Text Set Lesson Plan Template
Teacher Candidate: Matthew DeBellis Date: June 5th 2015
Subjects: Biology/ Evolution Grade Level: 10
Lesson TitleExamining Darwins Observations (Second day exploring
evolution)
Context and Class Profile This lesson is designed for a class in
Plattsburgh, NY. The class has 25 students, 10 girls and 15 boys.
22 of the students are white, 1 Korean and one student of African
descent. The Korean student is an ELL student. There are 3 students
with disabilities. All three are varying cases of Autism, and there
is an additional faculty member in this period for this reason.
Free lunch is given to 50% of the students in the district.
Content and Language Objectives
(align with Blooms Taxonomy)
1. Students will describe the interrelatedness between natural
selection and descent with modification.
2. Students will define the following vocabulary found in the
text: natural selection, descent with modification, generation,
tree, competition, heritable variation
Acceptable Assessment Evidence
1. Evidence that students have achieved objective # 1 will be
utilizing a pre-constructed concept map with blank spaces. Students
will then collaborate, supporting their reasoning for each word
placement, along with describing trends, definitions and
examples.
2. Homework is researching an example in nature of natural
selection and another for descent with modification. Example can be
picture, diagram, text or video.
3. Observation as an informal assessment. The teacher should
monitor activities very meticulously, and be moving around the
classroom surveying and providing feedback to students.
Cross-Curriculum Connections
Science: Biology, evolutionary biologySocial Studies: History,
historical figure analysis, historical artifact analysisELA:
Analyze multiple articles on related topics, practice discussion
skills, practice vocabulary skills, practice decoding skills.
Common Core/National Standards
( Only the ones assessed)
Standard 1Performance Indicator 1.1b- Learning about the
historical development of scientific concepts or about individuals
who have contributed to scientific knowledge provides a better
understanding of scientific inquiry and the relationship between
science and society. Performance Indicator 1.2a- Inquiry involves
asking questions and locating, interpreting, and processing
information from a variety of sources.
Key Idea 3: Explain the mechanisms and patterns of
evolution.
Literacy Strategies Used Turn and Talk, Vocabulary Prediction,
Partner Reading, Text Annotation, Sketch the text
Academic Vocabulary Natural selection, descent with
modification, generation, tree, competition, heritable
variation
Materials Needed (including the text set) and Technology Used
Game/ Interactive
Videohttp://www.sumanasinc.com/webcontent/animations/content/evolution/evolution.html
Current Events Selection Article Sloths are no slouches when it
comes to
evolutionhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/09/140910083846.htm
Darwins First Theory Paper (attached below)Selection Diagrams
and Darwins Finches(attached below)Page From Darwins Diary
Chart Paper, Markers, Pencil and Paper
Procedure
Intro/ Hook:-The teacher will recap/briefly summarize the lesson
the day before and ask the class What makes a species become
extinct? This process of whether animals thrive or die out is
called SELECTION. Consider this example, if my favorite and only
food comes from the sandwich tree, which holds its fruit this high
(point above reach) am I going to be able to eat? If I dont eat
will I survive? And if I dont survive is it likely my offspring
will survive or that I will even have offspring? Lets say Bobby,
who is a little taller than I am also likes to eat from the
sandwich tree. Will he survive and pass on his genes to his
offspring? This is called natural selection. And the differences in
generation from offspring to offspring is called DESCENT WITH
MODIFICATION. Charles Darwin observed these processes and was one
of the first to make note of them while on voyage of the
Beagle.
