KS3 Science

Independent Learning
Booklets

Variation
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 What is variation?

All people are human. They belong to the same species. Your friends and classmates may have different
eye colour and hair colour. Some will be boys and some will be girls. Some will be tall and some will be
shorter. The presence of differences between living things of the same species is called variation.

Variation between different species is usually greater than the variation within a species.

Inherited and environmental variation

Some variation within a species is inherited, and some variation is due to the environment.

Inherited causes of variation

Variation in a characteristic that is a result of genetic information from the parents is called inherited
variation.

Children usually look a little like their father, and a little like their mother, but they will not be identical to
either of their parents. This is because they get half of their DNA and inherited features from each parent.

Each egg cell and each sperm cell contains half of the genetic information needed for an individual. When
these join at fertilisation a new cell is formed with all the genetic information needed for an individual.

Here are some examples of inherited variation in humans:

• eye colour
• hair colour
• skin colour
• lobed or lobeless ears
• ability to roll your tongue

Eye colour is an example of inherited variation.

Having lobed or lobless ears is an example of inherited

variation
 Gender is inherited variation too, because whether you are male or female is a result of the genes you
inherited from your parents.

Environmental causes of variation

Characteristics of animal and plant species can be affected by factors such as:

• climate
• diet
• accidents
• culture
• lifestyle
For example, you will become heavier if you eat too much food, and you will become lighter if you eat too
little. A plant in the shade of a big tree will grow taller as it tries to reach more light.

Variation caused by the surroundings is called environmental variation. Here are some other examples of
features that show environmental variation:

• your language
• your religion
• flower colour in hydrangeas (these plants produce blue flowers in acidic soil and pink flowers in alkaline
soil)
Inherited and environmental causes

Some features vary because of a mixture of inherited causes and environmental causes. For example,
identical twins inherit exactly the same features from their parents. However, if you take a pair of twins,
and twin 'A' is given more to eat than twin 'B', twin 'A' is likely to end up heavier. Weight and height are
common examples of characteristics that are influenced by both genetic and environmental factors.

Continuous and discontinuous variation

Some of the features of the different organisms in a species show continuous variation, and some features
show discontinuous variation.

Continuous variation

Human height is an example of continuous variation. It ranges from that of the shortest person in the
world to that of the tallest person. Any height is possible between these values. So it is continuous
variation.

For any species a characteristic that changes gradually over a range of values shows continuous variation.
Examples of such characteristics are:

• height
• weight
If you record the heights of a group of people and draw a graph of your results, it usually looks something
like this:
 A bar chart to represent variation in height
The more people you measure, and the smaller the categories you use, the closer the results will be to the
curved line. This shape of graph is typical of a feature with continuous variation. Weight would give a graph
similar in shape to this.

Discontinuous variation

A characteristic of any species with only a limited number of possible values shows discontinuous variation.
Human blood group is an example of discontinuous variation. In the ABO blood group system, only four
blood groups are possible (A, B, AB or O). There are no values in between, so this is discontinuous
variation.

Here are some examples:

• blood group
• sex (male or female)
• eye colour

A Bar chart to represent the frequency of each blood group in the population
What is classification?
Animal groups
Animals can be divided into groups or 'classified' by looking at the similarities and differences between
them.

Animals are divided into two main groups. Animals that have a backbone are called vertebrates. Animals
that don't have a backbone are called invertebrates.

Vertebrates and invertebrates are divided into smaller groups. Vertebrates, for example, are divided into
fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.

There are many different groups of invertebrates too. They include invertebrates which have soft bodies
such as jellyfish, worms and molluscs (like slugs and squids). There are also groups of invertebrates with
hard bodies, such as insects, crustaceans and spiders.

Key’s can play a vital part in helping to classify animals and objects, in the activities section you will see
examples of keys and how to use them and even get to make your own.

Species

A species is a group of similar organisms that can breed with one another to produce fertile offspring. For
example, humans are one species and dogs are another species.

Individuals of the same species can reproduce to make more individuals of the same species. Two
individuals belonging to different species cannot normally reproduce together. If they do, their offspring is
often infertile and unable to reproduce.

These penguins belong to the same species

Sometimes individuals from two different species can reproduce. For example, animals called ligers are
produced when a male lion and a female tiger reproduce. Tigons are produced when a female lion and
male tiger have cubs. Unlike many young from different species, ligers and tigons can have offspring.

A liger looks like a lion but has stripes like a tiger

 Selective breeding

Pedigree dogs come in lots of different varieties. They may be different colours and sizes, but they are all
still dogs. They are all still the same species. The different varieties of dog have been produced through
deliberate selective breeding by dog-owners.

