Variation of Inherited Traits Science Games – Elementary

In this series of games, your students will learn about how different organisms vary in how they look and function because they have different inherited information. Variation of Inherited Traits learning objective — based on NGSS and state standards — delivers improved student engagement and academic performance in your classroom, as demonstrated by research.

Scroll down for a preview of this learning objective’s games and the concepts.

Concepts Covered in This LO

Understanding Traits, Instincts, and Inheritance

A trait is a characteristic of an organism, such as size, color, texture, shape, or patterns in plants and animals. Some traits are inherited, while others develop through environmental influences.

An instinctual response is a behavior an animal performs automatically without thinking. These instincts are inherited behaviors passed down from previous generations.

Reproduction occurs when an organism creates another organism. The parent passes down genetic information to its offspring, which determines many of their traits. Both plants and animals inherit genetic material from their parents, shaping how they look and function.

Most organisms receive half of their genetic information from one parent and half from the other. This variation in inherited traits leads to differences among individuals, even within the same species. While offspring often resemble their parents and siblings, they also have unique traits due to different combinations of genetic material. Patterns of similarities and differences can be observed between offspring, parents, and siblings.

Below is a preview of each game designed to support this learning objective.

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