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Passed On, and Not Quite the Same is a free printable Grade 3 science worksheet on evidence that traits are inherited and vary within a group, aligned to NGSS performance expectation 3-LS3-1. 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.

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All 25 sets ask different questions.

Passed On, and Not Quite the Same

3-LS3-1

NameDate

Sort each one into the right group.

1.Sort each one: Inherited and shared or Inherited but varies or Caused by the surroundings?

Sort: Every oak seedling has oak-shaped leaves, A plant in poor soil has pale leaves, Some seedlings have slightly redder stems

Inherited and sharedInherited but variesCaused by the surroundings
2.Sort each one: Inherited and shared or Inherited but varies or Caused by the surroundings?

Sort: A tree bent by the wind on a cliff, All the puppies in the litter have floppy ears, Some kittens are striped and some are plain

Inherited and sharedInherited but variesCaused by the surroundings
3.Sort each one: Inherited and shared or Inherited but varies or Caused by the surroundings?

Sort: All the kittens have whiskers, The shady sunflowers grew shorter, One sunflower's head is wider than the rest

Inherited and sharedInherited but variesCaused by the surroundings

LessonPrint · 3-LS3-1 · Set 1 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Passed On, and Not Quite the Same

Set 1. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.1. A plant in poor soil has pale leaves — Caused by the surroundings 2. Every oak seedling has oak-shaped leaves — Inherited and shared 3. Some seedlings have slightly redder stems — Inherited but varies
  2. 2.1. A tree bent by the wind on a cliff — Caused by the surroundings 2. All the puppies in the litter have floppy ears — Inherited and shared 3. Some kittens are striped and some are plain — Inherited but varies
  3. 3.1. All the kittens have whiskers — Inherited and shared 2. One sunflower's head is wider than the rest — Inherited but varies 3. The shady sunflowers grew shorter — Caused by the surroundings

Questions about Passed On, and Not Quite the Same

What does the Passed On, and Not Quite the Same worksheet cover?

It practices evidence that traits are inherited and vary within a group — 3 questions for Grade 3, all on NGSS 3-LS3-1: Use data to show traits are inherited and still vary within a group. The instruction to students is “Sort each one into the right group”, and the answer key follows on the next sheet.

Which NGSS performance expectation does Passed On, and Not Quite the Same practice?

3-LS3-1, under Life Science for Grade 3. The published performance expectation reads: “Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence that plants and animals have traits inherited from parents and that variation of these traits exists in a group of similar organisms.” The worksheet assesses that performance expectation rather than a paraphrase of it.

What age or grade is this worksheet for?

Passed On, and Not Quite the Same is written for Grade 3, typically ages 8-9. It is one of the sheets on 3-LS3-1, so it suits any student working at that standard — including older students revisiting it and younger ones working ahead.

Does Passed On, and Not Quite the Same 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 Passed On, and Not Quite the Same 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 Passed On, and Not Quite the Same free to print and photocopy?

Yes. Passed On, and Not Quite the Same, 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.

Is there a lesson plan to teach 3-LS3-1?

Yes — “Passed On, and Not Quite the Same” is a 55-minute Grade 3 plan for 3-LS3-1, timed section by section, with the misconceptions to expect and an exit ticket. Passed On, and Not Quite the Same is the practice that follows it.

More practice for 3-LS3-1

Use data to show traits are inherited and still vary within a group.

Teaching this next? Passed On, and Not Quite the Same is the 55-minute plan for it, with the misconceptions to expect.

All Grade 3 worksheets

Last reviewed 2026-09-05. Aligned to 3-LS3-1 of the Next Generation Science Standards.