Download EvolutionLesson6

Secondary Science Lesson Plan Template
3-4-13
Your Mentor Teacher: Ms. Price
Your Name: Sadia Azmi
Grade Level: 7th
Lesson Title: Darwin’s Finch Beak Lab
Subject Area: Natural Science
Lesson Length:70-80 minutes
ENVISIONING THE LESSON
Big Idea (of Unit)
Driving Question & / or Lesson Essential Question:
The Story of Change.
How does Natural Selection work?
Standards Addressed:
S7L3: Students will recognize how Biological traits are passed down to successive generations.
S7L4: Students will examine the dependence of organisms on one another and their environment.
c. Recognize that changes in environmental conditions can affect the survival of both individuals and entire species.
S7L5: Students will examine the evolution of living organisms through inherited characteristics that promote the survival of
organisms and the survival of successive generations of their off-springs.
a. Explain that physical characteristics of organisms have changed over successive generations (e.g. Darwin’s finches and
peppered Moths of Manchester).
b. Describe ways in which species on Earth have evolved due to Natural Selection
Lesson Objectives:
LG#2: Individual organisms with certain traits are more likely than others to survive and have offspring.
LG#3: Changes in environmental conditions can affect the survival of individual organisms and entire species.
LG#6: Most species that have lived on the earth are now extinct. Extinction of species occurs when the environment changes and the
individual organisms of that species do not have the traits necessary to survive and reproduce in the changed environment.
LG#7: Reproduction is necessary for the survival of any species.
Relevant Conceptual Info. (Prior knowledge of students; misconceptions; conceptual connections):
Students understand the general concept of Evolution; i.e. change in the characteristics of species over time. Students have been
provided with definitions of Natural Selections and Environmental Pressures as causes for that change in the previous lesson.
However, students need a solid conceptual understanding of the process of Natural Selection and that is what this lab is designed for.
Assessment Strategies (including Pre-, Formative, and Summative Assessment activities):
Bellringer at the beginning of Lesson
Lesson Hook
Lab
Analysis of experiment results and related questions.
ENABLING THE LESSON*
Phase One: Engage the Learner
These activities mentally engage students with an event or question. Engagement activities capture students' interest and help them to
make connections with what they know and can do. The teacher provides an orientation to the unit and assesses students’ prior
understanding of the concepts addressed in the unit.
Bellringer based on review questions from previous Unit lessons.
Class discussion of answers to clarify misunderstandings led by teacher.
Opening the lesson with:
What if I come in here and tell you, “All this Evolution stuff they teach you in school is bogus. Darwin was a fool. I don’t believe a
word! I need PROOF! Show me Natural Selection!” What will you say?
Scientific Knowledge is based on evidence. If so, what is the evidence for Natural Selection? And let me ask you, can we do
experiments to show Natural Selection?
What’s the teacher doing?
Taking attendance while students work on
Bellringer.
After 5-7 minutes review answers with students and
ask students to glue their bell ringer to page____ in
What are the students doing?
Getting started on their bell ringer as soon as they enter the classroom.
Answer and correct their responses to bell ringer.
Listening and hopefully, thinking, and giving a thoughtful answer to the
above remark and question.
their INBs.
Posing the opening question to entice the curiosity of
the students.
Phase Two: Explore the Concept
Next, students encounter hands-on experiences in which they explore the concept further. They receive little explanation and few
terms at this point, because they are to define the problem or phenomenon in their own words. The purpose at this stage of the model
is for students to acquire a common set of experiences from which they can help one another make sense of the concept. Students
must spend significant time during this stage of the model talking about their experiences, both to articulate their own understanding
and to understand another's viewpoint.
Darwin’s Finch Beak Lab (2 day Lab):
So, with that challenge in mind, Let’s become the Finches of the Galapagos and explore Darwin’s Evolution!
Students, you will be working with the person next to you. You have been provided with Pasta, Paperclips and Beans to represent
different seeds. Also, my finches, your beaks will be either knives, forks, spoons or a taped hand. You will be given one minute for
each trail. Your goal is to collect as many seeds as possible in your cup with each beak. Since you are working in pairs, each person
will be using two different beaks. Remember, the seeds are to be picked up by the beak in a scooping method. Remember, Finches
don’t drag their food to the side of the table, they just to drop it off in their cups! Let’s Begin.
What’s the teacher doing?
After giving initial directions, teacher will be
observing students and keeping track of time with an
online timer.
What are the student’s doing?
Students will follow directions and complete timed trials, working in pairs.
Students will record their results in the chart provided and then graph their
results. Students will then be given 3 minutes to talk about their results and
share their ideas with their partners.
Phase Three: Explain the Concept
Only after students have explored the concept, does the curriculum and/or teacher provide the scientific explanation and terms for
what they are studying. The teacher may present the concepts via lecture, demonstration, reading, or multimedia (video, computerbased). Students then use the terms to describe what they have experienced, and they begin to examine mentally how this explanation
fits with what they already know.
At this stage, students will start working through the Analysis Questions provided in the Lab handouts with their partners.
What’s the teacher doing?
Before students began questions 15-23, teacher will
elaborate concept of Natural Selection and then
facilitate student discussion of answers to assigned
questions.
What are the students doing?
Answering questions with partners and taking part in class discussion.
Phase Four: Elaborate on the Concept
The next stage of the model serves to help students elaborate on their understanding of the concept. They are given opportunities to
apply the concept in unique situations, or they are given related ideas to explore and explain using the information and experiences
they have accumulated so far. Interaction between the students is essential during the elaboration stage. By discussing their ideas with
others, students can construct a deeper understanding of the concepts.
For questions 15 through 23, students will discuss answers with entire table to enable better comprehension of lab results.
What’s the teacher doing?
What are the students doing?
Teacher will facilitate student discussion of
answers to assigned questions.
Answering questions with partners and taking part in class discussion.
Phase Five: Evaluate students' Understanding of the Concept
The final stage of the model has a dual purpose. It is designed for the students to continue to elaborate on their understanding and to
evaluate what they know now and what they have yet to figure out. Although the key word of the stage is evaluate, the word does not
indicate finality in the learning process. Indeed, students will continue to construct their understanding of these broad concepts
throughout their lives. Evaluation of student understanding should take place throughout all phases of the instructional model. The
evaluate stage, however, is when the teacher determines the extent to which students have developed a meaningful understanding of
the concept.
Ticket out the Door
What’s the teacher doing?
On this sticky note, answer the question: How did
the Finches Beak Lab help you understand the
process of Natural Selection?
What are the students doing?
Answer question and stick it under your class name as you exit the room.
Differentiation Strategies:
Give students more time to finish the graph after they record observations. Help students gain understanding by asking simpler
questions during analysis.
*An alternative outline for the lesson sequence may be used if it is a standard part of the lesson plans
used in the candidates school and if it is approved by the supervisor.