Key Idea.
Section 1
Genes Carry Trait Instructions
Every living thing has a set of special instructions inside its body. These instructions tell an organism what its traits will be, such as its fur color or the shape of its leaves.
These tiny instructions are called genes. Parents pass their genes down to their offspring. This is how traits are shared in a family from one generation to the next.
Section 2
Genes Create Family Variation
Parents have sets of instructions, called genes, for every trait. For each trait, an offspring gets one instruction from its mother and one from its father.
The specific combination of instructions an offspring gets is a matter of chance. Because of this, a brother and sister can get different combinations of instructions from the same parents.
Expand to review the lesson summary and core properties.
Section 1
Genes Carry Trait Instructions
Every living thing has a set of special instructions inside its body. These instructions tell an organism what its traits will be, such as its fur color or the shape of its leaves.
These tiny instructions are called genes. Parents pass their genes down to their offspring. This is how traits are shared in a family from one generation to the next.
Section 2
Genes Create Family Variation
Parents have sets of instructions, called genes, for every trait. For each trait, an offspring gets one instruction from its mother and one from its father.
The specific combination of instructions an offspring gets is a matter of chance. Because of this, a brother and sister can get different combinations of instructions from the same parents.