Download Change Over Time Transfer Task: Creature Creation

Name: __________________________
Change Over Time Transfer Task:
Creature Creation – Design a new species
Background: In biology, evolution refers to the process through
which species change over time. On the Galapagos Islands, Charles
Darwin noticed a variety of beak shapes and sizes among the
finches. For example, finches with large, strong beaks are better
adapted to a food source consisting of hard seeds and nuts, while
finches with long skinny beaks are better adapted to extracting
burrowed insects. Darwin hypothesized that the birds evolved from
a similar pre-existing species due to environmental stressors related
the differing food sources on each island.
Objective: Explain how variation in a population’s gene pool and environmental change drive evolution via
natural selection.
Task: Randomly create a new species by selecting an environment and adaptations. Then, explain how the
species will change over time due to changes in its environment. Be creative - but realistic (no mutant ninja
turtles, laser vision, or invisibility)! Adhere to the laws of nature to demonstrate that you understand what
adaptations are and how they help an organism survive in its environment. Adaptations must be realistic
and exist in nature.
Part 1: Environment and Species Creation Choices (Student Sheet 1.1 and 1.2)
Select an environment, type of organism, traits for your organism, and its predators from Student Sheet 1.1
to design a new species. You may add additional characteristics that will ensure your species’ survival in the
chosen environment. Determine your organism’s likely classification (domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order,
family, genus, and species) by comparing it to a close relative.
Part 2: Products to submit
Product 1: The Drawing (Student Sheet 1.3) 20pts
Your drawing must be colorful and include all of the following criteria:
1. Draw your chosen environment including corresponding vegetation (plants) native to your
environment.
2. Draw your animal in this environment, showing the adaptations you included for your
organism’s survival. Please label each adaptation.
3. Draw at least three different organisms in your newly created species highlighting the variation
in traits among your species. (ex. Long/short legs, thick/thin body, coloration differences)
4. Draw the predators of your species and its prey. Label both predator and prey.
5. An environmental change occurs causing isolation of populations in your species. Draw your
new environment and the changes that will have occurred over time to your original species.
South Oldham Middle School 2015
Change Over Time:
Transfer Task: Creature Creation
Name: __________________________
Product 2: The Essay (80pts)
Your essay must dedicate at least one paragraph to each of the following components:
1. Environment (5pts): Choose one environment provided (mountains, ocean, swamp, desert,
etc.). Write a paragraph describing the environment in great detail.
2. Introduce your species (10pts) (Student Sheet 1.2): What is the common name of your
newly created species? What are its adaptations? What physical characteristics did you
choose from the list (Student Sheet 1.1)? What additional characteristics did you incorporate
to help your species survive in its environment? What is your species’ prey? What are its
predators?
3. Classification (15pts): What is your organism’s entire classification (kingdom, phylum, class,
order, family, genus, species)? Describe characteristics of each identified taxon level. (For
example, Kingdom: Animalia – multicellular, rely on food for energy (heterotrophic), able to
move, cells have nuclei but no cell walls or chloroplast.)
*Since you are creating a new species, your creature must have a unique Latin species name.
4. Environmental change resulting in isolation (20pts) (Student Sheet 1.4): Based on your
environment, describe the corresponding environmental change including what has happened
to the vegetation and climate. How will this environmental change isolate (either geographically
or reproductively) populations from one another within your species?
5. Mechanism of Evolution (30 pts): Identify new conditions (climate, resource availability,
geographical obstacles, etc.) from the environmental change that will impact the survival of your
species. Explain how the variation in traits already existing in your species gene pool are
advantageous to your new environment. (In other words, what traits are more beneficial to your
new environment?) Describe how over time, the environment will select in favor of these
specific traits to develop a completely new species, different from the original you created.
South Oldham Middle School 2015
Creature Creation
Name: __________________________
Student Sheet 1.1
Select and circle your choice for each of the following environmental conditions or traits:
A) WHERE DOES IT LIVE?
1 – mountains covered in ice and snow with cold, blustery winds
2 – dry desert with scorching hot days and freezing cold nights
3 – in the coastal ocean or on the beach with frequent storms and warm weather
4 – on small volcanic island with frequent volcanic eruptions and tropical climate
5 – swamp with standing water and sticky, humid air
6 - in a cave that is dark, damp, and cool
B) WHAT KIND OF ANIMAL IS IT?
1 – a soft-bodied invertebrate
2 – a bird
3 – a reptile
4 – a mammal
5 – a flying insect
6 – a fish
C) WHAT KIND OF EXOSKELETON/SKIN/FUR/FEATHER DOES IT HAVE?
1 – very thick
2 – colorful
3 – blended into the surroundings (camouflaged)
4 – layer of slime on top
5 – scales or spikes
6 – very thin
D) WHAT KIND OF MOUTHPARTS DOES IT HAVE/WHAT DOES IT EAT?
