FB-Traits: Where do they come from?
Name______________________________________________Period__________ Date________________
Directions: Read the introduction. Answer the questions that follow.
We inherit our genes from both our parents. These genes code for our inherited traits, the traits we are
born with. They include hair color, eye color, and our height. The traits we are not born with, but learn
throughout our life, are called acquired traits or learned behaviors. They might include learning to
read, ride a bike, or speak a foreign language. Inherited traits are important to the survival of any
living thing. Bird feathers, fish gills, a tiger’s stripes: these are inherited traits. A spider spinning a web
and a bird building a nest are also inherited behaviors we call instincts.
Learned behaviors or acquired traits are also important to an organism’s survival. These traits are
usually a result of past experiences. If a horse eats a plant that makes her sick, she “learns” not to eat it
again. If a small child touches something hot, hopefully he will learn and he will not touch it again.
Your puppy could learn to fetch a stick when you throw it.
A. In your own words, define inherited trait.
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B. Give an example of an acquired trait (learned behavior) NOT mentioned above.
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C. How do we acquire a learned behavior?
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D. CIRCLE one of these animals and write down 2 inherited traits and 2 acquired traits for that
animal.
Cat
Trout
INHERITED TRAIT
Honey Bee
AQUIRED TRAIT
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