Communication and learning reminders

• Students can use the chat features at appropriate times during lessons to communicate and ask questions
• Students cannot exchange personal information (Online ID’s, email addresses, phone numbers) or post outside links in
the chat.
• Students must ensure that appropriate school language is being used and appropriate behaviour is exhibited during
lessons.
• If students are asked to submit work via video or go on camera, please ensure appropriate attire is being worn.
• Lessons may be recorded so that students can view them at a later date if required.
• Students must communicate with their teacher and ask if they are unsure.
• Students should dedicate an appropriate amount of time to learning, meeting deadlines and due dates
• Students must complete their own learning, Parents can assist with organisation and understanding, but all work
submitted must be the students own.
• Finally remember to keep healthy habits; use break times to step away from your work desk and give your brain a rest,
eat healthy and ensure you go to bed at a regular school day times.

Now let’s have fun learning!

 Date: November 25, 20

Title: Variation
Learning objective: To be able to identity the reasons you look different
from other members of your family and understand how to display different
types
Do of data Success criteria:
Now
1. I can classify characteristics as being due
List the similarities and differences between
these 2 dogs.
to genetic, environmental, or a
combination of these causes.
Why is it beneficial to have variation between 2. I can differentiate between continuous
individuals of the same species? and discontinuous variation.
3. I can evaluate the appropriate methods to
What causes variation? present information about variation.
 Variation
• These dogs belong to the same species, just as we
all belong to the same species

• However, there can be lots of differences between

members of the same species (as we saw with the
poodle and the labrador)

These differences within a

species are called
variation
 Variation
There are two factors which cause variation:
The characteristics you inherit
from your parents
AND
The environment in which you
live
 Inherited Variation

Which features have you inherited from your

parents?
1. Discuss with you partner which features you think you
have inherited from your parents
2. Illustrate these ideas by drawing a spider diagram in your
book
Me and my I have the
mum have the same colour
same colour
Inherited eyes as my
hair Features dad

Me and my
mum have
Extra Challenge: Write down your the same
thoughts about why we are not shaped nose
identical to our parents
 Inherited Variation

We are not identical to one parent

because we inherit a mix of
features from both our parents.
This is called inherited variation
 Environmental Variation

• Environmental factors cause an organism

to change, this is environmental variation

Weak
Lion Where
Strong
you grow
Lion up
 Environmental or Inherited?
Task 1: Compare the examples of variation – decide
whether they are examples of inherited or environmental
variation, or they could be both!
In pairs arrange the cards under the correct headings and
complete the following Venn diagram in your books:
Inherited Variation Environmental
Variation
YOUR HEIGHT YOUR RELIGION

YOUR WEIGHT WHAT ACCENT YOU SPEAK WITH

YOUR HAIR COLOUR WHAT LANGUAGE YOU SPEAK

YOUR EYE COLOUR YOUR BLOOD GROUP

YOUR HAVING PIERCED EARS

SKIN COLOUR

HAVING LONG OR SHORT HAIR HAVING A SCAR

HAVING EARS WITH LOBES … OR WITHOUT HAVING FRECKLES

BEING MALE OR FEMALE HAVING A TATTOO

Inherited Inherited
Characteristi
cs:
Eye colour
Skin colour
Blood Type
Freckles
Gender
Hair Colour
Ear lobes –
attached/det
ached

All of these
are inherited
because they
are
controlled by
your genes –
these you
inherit from
your parents.
Environmental Environmental
Characteristics
:
Language
Scars
Tattoos
Piercings
Hair Length
Accent
Religion

All of these are

environmental
characteristics
because they
are decided by
you. You make
a choice to
change these
things or they
are a product
of your
environment.
Inherited Variation Environmental
Variation

• The accent
• Blood group • Hair you speak
• Male/female
colour with
• Hair
• Your
• Ears – length
• Eye colour language
lobed/lobeless • Weight • Tattoo
• Eye colour • Height
• Freckles • Scar
• Religion
• Pierced ears
 What causes these
variations to happen?
 Mutations!
• Variations arise as a result of
mutations to the DNA.
• Sometimes a gene may mutate.
• A mutation is a rare random
change in your DNA.
• It can be passed on to the next
generation.
• It could create a new allele but most
mutations have no real effect
Mutations change the sequence of bases in a gene.
Different bases means different amino acids.
This can then change the protein.

