Download Science - Evolution and inheritance

Science - Evolution and inheritance - Year 6
Lesso Learning
n
objective
1
To recognise
that living
things have
changed over
time and that
fossils provide
information
about living
things that
inhabited the
Earth millions
of years ago
Introduction
Main Activity
Plenary
Assessment
Tell children that living things have
changed over time (and are still
changing).
Can they think of any animals or
plants that used to live on Earth but
no longer exist? E.g. lots of different
dinosaurs, Dodo, Great Auk, Sabretoothed cat, Quagga, etc. (see
hamilton resources). These animals
and plants are extinct
Point out that although some became
extinct 65 million years ago
(dinosaurs) or thousands of years ago
(sabre-toothed cats), others have only
become extinct in more recent years
(quagga).Read about extinction at
http://www.oum.ox.ac.uk/thezone
/animals/extinct/define.htm
Tell children the story of the peppered moth and how it
apparently adapted to the changed environment it found
itself living in (see hamilton resources). It shows natural
selection in that the dark moths were more likely to
survive than the pale moths in areas where the soot had
darkened the pale birch tree trunks, and therefore the
ratio of the two types changed – both had existed before
the industrial revolution. Eventually in some areas the
pale moths could have died out. So species are still
changing (evolution is happening). Visit
www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gscebitesize/science/aga/evoluti
ontheories/ theoriesfevolutionrev5.shtml
Children to write a short recount.
Point out that there are a
number of endangered species
that could easily become extinct
soon. Can children name any?
E.g. giant Pandas, several
species of butterflies in the UK,
Leatherback Turtles, Black
Rhinoceros, Wild Bactrian
Camels (2 humps), Sumatran
Orang-utan, Iberian Lynx,
Siberian tigers, etc. (There is
usually something in the press
about a current concern.)
What reasons can the children
give for why animals become
extinct e.g.
– their habitats are being
destroyed, humans are killing
them for food &/or body parts
(e.g. rhino horns), predators
from other places are being
introduced, humans are killing
them because they cause
damage to crops or property,
etc.
Identifying
scientific
evidence that
has been used
to support or
refute ideas
Ask children what they can remember
about fossils.
Useful websites http://
www.discoveringfossils. co.uk/
whatisafossil.htm
http://www.oum. ox.ac.uk/thezone
/fossils/into/form.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/fossils
Watch video http:// www.youtube.
Com/watch?v = SEDfRy6DQns
Ext: Children to make & play board game ( children to
play in groups of 3 or 4
Discuss how zoos & wildlife
organisations are trying to save
some species by breeding them
& then releasing the offspring
into the wild. Sometimes
1. Explain that
living things are
changing over
time.
2. That some
plants and
animals have
become extinct,
and that others
may become
extinct in the
near future.
3. Fossils give us
some
information
about animals
and plants that
lived millions of
years ago.
4. Describe how
some species
are being
helped to
survive
Science - Evolution and inheritance - Year 6
Remind chn that not all plants &
animals that die become fossils; the
conditions have to be just right.
Fossils provide information about
some living things that inhabited the
planet millions of years ago. We know
about more recent extinctions
because species were found, known,
described, drawn, photographed, etc.
while examples were still alive. The
remains of bones in the stomach area
of a fossil or a skeleton can show what
was eaten by the larger organism, the
teeth might indicate the type of diet,
the remains can be carbon dated,
fossil faeces (coprolites) show the
kinds of food eaten, etc.
2
Recognise that
living things
have changed
over time and
that fossils
provide
information
about living
things that
inhabited the
Earth millions
of years ago
species become extinct in one
area of the world, but are still
present elsewhere, so they can
be re-introduced to an area, e.g.
in UK success stories of red kite
& beavers. More countries are
protecting habitats & particular
species by introducing new laws
& actually prosecuting
offenders.
Ask if any of the children have ever
been fossil hunting? Where did they
go? Did they discover any fossils?
View power point – Mary Anning
Show children some fossils,
photographs (she hamilton resources)
or preferably actual specimens. Can
children spot similarities or
differences to plants and animals alive
today>
Show children where Lyme Regis is on a map of the UK
Children to make notes
Reinforce that Mary was from a poor family with little
education however she become a leading authority on
the subject & many well-known
palaeontologists/geologists/scientists visited her in Lyme
Regis, discussed fossils with her & asked for her advice.
Note
Discuss how unusual it was for a
woman to be renowned as a
scientist/palaeontologist in the
19th century, never mind the
fact that she was from a poor
family & had virtually no
education (her spelling &
grammar was not very good in
the notes, letters, etc. that she
left).
