Grade 3 · Science · Life science

3rd Grade Inherited Traits and Variation worksheets

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Inherited Traits and Variation

Grade 3 Science Worksheet

NameDate

Circle the answer.

1.
Which trait of a sunflower comes from its parent plants and not from its surroundings?
- the shape of its seeds
- leaves that droop without water
- how tall it grows in shade
- a stem bent by the wind
2.
A dog with a trimmed coat has puppies. Will the puppies be born with trimmed coats?
- yes, all traits are passed to offspring
- no, a haircut is not passed to offspring
- no, because puppies have no fur
- yes, because the puppies saw the haircut
3.
Which shows variation among pea plants grown from seeds of the same parent?
- all of them grow from seeds
- all of them have green leaves
- some have purple flowers and some have white
- all of them grow pods
4.
Why do sunflower seedlings look like the parent plant?
- they copy the flowers they see
- they get the shape from the soil
- they learn the shape from nearby plants
- they inherit traits from the parent plant
5.
Which pair shows an inherited trait and then a learned behavior?
- a zebra's stripes; a cat's whiskers
- a zebra's stripes; a dog fetching a ball
- a cat's whiskers; a tiger's stripes
- a dog fetching a ball; a horse jumping on command
6.
Puppies in a litter have different ear shapes. Their parents also have different ear shapes. What is the best explanation?
- each puppy learned its ear shape
- ear shape comes from the food they eat
- each puppy inherited a mix of traits from both parents
- ear shape changes with exercise
7.
A girl has curly hair like her mother and brown eyes like her father. What does this show?
- hair and eye color are learned
- offspring inherit traits from one parent only
- offspring can inherit traits from both parents
- offspring look exactly like one parent
8.
Which trait is most likely inherited by a pet rabbit?
- fur trimmed short for summer
- a short tail from an injury
- the length of its ears
- hopping to its owner for food
9.
Which detail about a kitten is learned, not inherited?
- the shape of its ears
- the color of its eyes
- the pattern of its fur
- using a litter box
10.
A litter of puppies all have spots like their mother, but each has a different number of spots. What does this show?
- the puppies have different mothers
- an inherited trait can vary among offspring
- spots are learned from the mother
- spots appear only after an injury

3rd Grade Inherited Traits and Variation worksheet 1 – printable PDF — Download PDF: 1 2 3 4 5 6

About this worksheet

Inherited traits and variation explain why young organisms resemble their parents but are not exact copies helps third graders connect observations with scientific explanations instead of memorizing isolated facts. Students may label every feature as inherited, even when a behavior was learned or a difference came from the environment. This worksheet uses short evidence-based situations so students must read the setup, identify the pattern, and choose the answer that fits the science idea named in the title. Students sort inherited traits from learned behaviors and injuries, identify variation within a family, and separate traits that come from parents from those shaped by surroundings.

Support versions use familiar examples and direct wording. Standard and challenge versions add closer distractors and require more comparison. Encourage your child to point to the evidence in the prompt before choosing an answer. If the answer does not explain the observation or solve the stated problem, it is probably a distractor. That habit builds careful science reasoning and prepares students for longer investigations.