Reproduction and variation | Science | Quizalize & Oak National Academy

Starter quiz

Match the adult with the offspring it produces.
- frog
  
  ⇔
  
  tadpole ✓
- butterfly
  
  ⇔
  
  caterpillar ✓
- plant
  
  ⇔
  
  seedling ✓
Which MRS GREN process describes the ability of an organism to make offspring?
- movement
- respiration
- growth
- reproduction ✓
- nutrition
Where is DNA stored in an animal cell?
- cytoplasm
- nucleus ✓
- vacuole
Where is DNA stored in a bacterial cell?
- nucleus
- vacuole
- cytoplasm ✓
How many biological parents does an organism have if it is made through sexual reproduction?
- one
- two ✓
- three
Who has the correct idea about reproduction?
- All living organisms can reproduce. ✓
- Only organisms that make eggs or pollen can reproduce.
- All organisms reproduce by either laying eggs or giving birth to a baby.

Exit quiz

A species is a group of organisms which can ______ to make fertile offspring.
- 'reproduce' ✓
Offspring inherit features from both ______ so they look similar to their family members.
- 'parents' ✓
True or false? Scars are examples of characteristics that can be inherited.
- True
- False ✓
Which of these features are caused only by DNA?
- height
- blood type ✓
- eye colour ✓
- hair length
Some of the variation between offspring that have the same parents is caused by the genes inherited from …
- the mother only.
- the father only.
- both parents. ✓
Features that are influenced by the environment typically have __________ variants than those influenced by genes alone.
- more ✓
- fewer
- the same number of

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Lesson Details

Key learning points

When organisms reproduce they make offspring of the same kind (species resemblance)
Offspring inherit features from both parents, so they look similar to their parents and one another (family resemblance)
Some features are inherited when DNA is passed from parents to offspring during reproduction
Some features are caused (or changed) by an organism’s lifestyle and environment
There is usually variation between offspring; they are not usually identical to their parents or one another

Common misconception

Boys only inherit features from their father and girls only inherit features from their mother. All characteristics are caused by genes.

The lesson consolidates understanding from Y7 that offspring inherit characteristics from both parents, and that some characteristics are caused (or changed) by an organism’s lifestyle and environment.

Keywords

Reproduction - the process that creates new individuals of a species
Inherit - to pass on features from parent to offspring
Dna - the molecule that stores genetic information
Variation - differences between individuals within a species