Show the children the wellknown tongue twister written in
1908 by Terry Sullivan which is
1. Talk about
Mary Anning’s
contribution to
palaeontology.
2. Understand
that fossils
found in Lyme
Regis originated
at the bottom of
a sea.
3. Describe
Mary Anning’s
life.
Science - Evolution and inheritance - Year 6
Almost 200 million years ago Lyme Regis was a muddy
sea further south than it is now (plate tectonics could be
mentioned briefly!). It was in a warmer climate there (like
the Mediterranean now) and there was a lot of marine
life. When the wide range of creatures died their remains
sank to the bottom of the sea & many formed fossils.
thought to refer to Mary Anning
(hamilton resources).
Children to write & draw a comic strip to describe all
aspects of Mary’s life (see template).
Ext: children to make detailed sketches of fossils
3
Recognise that
living things
produce
offspring of
the same kind,
but normally
offspring vary
and are not
identical to
their parents.
Ask children if they look like their
relations? Or do they look completely
different. (show Beckhams ask for
similarities /difference in children)
Optional smart notebook – match
families
Ask when do we see humans who look
very similar to each other – identical
twins? Show photographs (hamilton
resources).
Briefly discuss difference between
identical twins and fraternal twins.
(See Hamilton resources.)
Explain that we all humans have 23
pairs of chromosomes – (one set from
each parent) which are made up of
thousands of genes, each of which
carries the information for a certain
feature.
Children imagine they are going to create a new type of
dog. Which two sorts of dogs will they cross? What will
the offspring look like? Children to produce labelled
drawing. Children can use
http://www.justdogbreeds.com/dog-breeds.html to
research breeds.
Children to present & discuss the new breeds they have
created with peers.
Ext: Selective breeding in dogs (see sheets).
Show children smart notebook
evolution dog breeding.
Point out to children that if you
show a young child a picture of
a dog of any breed they usually
recognise it as a dog, even
though they may look very
different. Ask for suggestions &
list the features that make a dog
a dog. Some of the features are
similar to a cat or a horse or a
cow, so how do we (or young
children) tell the difference?
Discuss.
Reporting and
presenting
findings of
enquiries
Identifying
scientific
evidence
I can:
1. Recognise
that living things
produce
offspring of the
same kind, but
the offspring
usually vary &
are not identical
to their parents
or to each
other.
Science - Evolution and inheritance - Year 6
Look at Mr Men power point on
variation and inheritance.
Show hamilton resources what do
children think will happen if you cross
a Labrador and a poodle?
Explain selective breeding is used in
plants as well as animals especially
dogs.
4
Identify how
animals and
plants are
adapted to
suit their
environment
in different
ways and that
adaptations
may lead to
evolution
Ask the children who Charles Darwin
was? What was he famous for?
He wrote a book called On the Origin
of Species in 1859. In it he explained
his theory of evolution by natural
selection.
Explain to the children that the organisms that are best
suited to their environment will survive whereas those
least suited to the environment will die. Those surviving
organisms will go onto breed and therefore the
adaptations they have will be passed to the next
generation.
Explain Evolution as the gradual
changing of the features of living
organisms through long periods of
time to produce species which are in
some way unlike the original ones.
Natural means that it occurs in nature
– it is not made, caused by or
processed by humans, and selection
means the act of choosing.
Darwin took 20 years to prepare his
theory for publication after he had
sailed on HMS Beagle for 5 years
visiting South America, Australia and
Select children & give them various adaptions e.g. fork,
chopsticks, cocktail stick etc. Tell them that due to
environmental changes there is now only one food
source e.g., maltesers or something similar.
Ask the children to test out which one of them is best
suited to the environment e.g. the best adaptations.
Which of them will survive and which of them will die?
Explain to the children that this is natural selection.
Ext activities: Children try to survive as a young bird at
http://web.archive.org/web/20150319214617/http://ww
Tell the children that
different people have
other theories about
creation.
E.g.
Aborigines believe that
all forms of life, the
Ancestors, lay sleeping
under the crust of the
Earth until time split &
they were awakened.
In the Pacific islands there
were stories of the first
people hatching from eggs
laid by a bird-headed god
or turtle.
2. Explain the
difference
between
identical &
fraternal twins
in simple terms.
3. I can suggest
what happens
when two
different kinds
of dog (or other
animal) are
crossed.
