WorksheetPremium

A Family-Trait Display for the Reef Aquarium

Analyze reef aquarium family records to find inherited traits and variation, then judge display designs using test results.

Grade 3ScienceInteractive · Printable

Aligned to3-LS3-1

Buy this worksheet: $1.50

Or unlock every Premium worksheet with Premium

PrintUnlock to print

Answer keyUnlock to see answers

Assign to classUnlock to assign with a class code

What’s included

Single worksheet
Auto-graded online
1 NGSS standard
Printable answer key
15 questions
Classroom-ready

Details

Format: Interactive · Printable
Grade: Grade 3
Subject: Science
Question types: Fill in the blank, Multiple choice, Circle the answer, Sorting, Short answer

About this worksheet

What students practice

Students use family data to identify traits shared by parents and offspring.
Students use counts to describe variation among plants and animals in a family.
Students judge a science display by comparing its test results and the evidence it shows.

How to use

Read the aquarium records together, then have students compare the graphs and judge the display designs. Ask students to cite counts in both written responses.

Curriculum

NGSS standard covered

3-LS3-1

Use data to show that plants and animals get traits from their parents and that traits vary in a group.

Preview

OwlSheets.com

Name Date

A Family-Trait Display for the Reef Aquarium

Use family records and visitor test results to choose a clear aquarium display.

Read the family records

The reef aquarium team recorded traits in a type of algae and in cardinalfish. Use the records and graphs to answer the questions.

Records from the classroom reef tank

The class is building a display for its coral reef classroom aquarium. The display must help visitors notice two ideas: young organisms can share traits with their parents, and members of one young group can have different traits.

The team recorded two families of algae. In Algae Family L, one parent had broad blades and the other parent had narrow blades. The young algae had 6 broad blades and 3 narrow blades. In Algae Family M, both parents had green blades. The 8 young algae had 5 green blades, 2 red blades, and 1 gold blade.

The team also recorded two cardinalfish families. In Fish Family R, one parent had a silver stripe and the other parent had a gold stripe. The young fish had 5 silver stripes and 3 gold stripes. In Fish Family S, both parents had spotted tails. The 8 young fish had 6 spotted tails and 2 plain tails.

The class made three display designs. Design A showed each family separately, named the parents, and included every offspring count. Design B combined young from different families into large trait groups and left out family names. Design C named the families but showed only the most common trait in each family. For each design, eight different visitors took a short check after viewing it. Seven visitors using A connected a parent trait to an offspring trait. Three visitors using B and five visitors using C made that connection.