1 – beak
2 – fangs that deliver venom
3 – flat teeth for grinding
4 – sharp pointy teeth for tearing and shredding
5 – large front teeth for clipping leaves
6 – no teeth for swallowing things whole or filtering microorganisms
E) WHAT EATS IT/WHAT ARE ITS PREDATORS?
1 – Footeous maximus: big footed creatures that chase and stomp your organism flat
2 – Vampiro motheus: lands on creature and sucks blood until dry
3 – Injectesect parasitus: lays eggs on creature that burrow into and devour from inside out
4 – Vomitous spidereus: vomits on creature and melts it with digestive fluids
5 – Steameus rolleus: chases, rolls over and then devours creature
6 – Megamaggot grubbeus: leaps out of the ground and swallows creature whole
South Oldham Middle School 2015
Transfer Task: Creature Creation
Student Sheet 1.2 Determining your organism’s classification
Research a close relative of your organism and record its classification and characteristics at each taxon level on the table below. Then, compare the
characteristics at each taxon to your organism. If your organism has the same characteristics as the close relative, then your organism will be in the
same taxon level. Example: Your organism is multicellular and heterotrophic, so it belongs to the ANIMAL kingdom. If your organism does not have
the same characteristics as the closest relative at that level, then you will need to make up a new taxon name using the Latin/Greek Roots chart.
Classification
Level
Domain
Kingdom
Close Relative to
your organism
Eukarya
Animal
Characteristics unique to each taxon level
Your Organism’s
Classification
Cells have membrane bound organelles and a true nucleus
Multicellular, heterotrophic, tend to reproduce sexually
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species
What is your organism’s common name:_______________________________________
What physical characteristics did you choose for it: _______________________________________________________________________________
What additional characteristics did you incorporate to help you organism survive?_______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
What is your species prey?_______________________________ what are it’s predators?_______________________________________________
South Oldham Middle School 2015
Transfer Task: Creature Creation
Student Sheet 1.3 Drawing of Species
Draw your species in its environment before and after the environmental changing event:
South Oldham Middle School 2015
Transfer Task: Creature Creation
Student Sheet 1.4 Environmental change causing isolation
The inevitable has occurred… environmental change. A major event has taken place in your environment
which will change conditions and only the best suited will survive. Based on your initial environment,
choose the corresponding environmental change to explain how this event will isolate populations in your
species and lead to speciation.
Environment 1: The mountains that were once covered in ice and snow have experienced an unusually
warm season caused by global warming. The snow and ice have melted creating raging rivers and streams all
over the mountain as the water flows toward the valley below.
Environment 2: The polar ice caps have melted causing the sea levels to rise. The desert is now flooded with
several inches of saltwater from nearby seas and saltwater organisms such as small clams and sea
cucumbers now inhabit the sand.
Environment 3: Pollution from a nearby Cruise Ship collision has severely affected the quality of water in
your environment, spilling oil everywhere, washing passenger’s luggage and trash onto the beaches and
creating floating “rafts” of debris.
Environment 4: The volcano on the island goes dormant and due to its location in the Northern Hemisphere,
the island experiences an ice age. The island is blanketed in a thick layer of frigid ice, killing all vegetation.
Environment 5: A drought has come, causing all standing water to evaporate. The swamps and marshes in
the area dry up and cause the sticky humidity of the air to disappear.
Environment 6: A violent earthquake shakes the ground causing cracks in the roof of the cave. The roof of
the cave is now has an opening allowing sunlight, fresh air, and other weather conditions to affect the
interior of the cave.
South Oldham Middle School 2015
Transfer Task: Creating Creatures Academic Rubric
Name:_____________________________
Block:
CATEGORY
4
5
6
Scientific name of species:___________________________
7
Date submitted:_____________________
Distinguished
Proficient
Apprentice
Novice
Environment
(5 points max)
The environmental
conditions are thoroughly
described; (Temperature,
vegetation, soil, and
landforms) it feels like the
reader is standing in the
environment.
The environmental
conditions are adequately
described.
The environmental
conditions are mostly
described. Specific details
are lacking.
The environmental conditions
are vague. Reader unable to
picture the environment
based on the description.
Introduction to
species and
adaptations
(10 points max)
The species is thoroughly
described, including its
common1 name, physical
characteristics2 and
adaptations3.
The species is adequately
described, including all three
requirements.
The species is somewhat
described OR includes two
out of the three
requirements.
The species is inadequately
described AND includes less
than three requirements.
Classification
(15 points max)
Complete logical
classification for organism.
Characteristics identified for
each taxon level.
Logical classification is
missing one hierarchical
level or characteristics
identified for most taxon
levels.
Classification is missing two
hierarchical level or the
classification is illogical
AND characteristics
identified for some taxon
levels.
