Born With It, or Learned? is a free printable Grade 3 science worksheet on telling inherited traits from characteristics learned from the surroundings, aligned to NGSS performance expectation 3-LS3-2. It prints 3 questions with an answer key on its own sheet of paper, in 25 versions that each ask different questions, so no two students in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.
Set 1 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.
1.Sort each one: Inherited from its parents or Learned from its surroundings?
Sort: A zebra's stripes, A parrot copying words it hears, The shape of a finch's beak, A child riding a bicycle
Inherited from its parentsLearned from its surroundings
2.Sort each one: Inherited from its parents or Learned from its surroundings?
Sort: A chimpanzee using a stick to fish for termites, The spines on a cactus, The color of a child's eyes, A young songbird singing the song of its area
Inherited from its parentsLearned from its surroundings
3.Sort each one: Inherited from its parents or Learned from its surroundings?
Sort: A dog sitting when it is told to, The shape of an oak tree's leaves, A horse jumping fences after training, A duckling's webbed feet
Inherited from its parentsLearned from its surroundings
LessonPrint · 3-LS3-2 · Set 1 · free to copy for classroom use
Answer key — Born With It, or Learned?
Set 1. Prints on its own sheet.
1.1. A child riding a bicycle — Learned from its surroundings 2. A parrot copying words it hears — Learned from its surroundings 3. A zebra's stripes — Inherited from its parents 4. The shape of a finch's beak — Inherited from its parents
2.1. A chimpanzee using a stick to fish for termites — Learned from its surroundings 2. A young songbird singing the song of its area — Learned from its surroundings 3. The color of a child's eyes — Inherited from its parents 4. The spines on a cactus — Inherited from its parents
3.1. A dog sitting when it is told to — Learned from its surroundings 2. A duckling's webbed feet — Inherited from its parents 3. A horse jumping fences after training — Learned from its surroundings 4. The shape of an oak tree's leaves — Inherited from its parents
Questions about Born With It, or Learned?
What does the Born With It, or Learned? worksheet cover?
It practices telling inherited traits from characteristics learned from the surroundings — 3 questions for Grade 3, all on NGSS 3-LS3-2: Show with evidence that surroundings can change a trait. The instruction to students is “Sort each one into inherited or learned”, and the answer key follows on the next sheet.
Which NGSS performance expectation does Born With It, or Learned? practice?
3-LS3-2, under Life Science for Grade 3. The published performance expectation reads: “Use evidence to support the explanation that traits can be influenced by the environment.” The worksheet assesses that performance expectation rather than a paraphrase of it.
What age or grade is this worksheet for?
Born With It, or Learned? is written for Grade 3, typically ages 8-9. It is one of the sheets on 3-LS3-2, so it suits any student working at that standard — including older students revisiting it and younger ones working ahead.
Does Born With It, or Learned? come with an answer key?
Yes. All 3 answers are generated from the same problems as the questions, so the key cannot drift out of step with the sheet. It starts on a fresh sheet of paper, after the questions, so it is not handed out with the class by accident.
How many different versions of Born With It, or Learned? can I print?
25 — one per student, and all 25 ask different questions. Set 1 downloads the whole class as a single PDF. Every version is fixed to its own address, so a sheet printed today holds the same problems when you reopen it next week.
Is Born With It, or Learned? free to print and photocopy?
Yes. Born With It, or Learned?, its answer key and its 25 versions are free to print and photocopy for your own class, with no account, no email capture and no subscription at the download step. Please do not resell them or republish them as your own.
More practice for 3-LS3-2
Show with evidence that surroundings can change a trait.