Identify
scientific
evidence that
has been used
to support or
refute ideas
Presenting
findings
1. Define
evolution as the
gradual
changing of the
features of
species over
time.
2. Explain that
Charles Darwin
first published
Science - Evolution and inheritance - Year 6
the Galapagos. Watch u tube clip What Mr Darwin Saw by Mick
Manning & Brita Granström.
Darwin found lots of interesting
evidence
for his theory during the 5 year
expedition. Visit
http://darwin200.christs.cam.ac.uk/pa
ges/index.php?page_id=j read diff
sections together.
w.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/evolution/what-isevolution/natural-selection-game/the-evolutionexperience.html
Look at the discussion drawing about blackbirds together
(session resources) & use it to explain how competition
can lead to evolution.
The Hindu god of creation,
Brahma, was believed to
have used the lotus flower
he had been sitting on to
create the world & all
living things.
this concept in
1859.
3. Explain in
simple terms
how natural
selection works.
The first book of the Bible
(Genesis) explains how
God created the world &
everything on it in 6 days
& so on.
(Children to complete homework on
life of Charles Darwin).
Scientists now have an
explanation that covers
millions of years Evolution
5a
Identify how
animals and
plants are
adapted to
suit their
environment
in different
ways and that
adaptations
may lead to
evolution
Explain to the children that although
Darwin is accredited with the theory
of evolution and natural selection
another scientist Alfred Russel
Wallace also worked out the theory.
Watch u tube clip Alfred Russel
Wallace/ The Collectors/ Natural
History Museum
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
DDyiyl0DKWw&feature=youtu.be
Remind the children that it was a joint
paper that was published to the
scientific community but it was
Children to write a fact file about Alfred Russel Wallace
Ext: Children to play Darwin’s finches game
http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/society/schools/keystage12/darwin.aspx.
and
Work together on the evolution game at
http://www.sciencechannel.com/games-andinteractives/charles-darwin-game.htm before giving
children the opportunity to have a go in pairs.
Plenary:
Display the fact files that
children have produced & give
children the opportunity to tell
the class what they discovered.
Discuss how the investigations
and thinking of many scientists
can be brought together to
clarify scientific ideas. Scientists
all over the world still work
Identifying
scientific
evidence that
has been used
to support or
refute ideas
Explain both
Wallace’s and
Darwin’s
contribution to
the theory of
natural
selection.
Science - Evolution and inheritance - Year 6
Darwin who published his book which
the general public also read.
Wallace made an enormous collection
of specimens while travelling around
Singapore, Malaysia & Indonesia –
110,000 insects, 7,500 shells, 8,050
bird skins & 410 mammal & reptile
specimens (more than 5,000 of these
were species new to science). See
some of his insect collection in
hamilton resources.
They show mimicry of inedible
butterflies by others & a range of
similar but different stag beetles,
weevils, chafers & others.
One of the best known examples of
Darwin’s observations while travelling
on HMS Beagle is the variety of beaks
in finches found on the various islands
of Galapagos. – look at bbc bitesize –
Darwin’s finches.
5b
Identify how
animals and
plants are
adapted to
suit their
environment
in different
ways and that
adaptations
may lead to
evolution
Introduce Gregor Mendel (1822-1884)
See power point.
An Austrian monk who experimented
experiments on pea plants. He
realised that features were being
passed down from parents to
offspring in ‘pieces’ (one
corresponding ‘piece’ from each
parent), which we now call genes (see
Hamilton resources).
together/co-operate to
establish new theories today.
Children to write a summary explaining Mendel’s
experiments.
Ext: Children to try pollination station
On A kid’s guide to Gregor Mendel father of genetics.
Ask the children to reflect on
their learning
What have they learned?
Recap the punnet diagram if
needed.
Identifying
scientific
evidence that
has been used
to support or
refute ideas
. Give a simple
explanation of
Mendel’s pea
experiments
Science - Evolution and inheritance - Year 6
and his
contribution to
the
understanding
of evolution.
6
Identify how
animals and
plants are
adapted to
suit their
environment
in different
ways and that
adaptations
may lead to
evolution
One of the conclusions that Darwin
came to in his theory of natural
selection is that plants & animals
change by chance (we now call this
genetic mutation) & he also concluded
that some of these changes made the
animal or plant better suited to their
environment. If plants & animals are
well-suited to their environment they
are more likely to survive long enough
to pass their changes to their offspring
(3rd conclusion of Darwin’s). They have
adapted better to their surroundings/
habitat.
