Download Name: Date: ______ Hour: ______ 8th Grade Science: Heredity and

Name: _______________________ Date: ___________ Hour: ___________
8th Grade Science: Heredity and Inheritance
Quarter 1 Study Guide
Study Guide Due Date: _____________ Common Assessment: _______________
1. What are genes?
2. Where are genes located?
3. DNA is found in a cell's chromosomes and is the blueprint for life. What is the main purpose of DNA and
chromosomes?
4. The cell is very busy and active. The chemical reactions that happen in the cell are responsible for many
different things. What part of the cell directs these chemical reactions?
5. A new organism is created through sexual reproduction. Where does the new organism's chromosomes come
from?
6. What determines some of your features such as your hair color, height, and ability to roll your tongue?
7. The genotype is the actual gene pair for a particular trait. Where does the gene pair come from?
8. My sister has blond hair and is slightly taller than 5 feet. I have brown hair and am slightly taller than 6 feet.
We have the same parents. How is it possible for us to look different? Please explain your reasoning.
9. In humans, rolling your tongue (T) is dominant over non-tongue rolling (t). Create a Punnett square to show
the cross of a homozygous dominant female and a recessive male.
Possible genotypes:
10. In seeds, a round seed (R) is dominant over a wrinkled seed (r). I want to study offspring that have a 50%
chance of being round seeds and a 50% chance of being wrinkled seeds.
*Create a Punnett square(s) to show the possible cross(es) that would yield my desired results.
*Create a Punnett square(s) to show the possible cross(es) if I want to study offspring that are all round seeds.
*Create a Punnett square(s) to show the possible cross(es) if I want to study offspring that are have a greater
chance of being red than white.
11. You dropped a bowling ball on your foot. Ouch! How does your brain know what's happened?
12. Draw and label a picture of DNA (include the base pairs).
13. What is a mutation?
14. In an organism, what does the mutation affect?
15. Which of the following are examples of helpful mutations?
Seedless oranges
Katahdin potato
Sickle-cell anemia
Tay-Sachs disease
Antibiotic resistant
bacteria
Florescent pig
Eye color in humans
Albino alligator
16. Which of the following are examples of harmful mutations?
Seedless oranges
Katahdin potato
Sickle-cell anemia
Tay-Sachs disease
Antibiotic resistant
bacteria
Florescent pig
Eye color in humans
Albino alligator
17. Sketch a picture of a flower. Be sure to include the female reproductive structure.
*What part of the plant produces the egg cell?
*What part of the plant is the reproductive structure?
18. What are some ways that a plant could increase its odds of successfully reproducing?
19. The fruit produced by a flower is the flower's ____________.
20. Look at the pedigree on your recent quiz. Highlight the carriers. What does it mean to be a carrier?
21. How do the mating rituals of birds’ effect their ability of reproducing?