Text Set:-Teacher will introduce text set. Students will go to
stations in pairs (groups of 3 or 4 if a larger classroom).-Teacher
will explain first text set, Interactive video simulation. Students
will play through the simulation on the computer and use the
strategy of turn and talk; A guidance note will be posted on the
computer with questions: What was effective or not effective about
this video? What did you understand? What didn't you
understand?-Teacher will make clear that the computer is only for
video purposes and should not leave the video window.-Teacher will
introduce next text set of the article Sloths are no slouches when
it comes to evolution. Students are to use the Vocabulary
Prediction strategy. There is a sheet at the station to fill out
predicted definitions to the vocabulary. Students will share their
predictions about the article, read the article and share if their
prediction was correct or not. This station is meant to read
independently.-Teacher will introduce the next text set which is a
passage from Darwins Diary. This passage is more intense and
requires Partner reading. Students should follow the directions at
the top of the packet at the station.-Teacher will explain Darwins
journal diagram. This piece is to be taped to chart paper, and to
be used with the text annotation strategy. Remind students to not
only ask questions but to respond to other entries. Observe that
they have enough time set aside to respond before station time is
up.-Teacher will explain selection picture diagram. Students will
use the sketch the text strategy and follow the directions at the
top of the page. Summary (read the text, visualize what you read
and then sketch a quick image of what you were visualizing-
variation, students will sketch their own example of selection)
Post-Discussion:-After all students have been to each station
gather students back together for the final discussion. Ask What
did you notice to be a common theme among these pieces?-Teacher
will introduce the concept map, already drawn out on the chart
paper. The goal is to match the words correctly, justifying and
defining each placement of the prewritten post-it notes. Define
that each line downwards indicates depends on the next term its
connected.
Conclusion:-Teacher will survey the class. What was difficult to
grasp? What do you understand now that you didnt before
encountering the text set? How would you explain (x) term to
someone who is unfamiliar to it? The teacher will then announce the
homework. Homework is researching an example in nature of natural
selection and another for descent with modification. Example can be
picture, diagram, text or video. Be ready to share your example
tomorrow.
Accommodations/Differentiations
Providing materials of different literacy levels. The diagrams
have comic book like simple reading along with a diagram to assist
comprehension for students struggling with reading. Darwins journal
entry is very sophisticated text and is a challenge for skilled
readers. Integrated technology for students intimidated by text,
with trouble engaging with text or reading paper passages.
Differentiation is to show students how to work laptop, they may
not have one at home. The concept map at the end helps ELL students
because they can see the word up on the page along with hearing the
definition being explained or expressed in different ways by their
peers.
Time Required50 minutes
Reflection:
Partner Reading: Read the highlighted text. Collaborate, decode
and translate what Darwin is describing for each highlighted
passage. (1) It is wonderful what the principle of Selection by
Man,can dothat is the picking out of individuals with any desired
quality, & breeding from them, & again picking out, can do.
Even Breeders have been astonished at their own results. They can
act on differences inappreciable to an uneducated eye. Selection
has beenmethodicallyfollowed inEuropefor only the last half
century. But it has occasionally & even in some degree
methodically been followed in the most ancient times. There must
have been, also, a kind of unconscious selection from the most
ancient times, namely in the preservation of themost
usefulindividual animals (without any thought of
theirbreedingoffspring) most useful to each race of man in his
particular circumstances. The "roguing", as nurserymen call the
destroying of varieties, which depart from their type is a kind of
selection. I am convinced that intentional & occasional
selection has been the main agent in making our domestic races.
But, however, this may be, its great power of modification has been
indisputably shown in late times. Selection acts only by the
accumulation of very slight or greater variations, caused by
external conditions, or by the mere fact that in generation the
child is not2)absolutely similar to its parent. Man by this power
of accumulating variations adapts living beings to his wants, may
be saidto make the wool of one sheep good for carpet & another
for cloth &c.(2.) Now suppose there was a being, who did not
judge by mere external appearance, but could study the whole
internal organization who never was capricious,who should go on
selecting for one end during millions of generations, who will say
what he might notdoeffect! In nature we have someslightvariation,
occasionally in all parts: & I think it can be shown that
changed conditions of existence is thegreatmain cause of the child
not exactly resembling its parents; & in nature geology shows
us what changes have taken place & are taking place.In regard
to the number of generationsWe have almost unlimited time: no one
but a practical geologist can fully appreciate this: think of the
