Variation in a Population

Variation in a Population Worksheet (Grade 6 Science, TEKS 6.13C)

Why are members of the same population not all alike? This one-page sheet defines species, population, trait, and variation, then shows three real examples on picture cards: lady beetles with different numbers of spots, finches with deeper or shallower beaks, and light and dark peppered moths.

What's Inside

• A Big Question box: "Why are members of the same population not all alike?"
• Three example cards with doodles
• Activity 1: Four fill-in-the-blank sentences with a word bank
• Activity 2: Students circle the two examples of variation within one population
• A visual answer key with answers marked in red

How Teachers Use It

Use it as practice or a quick check for TEKS 6.13C. The sheet takes about 10 minutes, needs no prior knowledge, and prints clearly in black and white.

This worksheet is part of the Reading in Science series for grade 6. It supports TEKS 6.13C: describe how variations within a population can be an advantage or disadvantage to the survival of a population as environments change. It is one of eleven connected TEKS 6.13 sheets: cell theory (6.13A), the basic characteristics of organisms (6.13B), and variation and survival (6.13C), plus a vocabulary review.

Why It Works

Each sheet opens with a Big Question, teaches the key terms in plain words with simple black-and-white doodles, and then asks students to use only what the page taught. Activities stay at the circle, sort, match, and fill-in level, so students can finish in about 10 minutes, and the visual answer key lets teachers check work fast.