---
title: "Traits: inherited and environmental"
description: "Use evidence to support the explanation that traits can be influenced by the environment as well as inheritance"
canonical: https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/traits-inherited-and-environmental-mt_Tls5qJ4p0L
source: https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/traits-inherited-and-environmental-mt_Tls5qJ4p0L.md
retrieved: 2026-10-19
---

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# Traits: inherited and environmental

Use evidence to support the explanation that traits can be influenced by the environment as well as inheritance

Subject: Science · Area: Organisms & Life Processes · Ages 8 to 9
Page: https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/traits-inherited-and-environmental-mt_Tls5qJ4p0L

## Ready when they can

- Explain that traits result from both inheritance and environmental factors
- Give examples of environmental influence on traits (e.g. sunlight affects plant growth, diet affects animal size)
- Distinguish between inherited traits (e.g. eye colour) and environmentally influenced traits (e.g. muscle strength from exercise)

## Lesson: Traits: born with it, or grew into it?

You already know that traits like eye colour pass from parents to their children. But not every trait comes from genes alone. Where a living thing grows up, and how it lives, can shape traits too.

*(drawing: Two seeds, same genes, different sunlight: the sunny plant grew much taller.)*

**Example.** Two puppies from the same litter share almost the same genes. One gets a daily walk and good meals. The other stays inside and eats less. The active puppy grows strong muscles. Its sibling stays thinner, even though they started with the same genes.

Eye colour is an inherited trait. It is set by genes at birth, and it does not change no matter where you live. Muscle strength and plant height are different. They have an inherited part, but the environment, things like food, water, sunlight, and exercise, can change them too.

**Tip.** To tell if environment plays a part, ask: would this trait change if the food, sunlight, or exercise changed? If yes, the environment is shaping it.

**Recap.** Genes set the starting point for a trait, but the environment, like sunlight, food, and exercise, can shape how that trait turns out.

## Practice

8 questions on this page, each with its working shown.

## Needs first

- [Inherited characteristics](https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/inherited-characteristics-mt_1wxwg782yX)
- [Inheritance Vocabulary](https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/inheritance-vocabulary-mt_h4abSktujo)

## Opens up

- [Variation in Species](https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/variation-in-species-mt_k1HXbEwG8f)