Show children a picture of a cactus
(hamilton resources) and a small
cactus plant . Ask children how are
cacti adapted to living in desert areas
(i.e. very dry conditions –cold at night
in deserts/ hot during day, & some
deserts are cold day & night)?
They have stems that can store water
(they swell after a rain storm & can
store a supply of water for many
months) & a widespread shallow root
system that can collect water from a
large area (the roots are shallow so
Discuss how plants produce large numbers of seeds, but
that only a few of them succeed in growing into mature
plants (able to produce seeds themselves – have
offspring).
What problems do seeds & young plants meet in the
environment?
List ideas on f/c, e.g. competition for water & sunshine,
animals/birds eating them, trampled, landing in an
unsuitable place, weather conditions, etc.
On a large piece of paper draw a 3 by 3 grid & label the
cells: path, tree, lawn/field, compost heap, patio, bonfire,
garden bench, pond, flower bed (adapt labels for your
school grounds). One child holds the ‘seeds’ (c.50 1cm2
pieces of paper or large seeds like sunflower) & throws
them up in the air to see where they land (any that miss
the paper have been eaten by birds or small animals).
Discuss what will happen to the seeds that have landed in
the various cells – the fight for survival. Some children
could blow at the ‘seeds’ to imitate the wind! Establish
that lots of seeds are necessary for a few to survive!
Follow this up by looking at grassed areas (use quadrats
to mark similar size areas) in different parts of the school
grounds, e.g. under a tree, in open sunshine & compare
the growth of the grass & other plants. Take photos of
areas for further comparisons. Discuss possible reasons
why the areas look different.
Share children’s plant designs &
discuss the features they have
included. Will those plants
survive in the chosen
environment?
Planning
different types
of scientific
enquiries
Recording data
Presenting
findings
Describe how
plants are
adapted for
different
environments.
2. Explain why
plants produce
large numbers
of seeds.
Science - Evolution and inheritance - Year 6
that they collect the water in the top
layers of the soil as soon as it has
fallen). They have spines instead of
leaves that minimises the surface area
of the plant. This means that they lose
less water from the leaves /
transpiration. The spines have the
added advantage that they also
protect cacti from animals that might
want to eat them!
Watch the video clip at
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p
00xcr7m that describes how plants are
adapted to live in very cold conditions.
Ask children to note adaptations that
help the plants in this environment.
Plants in the rainforests have a range
of adaptations to help them survive,
e.g. epiphytes (hamilton resources)
live on the surfaces of other plants
(mostly tree trunks & branches) in the
canopy (top layer of vegetation) which
allows them to make the most of the
available sunlight. Their aerial roots
take in moisture from the air – they
have a layer of dead cells on their
surface which absorbs the water.
Leaves of rainforest plants often have
a waxy surface with pointed tips (drip
tips – see session resources) at the end
to enable excess rainwater to run off.
Many plants have buttress or stilt
roots (session resources) which help
Show children the PowerPoint document about plant
adaptation in UK environments from
http://www.saps.org.uk/primary/teaching-resources/88primary-article-one. In pairs children research and
produce a labelled diagram of a plant showing its
adaptations to its environment (list of suggested plants in
hamilton resources), e.g. ivy has special roots on its stems
to climb up tree trunks, walls or fences, hawthorn has
spines & holly has spiky leaves to discourage animals
from eating them, etc.
Ext:
Design a plant for a particular habitat – make a detailed
drawing showing the special features that will help it
survive & possibly make a model of their new plant.
.
Science - Evolution and inheritance - Year 6
anchor large plants as the root
systems are quite shallow in the thin
layer of soil found in the forests.
7
Identify how
animals and
plants are
adapted to
suit their
environment
in different
ways and that
adaptation
may lead to
evolution.
Recap on how plants are adapted –
previous lesson.
Explain we are going to find out ways
in which animals are adapted to their
environment.
Animals can live in very hostile
environments, e.g. hot deserts &
Antarctica. They have adapted to
these habitats. Show children video
clip approx. 22 mins u tube how
animals adapt animal atlas
http://www.watchknowlearn.org/Cate
gory.aspx?CategoryID=2855
Look at the Discussion Drawing
(session resource) together & ask what
children think? Hopefully Darwin’s
theory of natural selection will be
used to explain how giraffes evolved
to have long necks. Use this example
to discuss an earlier theory of
evolution put forward by Chevalier de
Lamarck in 1809 (see above and
session resources).
8
Identify how
animals and
plants are
Ask children which adaptations of
both plants & animals they have found
the most amazing?
Ask children to research animal adaptations which help
them Survive their environments e.g. camels, penguins
See differentiated recording sheets.