Classification is missing three
or more hierarchical level or
the classification is illogical
Or no characteristics
identified for taxon levels.
Environmental
change
resulting in
isolation
(20 points max)
Thorough explanation of
environmental change and
what has happened to the
vegetation and climate.
Thorough explanation of
isolating event (geographic
or reproductive).
Adequate explanation of
environmental change and
what has happened to the
vegetation and climate.
Adequate explanation of
isolating event (geographic
or reproductive).
Explanation of
environmental change and
what has happened to the
vegetation and climate is
limited or one description
is not included.
Explanation of isolating
event (geographic or
reproductive) is limited.
Explanation of environmental
change and what has
happened to the vegetation
and climate is vague or not
included
OR
explanation of isolating event
is vague or not included
Thorough explanation of
how the variation in traits
among the gene pool and
the process of natural
selection drives evolution
over time.
Adequate explanation of
how the variation in traits
among the gene pool and
the process of natural
selection drives evolution
over time.
Explanation of how the
variation in traits among
the gene pool and the
process of natural selection
drives evolution over time
is limited; some vocabulary
terms are included but may
be used inappropriately.
Explanation of how the
variation in traits among the
gene pool and the process of
natural selection drives
evolution over time is vague
or incorrect; few vocabulary
terms are included and may
be used inappropriately.
Misconceptions evident.
Drawing includes all
requirements.
Drawing includes most of
the requirements.
Drawing includes some of
the requirements.
Drawing is missing several
requirements.
Mechanism of
Evolution
(30 points max)
Drawing—
Before and
After
(10 points)
South Oldham Middle School 2015
Creature Creation Essay : Transfer Task Effort Rubric
Student Name:
CATEGORY
Submission
20pts
Neatness
20 pts
Drawing
30 pts
Sentence
Structure
10pts
Grammar &
Spelling
10pts
Capitalization
& Punctuation
10pts
________________________________________
Folder #____________
4 - Above Standards
3 - Meets Standards
2 - Approaching Standards
Essay and drawing
are turned in on
time, with name
on both and this
rubric attached
AND/OR ahead of
time
Essay/drawing turned in
late,(within 24 hours),
name on both and a
new rubric OR Name
missing on one
component submitted
on time
Essay/drawing turned in
late,(more than 24
hours), name on both
and a new rubric OR
Name missing on both
component submitted
on time
Essay turned in
late,(more than 48
hours), name on
assignment and a new
rubric attached
Essay is typed or
exemplary
handwriting - no
mistakes are
visible - polished,
final draft
Essay is handwritten
and easy to read – one
visible mistake
Essay is handwritten and
messy – some mistakes
are visible – not
consistent throughout
Essay is handwritten,
difficult to read, many
erasure marks,
sentences are in the
margins, not consistent
throughout
Both before and
after catastrophe
drawings are
colorful;
Exemplary
depiction of
environment,
beast, predator,
prey, and
vegetation
All sentences are
well-constructed
with varied
structure.
Both before and after
catastrophe drawings
are colorful; Adequate
depiction of
environment, beast,
predator, prey, and
vegetation
Both before and after
catastrophe drawings
are drawn, not colorful,
or messy. Missing one of
the following:
environment, beast,
predator, prey, or
vegetation
May include only one
drawing, OR is not
colorful, or messy. AND
is missing two or more
of the following from
drawing: environment,
beast, predator, prey,
and vegetation
Most sentences are
well-constructed and
there is some varied
sentence structure in
the essay.
Author makes 1-2 errors
in grammar or spelling
that distract the reader
from the content.
Most sentences are well
constructed, but there is
no variation is structure.
Most sentences are not
well-constructed or
varied.
Author makes 3-4 errors
in grammar or spelling
that distract the reader
from the content.
Author makes more
than 4 errors in
grammar or spelling
that distract the reader
from the content.
Author makes 1-2 errors
in capitalization or
punctuation, but the
essay is still easy to
read.
Author makes a few
errors in capitalization
and/or punctuation that
catch the reader's
attention and interrupt
the flow.
Author makes several
errors in capitalization
and/or punctuation
that catch the reader's
attention and interrupt
the flow.
Author makes no
errors in grammar
or spelling that
distract the reader
from the content.
Author makes no
errors in
capitalization or
punctuation, so
the essay is
exceptionally easy
to read.
South Oldham Middle School 2015
1 - Below Standards
Timeline of project
Before Project, have students do the online simulation “Who wants to survive a million years”
http://www.sciencechannel.com/games-and-interactives/charles-darwin-game/
Day 1: Introduction, selection, creating initial drawing of new species
Day 2: Research classification of organism and characteristics; ask questions; write essay
Day 3: Type Essay – Finish drawing
Students have weekend to complete
South Oldham Middle School 2015