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7th grade Genes, chromosomes and mutations worksheet

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Genes, chromosomes and mutations

Grade 7 Science Worksheet - Building Confidence

NameDate

Circle the best answer.

  1. Ari fills in a zoom strip that goes from the biggest part to the smallest. Which part goes in the box?

    • Protein, which a gene gives instructions for
    • Gene, which holds the DNA inside it
    • Chromosome, a thread made of DNA
    • Trait, such as the color of a flower
  2. Bo fills in a different zoom strip, again from the biggest part to the smallest. Which part goes in the box?

    • Protein, a chain made from instructions
    • Nucleus, home of the chromosomes
    • Gene, which holds a whole chromosome
    • DNA, which is bigger than a chromosome
  3. biggest to smallest, not to scale. Esme fills in the last box of a zoom strip that goes from the biggest part to the smallest. Which part goes in the box?

    • Protein, a smaller part of the nucleus
    • Chromosome, which is smaller than DNA
    • Gene, a short section of DNA
    • Trait, such as the shape of a seed
  4. Jun reads a science word list. Which meaning goes with the word gene?

    • A change in the letters of DNA
    • A feature you can see, such as seed shape
    • A DNA section that codes for a protein
    • A long thread of DNA in the nucleus
  5. Milo fills in the Trait box for the pea plant whose gene A has one changed letter. What goes in the box?

    • Violet flowers, since the gene is still there
    • Pale violet flowers, a blend of the two colors
    • White flowers, since the protein is missing
    • White flowers, since the plant chose the change
  6. Noah fills in the Protein box for the pea plant whose gene A has one changed letter. What goes in the box?

    • A longer chromosome with extra genes
    • White flowers, the trait itself
    • The same pigment-making protein as row 1
    • No working protein is made
  7. Pia reads the chart. A letter in row 2 was changed. Which cell of row 2 holds the changed letter?

    • The Gene cell, since a mutation is a change in DNA
    • The Protein cell, since a protein is a chain of letters
    • The Trait cell, since the flower color changed
    • The Trait cell, since traits are made of DNA
  8. Read this first

    Use the table

    Two strips of DNA letters (model data)

    Copy of a geneDNA letters
    parent copyA T G C C T A
    new copyA T G C T T A
  9. Ren compares the two copies of a gene. Which letter of the new copy is different from the parent copy?

    • The fourth letter
    • No letter, since the copies match
    • The fifth letter
    • The sixth letter
  10. Tala says the plant changed the fifth letter on purpose because it needed a new trait. Which response is best?

    • Yes, the plant picks the helpful letters
    • No, the change happened outside the cell
    • No, a mutation is a chance change in DNA
    • Yes, a plant changes DNA when it needs to
  11. Zee asks if the card shows whether the changed letter is harmful, helpful or makes no difference. What is the answer?

    • Yes, a changed letter changes the trait
    • Yes, a changed letter helps the plant grow
    • No, the effect depends on the protein
    • Yes, a changed letter is harmful
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7th grade Genes, chromosomes and mutations worksheet – printable
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About this worksheet

Genes, chromosomes and mutations. Every version has 10 questions, and the answer key prints on the second page.

What your child will learn

  • I can put the parts in order from biggest to smallest: cell, nucleus, chromosome, DNA, gene.
  • I can say that a gene is a section of DNA that holds instructions for a protein, and that proteins help make a trait.
  • I can say that humans have 46 chromosomes in 23 pairs, and that other living things have other numbers.
  • I can say that a mutation is a change in DNA, and that it can be harmful, helpful or make no difference.
  • I can follow a changed gene to a changed protein to a changed trait, and explain a case where the DNA changed but the trait did not.
  • I can say that mutations happen by chance, not because a living thing needs them.

Standard: MS-LS3-1

Words to know

cell: The smallest living part of a plant or animal

nucleus: The part inside a cell that holds the chromosomes

chromosome: A thread of DNA and protein in the nucleus

DNA: The long molecule that carries the instructions of a living thing

gene: A section of DNA with instructions for making a protein

protein: A part of a living thing that helps build it and run its cells

trait: A feature of a living thing, such as flower color or seed shape

mutation: A change in DNA; it can be harmful, helpful or make no difference

Common mistakes

Your child thought mutations are always harmful. Compare three cases: a seedling with pale leaves, bacteria that use a new food, and a change that alters nothing. Ask, 'What did this change do there?'

Your child mixed up a gene with the trait it helps make. Draw three boxes: Gene, Protein, Trait. Ask, 'Which box comes first, and which one can you see?'

Your child mixed up the sizes of cells, chromosomes, DNA and genes. Try nesting boxes: a cell holds a nucleus, which holds chromosomes, which are made of DNA, which has genes. Ask, 'Which holds which?'

Questions parents ask

What is the most common mistake with genes, chromosomes and mutations?

Your child thought mutations are always harmful. Compare three cases: a seedling with pale leaves, bacteria that use a new food, and a change that alters nothing. Ask, 'What did this change do there?'

Are these 7th grade science worksheets free to print?

Yes. All 6 printable versions at each level are free to print, with the answer key, and no account is needed.

More grade 7 science

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