Offspring resemble their parents because genes are reliably transferred from one generation to the next. Genes determine characteristics like hair color and come from parents, ensuring kids look like and inherit traits from their parents. Through natural selection, genes with traits better suited to the environment are more likely to be passed on to future generations, explaining similarities in families and species evolution over time.

1. By: Heather Jo Reynolds 5.4.1 Explain that for offspring to resemble their parents there must be a reliable way to transfer information from one generation to the next.

2. Jeans vs. Genes We have genes that make up our individual DNA that determine characteristics such as hair color. No, these aren’t the kind of jeans you wear … Does anyone want to guess where genes come from?

3. Your Parents! Do kids usually look like their parents? How many of you know why you have the hair color you do? How many of you think you will be really tall when you grow up? Why?

4. What do Genes effect? Can anyone do this………………………….. Or this…… How about ears like this……….. or this……. There is a gene for these characteristics.

5. Do you look like your parents? “ Your DNA is the recipe of your being.” Key: B = Big Eyes, bb = small eyes

6. Is this true in the animal world? Survival of the fittest How many have heard of this phrase? Meaning The idea that species adapt and change by natural selection with the best suited mutations becoming dominant. Origin This expression is often attributed to Charles Darwin. -By 'fittest', they didn't have in mind the commonly used meaning of the word now, being; the most highly trained and physically energetic. -The 'fittest' they were referring to those animals which are the most suited to their environment; those which are best fitted to survive. How does this relate to genes?

7. Let us watch this clip of just how genetics work… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOvMNOMRRm8

8. Glossary Characteristics: A feature that helps to identify, tell apart, or describe recognizably; a distinguishing mark or trait. Natural Selection: the process by which favorable traits that are heritable become more common in successive generations of a population of reproducing organisms, and unfavorable traits that are heritable become less common. Mutations: 1. The act or process of being altered or changed. 2. An alteration or change, as in nature, form, or quality. Dominant: 1. Exercising the most influence or control. 2. Most prominent, as in position; ascendant

9. Resources http://www.mansfieldct.org/schools/mms/staff/hand/genpunnettsquares.htm http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/340400.html http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOvMNOMRRm8 www.thefreedictionary.com http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/AEPC/NIH/gene03.php