Traits from genes, traits from surroundings, and traits from both

Grade 7 Science Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.

1. 1.

   Ari grows two pea plants in the same garden bed. One has violet flowers and one has white flowers. What decides the flower color?

   • The genes from the parent plants
   • Practice, since each plant learned its color
   • The garden bed the plants share
   • The soil, which changed each plant's genes
2. 2.

   Esme taught a dog to shake paws. Will the dog's puppies be born knowing the trick?

   • No, a learned trick is not in genes
   • Yes, practice changed the dog's genes for tricks
   • Yes, the trick is now in the dog's genes
   • Yes, because traits come from genes
4. 3.

   Jun reads a trait chart for bean seedlings. What trait do the seedlings from the dark cupboard have?

   • Pale and short
   • Pale and tall
   • Green and short, like the other row
   • Green and tall
5. 4.

   Kira reads the same chart. What trait do the seedlings from the bright window have?

   Use the picture in question 3.

   • Green and tall
   • Green and short
   • Pale and short
   • Pale and tall, like the other row
6. 5.

   Luz compares the two rows. Which column holds the cause of the different looks?

   Use the picture in question 3.

   • Genes: the two rows have different genes
   • Genes: the light changed the seeds' genes
   • Surroundings: dark or bright
   • Trait: the looks cause the light to differ
7. 6.

   Milo reads a science word list. Which meaning goes with the words inherited trait?

   • A trait gained by practice, such as a skill
   • A trait that changes the parents' genes when it shows
   • A trait the surroundings decide on their own
   • A trait passed from parents through their genes
8. 7.

   Pia reads about learned traits. Which meaning goes with the words learned trait?

   • A trait that a learner's own offspring are born with
   • A trait that the weather hands to a plant
   • A trait written in the genes from birth
   • A skill gained by practice, like playing a song
9. 8.

   Ren fills in the missing trait for the second pea plant. Which trait goes in the box?

   • White flowers, since the genes say white
   • Violet flowers, since the sun changed the plant's genes
   • Pink flowers, since pink is between the two
   • Violet flowers, since the bed is the same
10. 9.

    Tala fills in the missing trait. Both pea plants have the same genes for violet flowers but grow in different beds. What goes in the box?

    • Violet flowers, since the genes say violet
    • Pale flowers, since damp beds fade the color
    • White flowers, since the damp bed changed the plant's genes
    • White flowers, since the damp bed is different
11. 10.

    Zee fills in the blank Surroundings box for the green seedlings. Which goes in the box?

    • The dark cupboard, since the seeds are the same
    • A wet paper towel, since green needs water
    • A bright window, since light turns leaves green
    • Different genes, since the looks are different