A A
T C C A G
For example, an extra base
could be added in.

Or one deleted, or just a

simple change. Challenge: Predict the effect of
deletion, addition or substitution
mutations. Discuss which will
have the greatest effect.

16
Most mutations don’t really do anything. This could be
because:
The new codon codes for the same amino acid.
It occurs in a recessive allele.
The mutation happens in a minor section of DNA.
Some have a small effect and only slightly change a persons
characteristics.
Some mutations can though have a significant effect on the
phenotype.
This could be harmful or beneficial.
For example it cause a cancer to develop, or it could be a
new allele that gives a selective advantage to that 17
organism.
In this case a mutation increases variation.
 Progress Check – Exam Q

Q: Explain how a mutation could

lead to an enzyme failing to
function (3 marks)

18
Q: Explain how a mutation could lead to an enzyme failing to
function (4 marks)

Mutation is a random change in DNA;

The base sequence changes;
This changes the amino acid sequence;
This changes the way the protein folds up;
It could change the shape of the active site;
Therefore the substrate fails to fit anymore;

19
 Categorising Variation
• When gathering data on variation, you need to consider the
type of data you are collecting and how best to present it.
• Continuous: No distinct categories, data can continue
infinitely. E.g Height.
• Discontinuous: Distinct categories. E.g Blood group
Task 3: At each station around the
room, complete your information on the
sheet provided
4. Handedness
3. Tongue
5. Hand span
Rolling?
Back of the Room

2. Earlobe 6. Height

1. Foot
length

Desk
Teams: In teams, take one set of results, bring back to a table
and complete the tasks below:
Foot length Tongue Rolling Handedness
Earlobe

Hand Span
Height

• Display the results of your trait with an

appropriate graph (line or bar).
• Determine if the trait is environmental or
inherited
• Be able to explain why your group decided
Plenary ~ Imagine a world where there was
no variation, a world where everybody looked
exactly the same as one another!!
Describe the advantages and
disadvantages of this world, think
about the personalities, jobs and
hobbies people might have and
whether you would like to live in a
world like this!

Environmen
Inherite tal
d Variation

Characteristi Factors
cs
 Exam Practice

Describe how a mutation in the DNA of a cell can affect the functioning of an enzyme.
(3)

(ii) Explain why some mutations have little effect on the phenotype of an organism.
(2)

(iii) State one factor that will increase the incidence of mutations.
(1)
• 3b – Inheritance – Variation and Mutation
• CONCEPT CHECK – True or false?

1. Variation is only caused by your genes.

2. Mutations are random
3. Mutations are a change in chromosome sequence
4. Mutations can be caused by mutagens
5. Mutations can effect protein function
6. Mutations can be passed on
7. Mutations always have a significant effect
8. Mutations cause a change in amino acid sequence
9. Mutations can lead to cancer
10. Mutations increase variation 26
• 3b – Inheritance – Variation and Mutation
• CONCEPT CHECK – True or false?

1. Variation is only caused by your genes.

2. Mutations are random
3. Mutations are a change in chromosome sequence
4. Mutations can be caused by mutagens
5. Mutations can effect protein function
6. Mutations can be passed on
7. Mutations always have a significant effect
8. Mutations always cause a change in amino acid sequence
9. Mutations can lead to cancer
10. Mutations can increase variation
27
Print Resources
Foot length Height Ear lobe
Name Foot length (cm) Name Height (cm) Name Type of ear lobe
Handednes Hand span Tongue rolling
s
Name Right or left? Name Length (cm) Name Can you roll your tongue?
Hand Span Measurement
Foot Length Measurement