--- title: S5L2 description: S5L2 Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information showing that some characteristics of organisms are inherited and other characteristics are acquired. image: https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/Right%20Image.png --- [![Teacher Login](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/347944/f56bee57-133e-4975-8055-799f1f23588b.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/347944/f56bee57-133e-4975-8055-799f1f23588b) [Teacher Login](https://app.knowatom.com/signin) [![KnowAtom Logo](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/KnowAtom%20Logo.svg "KnowAtom Logo")](https://www.knowatom.com/) # S5L2 Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information showing that some characteristics of organisms are inherited and other characteristics are acquired. [![Download a Sample Unit](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/347944/20eee377-e175-48fe-a039-ae723137a2a6.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/347944/20eee377-e175-48fe-a039-ae723137a2a6) Science & Engineering Practices - [Developing and using models](https://www.knowatom.com/developing-and-using-models) - [Planning and carrying out investigations](https://www.knowatom.com/planning-and-carrying-out-investigations) - [Constructing explanations and designing solutions](https://www.knowatom.com/constructing-explanations-and-designing-solutions) - [Engaging in argument from evidence](https://www.knowatom.com/engaging-in-argument-from-evidence) - [Obtaining evaluating and communicating information](https://www.knowatom.com/obtaining-evaluating-and-communicating-information) Disciplinary Core Ideas - [Weather and Climate](https://www.knowatom.com/weather-and-climate) - [Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer](https://www.knowatom.com/conservation-of-energy-and-energy-transfer) Crosscutting Concepts - [Patterns](https://www.knowatom.com/patterns) - [Cause and Effect](https://www.knowatom.com/cause-and-effect) [![New call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/347944/b5a1446e-d782-4a5f-a019-0b3b98c8304f.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/347944/b5a1446e-d782-4a5f-a019-0b3b98c8304f) ## Browse S3L1 Lesson Plans Grade Ranges All K-2 3-5 6-8 [![](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/image4-Oct-09-2023-07-26-37-4633-AM.png) ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/4th-grade-science/frog-life-cycle) ## [Frog Life Cycle In this unit, students explore how living things depend on their environment and one another for survival. In this lesson, students discover phenomena surrounding how frogs have different internal and external structures throughout their life cycle that enable them to survive in their environments. This page highlights components of this lesson.  ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/4th-grade-science/frog-life-cycle) [ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/4th-grade-science/frog-life-cycle) [![](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/Selecting-Traits.jpg) ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/4th-grade-science/selecting-traits) ## [Selecting Traits In this lesson, students explore the phenomena of senses to uncover how certain traits give individual organisms a survival advantage. This page is a high-level extract of this lesson.  ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/4th-grade-science/selecting-traits) [ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/4th-grade-science/selecting-traits) [![](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/image2-Oct-07-2023-03-20-03-7546-PM.png) ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/4th-grade-science/plant-structures) ## [Plant Structures In this unit, students analyze how living things have specific structures that allow them to function in different environments. They trace how energy flows through a tropical wetland food web, and then test how temperature affects a plant’s ability to transpire through its leaves, affecting its ability to grow. This page is a high-level extract of this lesson on plant structures. ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/4th-grade-science/plant-structures) [ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/4th-grade-science/plant-structures) [![](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/image3-Oct-07-2023-12-29-08-9517-PM.png) ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/3rd-grade-science/heredity-and-traits) ## [Heredity and Traits In this unit, students discover the life cycles of different organisms, tracing how individuals move from birth to growth, reproduction, and death. In this lesson, students analyze the science phenomena of how traits are passed down from parent to offspring. This page provides an overview of all the parts of this lesson. ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/3rd-grade-science/heredity-and-traits) [ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/3rd-grade-science/heredity-and-traits) [![](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/image3-Oct-08-2023-12-34-24-7924-PM.png) ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/5th-grade-science/ecosytem-dynamics) ## [Ecosystem Dynamics In this unit, students evaluate the science phenomena of how a change to an ecosystem can impact the living things that make it up. In this lesson, students explore how a change to the kind of plants in an environment results in a ripple effect phenomena on predation in the area. This page is a high-level extract of this lesson.](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/5th-grade-science/ecosytem-dynamics) [ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/5th-grade-science/ecosytem-dynamics) Standards citation: NGSS Lead States. 2013. *Next Generation Science Standards: For States, By State*s. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. Neither WestEd nor the lead states and partners that developed the Next Generation Science Standards were involved in the production of this product, and do not endorse it. ![KnowAtom Logo](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/KnowAtom%20Logo.svg "KnowAtom Logo") Quick Links Resources Sign Up for Our Blog ### Sign Up for Our Blog Connect with Us - - - - © 2026 KnowAtom LLC  •  10 Brady Drive Unit 3   •  Ipswich MA •   01938 USA [DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION](https://www.knowatom.com/do-not-sell-my-personal-information) | [Privacy Policy](https://www.knowatom.com/privacy-policy) | [Terms of Use](https://www.knowatom.com/terms-of-use) ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org", "@type" : "Organization", "address" : { "@type" : "PostalAddress", "addressCountry" : "USA", "addressLocality" : "Salem", "addressRegion" : "MA", "postalCode" : "01970", "streetAddress" : "27 Congress Suite 410" }, "alternateName" : "KA", "areaServed" : { "@type" : "GeoCircle", "geoMidpoint" : { "@type" : "GeoCoordinates", "latitude" : "+42.5182274", "longitude" : "-70.8877569" }, "geoRadius" : "150 km" }, "description" : "Next Generation Science STEM Curriculum", "email" : "fvigeant@knowatom.com", "image" : "https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/KA-GSD.png", "logo" : "https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/Knowatom-2017/Image/logo-1.png", "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://www.knowatom.com/s5l2", "@type" : "WebPage", "description" : "S5L2 Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information showing that some characteristics of organisms are inherited and other characteristics are acquired." }, "name" : "KnowAtom", "sameAs" : [ "https://www.facebook.com/KnowAtom", "https://twitter.com/KnowAtom", "https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS0rbN0RfqaU1xaISrdVpTA", "https://plus.google.com/110709105138117096940" ], "telephone" : "(617) 475-3475", "url" : "https://www.knowatom.com" } ```