
with 10 individuals, how many individuals will be in the colony after 1 hour?
A. 20
B. 40
C. 60
D. 80
10. A difference between sexual and asexual reproduction is that the offspring of
A. asexual reproduction have fewer chromosomes than their parents, while offspring
of sexual reproduction have the same number of chromosomes.
B. sexual reproduction have fewer chromosomes than their parents, while offspring
of asexual reproduction have the same number of chromosomes.
C. asexual reproductions are clones of their parents, while offspring of sexual
reproduction are genetically different from their parents.
D. sexual reproduction are clones of their parents, while offspring of asexual
reproduction are genetically different from their parents.
Constructed Response L.8.A.1
1. Mr. and Mrs. Smith recently had a baby. The nurses at the hospital were not careful and
mixed up the name tags of 3 babies (A, B, and C), one of which belongs to the Smiths. Baby
A has type O blood and freckles. Baby B has type A blood, and no freckles. Baby C has type
B blood, and freckles. Use this and the following information to determine which baby
belongs to the Smiths. Be sure to justify your answer with both an explanation and by
drawing the Punnett squares for each trait.
A. Freckles (F) are dominant over no freckles (f). Mr. Smith is homozygous dominant
for freckles, while Mrs. Smith has no freckles.
B. Type A and B blood are codominant to type O blood. Mr. Smith is heterozygous type
A blood, while Mrs. Smith has type AB blood.
Content Benchmark L.8.A.1
Students know heredity is the passage of genetic instructions from one generation to the next
generation.
Answers to Sample Test Questions
1. A, DOK level 1
2. A, DOK level 1
3. C, DOK level 2
4. C, DOK level 2
5. A, DOK level 1
6. B, DOK level 1
7. A, DOK level 1
8. B, DOK level 1
9. D, DOK level 2
10. C, DOK level 2
Constructed Response L.8.A.1 Score Rubric:
Response addresses all parts of the question clearly and correctly.
3 points
Both Punnett Squares are drawn and completed correctly. Note that
the letters may be different for freckles as long as the capitalization is
the same. For blood type, the letters must be the same. The Punnett
squares show that Mr. and Mrs. Smith can only have children with
freckles, so baby B cannot be theirs because it does not have freckles.
The Punnett squares also show that Mr. and Mrs. Smith can only have
babies with the blood types A, B, or AB. Baby A has type O blood
and cannot be theirs. Therefore, by the process of elimination, Baby C
is their baby.
Freckles
F
f Ff
f Ff
F
Ff
Ff
Blood type
A
O
A AA AO
B AB BO
2 points
Response addresses all parts of the question and includes only minor
errors.
1 point
Response does not address all parts of the question.
0 points
Response is totally incorrect or no response provided.