Inherited traits

Offspring

Adaptation

Hibernation

Learned behaviors

Migration

Instinctive behaviors

•A quality that distinguishes one person or other living thing from another

•

•A characteristic of an organism such as how it looks or acts

•

•Traits can be passed down from one generation to the next

•Traits can also be learned or developed over time

Traits allow an organism to survive and reproduce in the environment in which it lives.

•Members of a family often have noticeable physical similarities such as hair and eye color, nose shape, and leaf or flower color or shape.

•The reason for family resemblances is that offspring receive genetic information from both their mother and father that is passed down to them.

See what pertain to you

Most body traits and all instinctive behaviors are inherited. Inherited characteristics are called traits. Offspring frequently look like their parents, and they also have the same instincts. Each parent passes on some of its traits to the offspring, so that the offspring have some traits that match one or both parents. Some human examples of inherited traits are eye color, hair color and the ability to roll one’s tongue. Sometimes the offspring look different from their parents or from the other young. They may even act differently. Being different, or having variations, gives the species a better chance to survive

•Animals are born with certain instincts or inherited behaviors that help them survive.

•A fish is born knowing how to swim

•A baby is born knowing how to cry

•Birds are born being able to sing

•Mammals are born with the

instinct for nursing

Certain behaviors, called instincts, are automatic, and they happen without the animal even thinking about them. Instincts are inherited from parent organisms. Each year birds such as Canadian geese fly south for the winter. Then, when spring comes and the weather gets warm up north, they fly back home. This kind of journey is called a migration. Many different animals go on seasonal migrations for better feeding opportunities. Some kinds of animals survive through the cold winter by hibernating. Hibernation is a deep sleeplike state when an animal’s body processes slow down. The animal’s body temperature drops, and its breathing and heart rate become very slow. These animals know to migrate and hibernate because their instincts tell them. Scientists don’t really understand how these instincts work!

Flocking You tube video of small birds- Teacher log in

•Learned behaviors are the result of life experiences.

•Some learned behaviors are acquired as a result of observing and practicing the behaviors of adults. (speaking, walking)

•Other behaviors are directly taught (reading)

ANY HUMAN INTERACTION RESULTS IN LEARNED BEHAVIOR

Learned behaviors are behaviors that must be learned or acquired. Most animals have complex brains that are capable of learning survival lessons during their lifetimes. A bird may find that a certain brightly-colored butterfly is quite nasty to eat, so the bird learns to avoid that butterfly. Some animals—such as tigers, lions, and humans—learn survival behaviors from their parents.

My fellow friends and family,

We have killed 57 rattlesnakes on two separate ranches this year. 24 @South bend & 33 @ Murray, since mid May. Not one has rattled! We provoked one fair sized boy with a stick and he coiled & struck at the stick a couple of times before he buzzed up and rattled. The purpose of this explanation is that I have been hearing the same from fellow ranchers and hunters in regards to the lack of warning with rattlesnakes.
I had lunch with a friend today and he offered a theory about the fact that these bugs aren't rattling anymore. He raised pigs for years and reported that when he would hear a rattlesnake buzzing in the sow pen, the sows would bee line to it and fight over the snake. For the uninformed, pigs love to eat rattlesnakes. Therefore, the theory is they are ceasing to rattle to avoid detection, since there are plenty of pigs roaming the countryside. I have a neighbor ranching lady who was bitten 3 weeks ago 2 times by the same snake without any warning....she spent 5 days in ICU, after 22 vials of anti-venom she is back at the ranch and still may lose her foot or worse yet her lower leg.
The days of perceived warning are over. Keep your boots on and use a light when out and about. As you all know, one can pop up just about anywhere! You may wish to forward this to anyone that would be interested.
Sincerely,

Norman

–Is the non-rattling an inherited trait or learned behavior? How do you know?

If too many rattlesnakes are killed by hogs, what effect might this have on an ecosystem?

What does this story tell you about rattlesnakes?

Do you think this new behavior (not rattling as a warning) would be demonstrated in snakes outside of Texas? Justify your answer.

http://www-k6.thinkcentral.com/content/hsp/science/fusion/common/dlo_player/digital_lessons/tx/G5_LC_10413/index.html?type=student&grade=5

Question Cards

1. What are some examples of inherited traits?
   
2. What are some examples of learned behaviors in animals?
   
3. What is something you learned from experience?
   
4. What is an instinctive behavior?
   
5. What is an example of an instinctive behavior human babies are born with?
   
6. What is the key difference between inherited traits and learned behaviors?
   
7. Give an example of a plant’s adaptation to its environment.
   

In what way will baby birds always be like their parents? They will—

A always be exactly the same size

B have the same body structure

C be able to learn the same things

D live in the same exact place

The spider’s ability to spin silk is—

A an acquired trait

B an inherited trait

C a life cycle stage

D a learned behavior

Which example is a physical feature that is passed on to offspring?

A Talking

B Walking

C Sharp beak

D Loose tooth

Loggerhead turtles lay their eggs on the beach and then return to the sea. Tiny turtles hatch from the eggs and find their way to the ocean waters. This is an example of—

A a learned behavior

B an instinct

C camouflage

D mimicry

Smelts are fish that lay their eggs in the sand on beaches. When the eggs hatch, the babies know to go to the water. This is an example of—

A instinct

B hibernation

C camouflage

D learned behavior

The picture below shows a baby giraffe with its parents. The long neck on the baby giraffe is—

A a learned trait

B an inherited trait

C a seasonal adaptation

D an environmental condition