Download ISU Student Teaching Lesson Plan Form

BSC 307 Concrete Lesson Plan Form
Title: “Natural Selection Simulation—Woolyboogers”
Grade Level:
8-10
Objectives: 1. Identify natural selection as the driving force behind evolution
2. Identify and describe the processes of natural selection
Illinois State Learning Standards:
ILS Stage I 12A 5
Activity Description: Students will model natural selection by using various
utensils to "capture food." After a brief review of natural selection processes, the
instructor will hand out the materials for the activity, and be the timer for the
activity (see attached).
Assessment Strategies: Assessment will be based on participation in the activity,
a post-activity discussion led by the instructor, and a short quiz the day after the
activity.
Rationale: Evolution and Natural Selection are very abstract concepts that
students often have trouble grasping. The demonstration of selective pressures
by use of tangible objects such as the beans and spoons etc. provide students
with a hands-on approach to understanding natural selection processes. This
activity also reflects standard ILS Stage I 12A 5 in that it compares evolutionary
trends.
Resources:
Illinois State Board of Education. (1997). Illinois State Learning Standards.
[On-line]. Retrieved on August 14, 2008. Available:
http://www.isbe.net/ils/Default.htm.
"Natural Selection Simulation." The Biology Corner. 2009. Retrieved on
February 6, 2010. Available:
http://www.biologycorner.com/worksheets/naturalselection.html
* Please attach any and all handouts/worksheets to this lesson plan
Overview - Students will model natural selection by using various utensils to
"capture food"
Materials (most of these I leech from the dissecting equipment drawer)
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3 bags of beans (northern or lima)
10 trays
10 clothespins
10 plastic spoons
10 tweezers
10 dissecting needles
Introduction.
Scene - On a distant planet there exists 5 species of a creature called a
Woolybooger. Each Woolybooger is similar except their mouth has variations. All
woolyboogers eat beans. Some woolyboogers have a clothespin mouth
(demonstrate how to use the clothespin to pick up beans). Some woolyboogers
have a tweezer mouth (demonstrate), some have a needle mouth (demonstrate).
One year a new species of woolybooger was discovered, this woolybooger was
called the Spoon-Mouthed Woolybooger (demonstrate). Each of you will play the
part of a woolybooger on this planet. The spoon-mouth wooly booger is rare, so
only two of you will get to be this type of wooly booger.
At this point, pass out the utensils, give each group a tray with beans. Students
can share bean trays but each should have their own utensil. Caution students
about "cheating", they must use their utensils in the way their intended to use
them (as demonstrated).
Procedure: You will run through several trials. Each trial will require your
woolybooger to gain at least 20 beans. If 20 beans are not acquired during the
time period, your woolybooger has died.
Start with 1 minute on the clock. Then reduce the time to 45 seconds, then 30
seconds, then 15 seconds.
When a woolybooger dies, the student can play the offspring of the surviving
woolyboogers. Give them a new utensil (probably a spoon or tweezer) for the
next trial. You can be flexible here.
At the end, the only surviving woolyboogers will most likely be the SpoonMouthed Wollybooger.
Discussion Questions:
1. What happens to animals that cannot compete as well with other animals in
the wild?
2. Can you think of any real-life examples of the woolybooger, where one species
has a definite advantage over another?
3. Sometimes animals that are introduced into an area that they never lived in
before, out-compete and endanger resident species, why do you think this
happens?
4. If only one species is considered the "fittest", why do we still have so many
variations among species. Why do some birds have very long pointy beaks, while
other birds have short flat beaks?
5. How do you think diseases can affect natural selection?