Five very different breeds of dog

These are the steps taken to select a particular feature in an organism:

1. choose individuals with the desired feature

2. let only these individuals reproduce
3. choose the offspring that have the desired feature
4. let only these individuals reproduce
5. repeat steps 3 and 4 until you have produced a variety in which all the individuals show the desired
feature
For example, suppose you wanted a variety of cow that produced a lot of milk. This is what you could do:

1. select the cows in your herd that produce the most milk
2. let only these cows reproduce
3. select the offspring that produce the most milk
4. let only these individuals reproduce
5. keep repeating the process of selection and breeding until you produce a breed that consistently
produces a lot of milk
Other examples of selective breeding

The key to success is to identify the feature you want, only breed from the individuals that have that
feature, and do not allow individuals with undesirable features to breed. Here are some examples of what
selective breeding can produce:

• hens that lay big eggs of a particular colour

• cattle that produce lots of meat
• tomato plants that produce lots of tomatoes
• crops that are resistant to certain plant diseases
 What is natural selection?
• - Natural selection is known as ‘the survival of the fittest’. The best adapted organisms are able
to survive.
• - The most desirable characteristics get passed down from parents to their offspring.
• - Scientists have used fossils to look at how organisms have evolved over time.

Natural selection
Natural selection is a process by which a species changes over time in response to changes in
the environment, or competition between organisms, in order for the species to survive.

The members of the species with the most desirable characteristics are able to produce the best-
adapted offspring. If a species is unable to adapt then it is at risk of becoming extinct.
Evolution
Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution suggested that different species have evolved from simpler life forms
and that the organisms able to survive are those that have adapted best to their environment.

Evolution is a slow process that can take many thousands, even millions, of years to happen. Scientists
have used fossil evidence to look at how organisms have adapted over millions of years and how their
characteristics have changed.

If a species is unable to adapt quickly enough to its environment, then it is at risk of becoming extinct. This
can happen for many reasons:

• New predators
• New diseases
• Destruction of habitats
• Changes to the environment
• Increased competition for resources
Tasks and Activities

Task 1 Wordsearch
Task 2 Memory recall and new learning exam question

1. The diagram shows two families. Some of the people in the diagram have freckles.

family A family B

grandparents

Bob married to Emily John married to Mary

parents

Rachel married to Bill Pam married to David

children Richard Penny Simon Becca Katie

key
person with
and
freckles

person without
and freckles

(a) (i) Which children are most likely to have freckles? Tick the correct boxes.

Richard Simon Katie Penny Becca

1 mark

(ii) How did you decide?

.............................................................................................................

............................................................................................................. 1 mark

(iii) Suggest why Bill does not have freckles.

............................................................................................................. 1 Mark
 (b) (i) Which two cells pass on information from parents to their children?
Tick the two correct boxes.

bone cell cheek cell

egg cell muscle cell

red blood cell sperm cell

1 mark

(ii) Which organ system produces these two cells?

Tick the correct box.

circulatory system digestive system

reproductive system respiratory system

1 mark
Task 3 Using a statement key to classify aliens

These aliens have lost their way, and arrived on Earth. They have forgotten their names! Can you use the
key to help them remember their names?

1 2 3 4

5 6 7 8
9 10 11 12

Key:
1. Does it have one eye? If yes it is Alan
If no go to step 2

2. Does it have two eyes? If yes go to step 3

If no go to step 4

3. Does it have a flat head? If yes go to step 5

If no go to step 6

4. Does it have a spiky body? If yes it is Rob

If no it is Mark

5. Does it have a star on its If yes it is Victor

tummy? If no it is Paul

6. Does it have antennae? If yes go to step 7

If no go to step 8

7. Does it have a mouth? If yes go to step 9

If no go to step 10

8. Does it have a spiky arm? If yes it is Bob

If no it is Carl

9. Does it have a spiky arm? If yes it is Hal

If no it is Eric

10. Does it have a spiky face? If yes go to step 11

If no it is Dave

11. Does it have spikes all over If yes it is Tom

its face? If no it is Felix
Task 4 Using classification Keys

• We can use keys to help us put organisms into groups.

• Dichotomous or branching keys let you make a choice at each question.
Fun Task Classifying Mr Men

Each Mr Man has a unique characteristic that you could use to

identify them. Make a branching key on the next page to identify at
least 8 Mr Men.

1. Mr Bump 8. Mr Greedy 15.Mr Fussy 22. Mr Mean

2. Mr Tickle 9. Mr Nosey 16.Mr Messy 23. Mr Perfect
3. Mr Strong 10. Mr Bounce 17.Mr Clever 24. Mr Dizzy
4. Mr Daydream 11. Mr Slow 18.Mr Skinny
5. Mr Sneeze 12. Mr Nonsense 19.Mr Lazy
6. Mr Forgetful 13. Mr Mischief 20.Mr Worry
7. Mr Happy 14. Mr Busy 21.Mr Tall
Here is a blank key that might help you, you do no have to use it if you do not want to.