Instructions: Survey at least 20 people to find out what traits they have for each of the features below. (Note: survey can include family, friends, and images from media) Tally the numbers for each trait and record those totals in each column. When completing the survey, be sure to include yourself as one of the individuals surveyed. Also include at least one set of parents and offspring in the individuals you survey. Document the features of each member of the family you surveyed within the data table, but also make a special note of these features in the observation section of your report. This information will be important when writing your conclusion.
Data and Observations:
Family Member Earlobes
(Free or Attached) Hair on Knuckles
(Yes or No) Hair Line
(Widow's peak or Straight) Hair Texture
(Curly or Straight) Chin Shape
(Cleft or No Cleft)
1. Parent or Guardian 1
2. Parent or Guardian 2
3. Offspring 1
Feature Trait Total Trait Total
Earlobes Free Earlobes Attached Earlobes
Hair on knuckles Hair present between second and third knuckle of fingers No hair present between second and third knuckle of fingers
Hair Line (widow's peak vs. straight hair line) Widow's peak Straight hair line
Hair texture Curly hair (count wavy hair as curly) Straight hair
Chin shape (no cleft chin vs. cleft chin) Cleft chin No cleft chin
Calculations:
Calculate the percentages for each trait in your total sample and list those percentages in this section of your report.
Example calculations: (12 people with widow’s peak ÷ 20 total people) x 100 = 60% widow’s peaks
Feature Trait Calculated Percentage Trait Calculated Percentage
Earlobes Free Earlobes Attached Earlobes
Hair on knuckles Hair present between second and third knuckle of fingers No hair present between second and third knuckle of fingers
Hair Line (widow's peak vs. straight hair line) Widow's peak Straight hair line
Hair texture Curly hair (count wavy hair as curly) Straight hair
Chin shape (no cleft chin vs. cleft chin) Cleft chin No cleft chin
Analysis and Conclusion:
Using what you have learned in the lesson and gathered from your survey, write a conclusion paragraph analyzing your results in your conclusion. Be sure to address the following questions:
Identify the trait that you believe to be dominant for each of the features surveyed. Explain your reasoning.
What recessive features do you exhibit? Do you have any relatives who exhibit those same features?
In the family you surveyed, what features did the offspring share with one or both parents? Were there any features that the offspring exhibited that were not exhibited by either parent?
How is it possible for an offspring to exhibit a recessive trait if neither parent exhibited that recessive trait? What must be true about the parents’ genes for this to occur?
Are there any results in your data that surprised you?
It is possible that a recessive trait in a survey such as this one may have a greater total number than its dominant counterpart. Explain how that might happen in an investigation like this.
How might surveying a different number of people or different population of people possibly change the percentages that you calculated?
