Download Unit 6 - tasokbiology

Evolution
Essential Questions

 Why is there such a great diversity of organisms on
Earth?
 What are mutations and how do they lead to new
species?
 Why do organisms live where they do? How are
organisms adapted to live in the habitat that they
live in?
 What are some of the modes of evolution?
 Are humans still evolving?
 How can we observe evolution?
Day 1: Variation

 Required Readings:
 3.24
 Learning Objectives:
 To recall that living organisms differ from one another
 To distinguish between continuous and discontinuous
variation
Starter

 Why do you think there is so much variation within
species?
 Provide some examples (at least 3) of organisms and
how they vary.
 Time: 10 minutes
Activity 1

 Watch the video “The Making of the Fittest: Natural
Selection and Adaptation”
 Complete the quiz as you watch it. Don’t worry if
you don’t finish the quiz
 Time: 15 minutes
Activity 2

 Move to your lab groups
 Complete the Color Variation in Rock Pocket Mouse
Populations packet
 Time: 35 minutes
Activity 3

 http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks3/science/organi
sms_behaviour_health/variation_classification/revis
ion/1/
 Read through the summary, complete the activity
and the quiz
 Time: 20 minutes
Closing & Homework

 Complete the quiz (due Monday)
 Complete the “Color Variation in Rock Pocket
Mouse Population” (due Monday)
Day 2

 What Darwin Never Knew
 While watching the video,
 Write down questions that they have after watching the
video
 Keep note of interesting facts/information that they learned
while watching the video
 Hand these in at the end of the lesson
 Homework: What is your personal view of evolution?
Give 3 points to support your claim. Why do you think
evolution is such a controversial topic to learn about?
Day 3: Causes of
Variation

 Required Readings:
 3.25
 Learning Objectives:
 To identify mutation and sexual reproduction as
sources of variation
 To understand that mutations may involve whole
chromosomes or genes within them
 To recognize that environmental factors may increase
the likelihood of mutation
Starter

 What is a mutation?
 How do mutations occur?
 What do mutations do to an organism?
 Are mutations good, bad or neither? Explain.
 Time: 15 minutes
Activity 1

 Any questions on last week’s video?
 Time: 5 minutes
Activity 2

 Get into your lab groups
 Mutations and Variation activity
 Time: 45 minutes
Discussion

 Which mutation caused the greatest delay in acquiring
food?
 Which mutation caused the greatest delay in processing
and consuming food?
 What would these mutations do to the population of the
environment?
 What were some adaptations to the mutations your group
came up with?
 In what environment would each mutation be beneficial
in? Harmful?
 What type of animal would have these mutations?
Activity 3

 Beneficial vs. harmful mutations
 Create a cartoon showing the benefits and the harms
of mutations
 Time: 15 minutes
Day 4 (60 min)

 Required Readings:
 3.26: Variation and NS: The Evolution of Species
 Learning Objectives:
 To understand the meaning of adaptation and to
provide examples of this
 To realize that Darwin’s theory benefited from the
ideas of other scientists
Activity 1

 Go to the website:
http://sciencenetlinks.com/esheets/nowhere-tohide/
 Play the game and answer the questions 1-9 on the
first page
 Go to the website:
www.biologycorner.com/worksheets/pepperedmot
h.html
 Complete the simulation and answer the data and
analysis section
Homework

 Activities due Tuesday, February 26
Day 5

 Required readings:
 3.27: Natural Selection
 Learning Objectives:
 TO understand how adaptation leads to natural
selection
Activities

 Work in your groups to complete the following
activities:
 Using a picture, explain how and why natural
selection occurred in Darwin’s finches in the
Galapagos Islands
 Create a powerpoint with the following:
 Research the following and give examples where this
occurs in nature: over-production, survival of the fittest,
struggle for existence, variation, passing on
advantageous characteristics to offspring
 How are new species formed? How do selective
pressures affect how a species evolves?
Day 6

 Required Readings:
 None
 Learning Objectives:
 To simulate the Darwinian theory of natural selection
 Observe how natural selection affects a population
 Learn how mutations, gene flow, genetic drift, and
selective mating affect a population
 Understand how natural selection tends to create a
population more adapted for its environment
Starter

 Any problems from last week’s work?
 Show me the work you completed from the last 2
lessons
 Time: 15 minutes
Activity 1

 Get into your lab groups
 Read through the “Engage” section of the activity
and answer the questions on the side
 Time: 10 minutes
Activity 2

 Work through the “explore” section
 You will do 2 generations at each of the three
habitats
 I will tell you “start” and “stop” for each of the
generations after you have your station set up
 Record the data when needed
 Time: 45 minutes
Activity 3

 Answer the “explain” questions with your group
 Time: 15 minutes
Day 7

 Required Readings:
 None
 Learning Objectives:
 To simulate the Darwinian theory of natural selection
 Observe how natural selection affects a population
 Learn how mutations, gene flow, genetic drift, and
selective mating affect a population
 Understand how natural selection tends to create a
population more adapted for its environment
Activity 1

 Work through the “Extend” section of the
“Simulating the Darwinian Theory” lab
 When completed, answer the “Explain” questions
with your group
 Hand in one copy plus your observations
 You may use the rest of the time to get caught up on
missing work