Glacial period, during the whole of whichshellsthe3)same species of
shells at least have existed: there must have been during this
period, millions on millions of generations.(3) I think it can be
shown that there is such an unerring power at work onnatural
selection(the title of my Book), which selects exclusively for the
good of each organic being. The elder Decandolle, W. Herbert, &
Lyell have written strongly on the struggle for life; but even they
have not written strongly enough. Reflect that every being (even
the Elephant) breeds at such a rate, that in a few years, at most a
few centuries or thousands of years the surface of the earth would
holdthesethe progeny of any one species. I have found it hard
constantly to bear in mind that the increase of every
singlebeingspecies is checked during some part of its life, or
during some shortly recurrent generation. Only a few of those
annually born can live to propagate their kind. What a trifling
difference must often determine which shall survive & which
perish.[in left margin]the progeny of any one species wdcover the
surface of the earth(4(4) Now take the case of a country undergoing
some change:& not freely open to immigrationthis will tend to
cause some of its inhabitants to vary slightly; not but what I
believe most beings vary at all times enough for selection to act
on.Its inhabitants would be exposed to new conditions;Some of its
inhabitants will be exterminated, & the remainder will be
exposed to the mutual action of a different set of
inhabitants,(which I believe to becan be shown to bemore important
to the life of each being than mere climatechange.NowConsidering
the infinitely various ways, beings have to obtain food by
struggling with other beings, to escape danger at various times of
life, to have their eggs or seeds disseminated &c &c, I
cannot doubt that during millions of generationssome slight
inindividuals of a species will be born with some slight
variationprofitingprofitable to some part of its economy: such will
have a better chance of surviving, propagatingits varietythis
variation, which will be slowly increased by the accumulative
action of natural selection; and theincreasing by accumulation,
& finally[illeg]variety thus formed will eithercoexisting
withcoexist with or more commonly will exterminate its parent form.
An organic being like the woodpecker or missletoe may thus come to
be adapted to a score of contingencies: natural selection,
accumulatingonlythose slight variations in all parts of its
structure, which are in any way useful to it, during any part of
its life.(5(5) Multiform difficulties will occur to everyone on
this theory. Most can, I think, be satisfactorily answered. "Natura
non facit saltum" answers some of the most obvious. The slowness of
the change & only a very few undergoing change at any one time
answers others. The extreme imperfection of our geological records
answers others. (6.) One other principle, which may be called the
principle of divergence plays, I believe, an important part in the
origin of species. The same spot will support more life if occupied
by very diverse forms: we see this in the many generic forms in a
square yard of turf(I have counted 20 species belonging to 18
genera) or in the plants & insects on any little uniform islet
belonging almost to as many genera & families as to species.We
can understand this with the higher animals, whose habits we best
understand. We know that it has been experimentally shown that a
plot of land will yield a greater weight if cropped with several
species of grasses than with 2 or 3 species. Now every single
organic being, by propagating so rapidly, may be said(6to be
striving its utmost to increase in numbers. So it will be with the
offspring of any species after it has broken into varieties or
sub-species or true species. And it follows, I think, from thesame
areaforegoing facts, that the varying offspring ofany oneeach
species will try (only few will succeed) to seize on as many &
as diverse places in the economy of nature, as possible. Each new
variety or species, when formed will generally take the place of
& so exterminate its less well-fitted parent. This, I believe,
to be the origin of the classification or arrangement of all
organic beings at all times. These alwaysseemto branch &
sub-branch like a tree from a common trunk; the flourishing twigs
destroying the less vigorous,the dead & lost branches rudely
representing extinctforms.-genera & families.This sketch
ismostimperfect; but in so short a space I cannot make it better.
Your imagination must fill up very wide blanks. Without some
reflexion it will appear all rubbish; perhaps it will appear so
after reflexion. C. DarwinThis was sent about 9 months ago, but I
daresay I can get Date[6v]Sketch sent to Dr Asa GraySketch sent to
Dr Asa GrayThis was sent to A. Gray8 or 9 months agoI think October
185
Text annotation: This is a page directly from Charles Darwins
journal. What do you notice? What do you think he was thinking?
What questions do you have?
READ FIRSTAnalyze these diagrams. What do they illustrate? Do
some illustrating of your own with a different animal example.
When the prey, (the organism being eaten) adapts to being eaten,
they change. The predator is then selected for better fine-tuned
capturing methods! These finches are an example of this. Think and
illustrate another example of variation.
VOCABULARY PREDICTION: Before you read the text, try to define
each word. Then, make a prediction about what the article will be
about. Make a to discover statement.
EvolutionCompetitionDiversify
Final Collaboration Concept Map- each line down depend on next
term