Heredity: how information travels between generations
Family resemblance is information transfer. Instructions written in DNA are copied and passed on, which is why offspring resemble their parents without being identical to them.
Part of your national curriculum
- Biology: genetics and evolution: Understand heredity as the process by which genetic information is transmitted from one generation to the next
Lesson overview
What you'll learn in this lesson
Understand heredity as the process by which genetic information is transmitted from one generation to the next
Key learning points
- • Where the instructions live
- • Why offspring differ
- • Inherited or environmental?
This lesson at a glance
- 25 minutes
- 20 parts to scroll through
- 4 quick checks
- Marked quiz at the end
- Gentle pace: short sittings with pauses
Words to know
Scroll down — the lesson carries on below
Watch & discover
Part 1 of 20
Visual introductionPicture this
Heredity: how information travels between generations
Family resemblance is information transfer. Instructions written in DNA are copied and passed on, which is why offspring resemble their parents without being identical to them.
In a nutshell
Understand heredity as the process by which genetic information is transmitted from one generation to the next
Learning cycle
Part 2 of 20
Learning cycle 1 of 2
Part 1 · Where the instructions live
A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.
Explore the idea
Part 3 of 20
Learn
Where the instructions live
DNA is stored in the nucleus of a cell, organised into chromosomes. A gene is a section of DNA coding for a characteristic. Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes; one of each pair comes from each parent.
Reset break
Part 4 of 20
Pause
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Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Explore the idea
Part 5 of 20
Learn
Why offspring differ
Sexual reproduction combines genetic information from two parents, so each offspring receives a new mixture. That is why siblings share features but are not identical, and why variation exists for natural selection to act on.
Quick check
Part 6 of 20
Quick check
Part 7 of 20
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Part 8 of 20
Pause
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Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Learning cycle
Part 9 of 20
Learning cycle 2 of 2
Part 2 · Inherited or environmental?
A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.
Explore the idea
Part 10 of 20
Learn
Inherited or environmental?
Eye colour and natural hair colour are inherited. A scar or a learned language is environmental. Many characteristics, such as height, result from both: genes set a range and nutrition determines where within it a person lands.
Quick check
Part 11 of 20
Reset break
Part 12 of 20
Pause
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Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Quick check
Part 13 of 20
Explore the idea
Part 14 of 20
Worked example
Worked example: sorting characteristics
Blood group — inherited only. Tattoo — environmental only. Body mass — both, because inherited factors influence build while diet and activity influence the outcome. Sorting like this makes it clear that 'inherited' means the information came from a parent, not that the feature cannot change.
Challenge round
Part 15 of 20
Game · Sort it
Which of these are true?
Drag each card into the right column. Tap a card first if dragging is fiddly.
True
Not true
Reset break
Part 16 of 20
Pause
That's sitting 4 of 5 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Challenge round
Part 17 of 20
Game · Fill the gaps
Finish the sentences
Choose the word that belongs in each gap.
Sexual reproduction combines ____ information from two parents, so each offspring receives a new mixture.
Challenge round
Part 18 of 20
Game · Recall cards
What is a gene?
Card 1 of 4
Mastery quiz
Part 19 of 20
Marked quiz
End of lesson quiz: Heredity: how information travels between generations
4 questions, marked with the reasoning shown. No timer.
1. What is a gene?
2. Why are siblings not usually genetically identical?
3. Which characteristic usually reflects both genes and environment?
4. A scar is an example of…
Lesson round-up
Part 20 of 20
Lesson round-up
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Understand heredity as the process by which genetic information is transmitted from one generation to the next