Listen to the camel adaptation
rap at
https://www.youtube.com/wat
ch?v=YpGg-m8wyY4.
Notes:
Features that help camels survive in sandy deserts, e.g. a
double row of long eyelashes, nostrils which can close,
store of fat in hump, long strong legs, thick leathery pads
on flat, wide feet & on knees. They also have thick fur to
keep them warm during cold, desert nights.
Penguin features webbed feet for powerful swimming &
their bodies are streamlined to reduce drag in water.
Their wings, shaped like flippers, help them ‘fly’
underwater at speeds up to 15 mph. Penguins have
tightly packed, overlapping feathers which provide
waterproofing & warmth. Their thick skin with a layer of
blubber (fat) underneath keeps them warm & their black
back feathers absorb warmth from the Sun.
Point out that humans have evolved to walk on two legs
instead of four, unlike other closely related creatures. Ask
Planning
different types
of enquiries to
answer
questions
Presenting
findings
Give examples
of how animals
have adapted
(evolved) to suit
their
environment.
Discuss vestigial structures
Identifying
scientific
evidence that
Science - Evolution and inheritance - Year 6
adapted to
suit their
environment
in different
ways and that
adaptations
may lead to
evolution
Look at a picture of a giraffe having a
drink (hamilton resources). It has to
use that position because of its long
legs – despite having a long neck!
However it is dangerous because
giraffes are quite vulnerable when in
this position if they are suddenly
attacked by a predator. So although its
height is an advantage for finding food
& provides a good view of its
surroundings, it is a disadvantage for
drinking water.
Penguins have evolved to keep warm
in very cold conditions, but they can
get overheated if the Sun is shining so
they have also had to evolve patches
which have few or no feathers, e.g.
around the foot of their beak & their
eyes, to allow heat to escape from
their bodies. They lift up their wings to
lose heat too by increasing their
surface area & allowing air to circulate
under their wings where again there
are not many feathers. They also pant
like a dog sometimes.
Animals & plants are still evolving,
adapting to changes in their
environment. The climate in the world
is changing, so animals have to adapt
to warmer, colder, drier or wetter
weather conditions in different parts
the children to discuss and record what advantages and
disadvantages that gives us?
E.g. Free hands to carry food, hold tools, carry babies,
etc. enabling early humans to appear larger & more
intimidating & helping early humans to move over wide,
open landscapes quickly & efficiently; disadvantages:
back pain & other skeletal problems, less ability to climb
steep slopes (like goats) or trees, more easily seen by
predators.
Ask children to think about how might humans involve in
the future? What might cause the adaptations? E.g. much
warmer global temperatures, rising sea levels. What
features would children like to have, e.g. ability to fly or
to hold their breath under water for long periods of time.
See differentiated recording sheets.
Dew claw - on the inside of a
dog's paw serves? The claw is
the dog's thumb. Because a dog
runs on the balls of its feet and
four digits, the claw no longer
serves a purpose, though
sometimes they do seem to
help grip things with their dew
claws. Dew claws have to be
regularly clipped because they
don’t touch the ground when
the dog is walking or running &
so don’t get worn down.
Appendix - used to store
microbes that helped to digest
plant matter, but it is no longer
needed in the human. Some
scientists think that perhaps gut
bacteria hide there during a
bout of diarrhoea as a small thin
appendix is more likely to
become inflamed, so natural
selection may be favouring
large appendixes.
We also still have a tail hidden
inside our bodies – the bones
are there still – called the
coccyx at the end of the spine.
However some muscles are still
attached to these bones, so it is
has been used
to support
ideas
Presenting
findings
Understand that
adaptations can
have
disadvantages
as well as
advantages.
Explain my ideas
about future
human
evolution.
Science - Evolution and inheritance - Year 6
of the world or move to live in a
different place where the
environment still suits them. In recent
years some birds that used to only
breed on the continent have started
breeding in the UK, e.g. Barnacle
Geese and Egyptian Geese. A species
of whale: a dwarf sperm whale was
spotted off the UK coast for the first
time in 2011.
Humans are affecting the habitats of
many creatures too, e.g. there are
fewer hedges than there used to be
because farmers prefer large fields in
which to use their large farm
machinery such as combine
harvesters; the use of pesticides on
farms has introduced chemicals that
birds of prey cannot deal with in their
diet. Humans have on average
become taller & fatter than our recent
ancestors & we are also living longer.
unlikely that we will lose our
coccyx.
Tonsils -