Unit 6 Evolution
Jan 06, 2016
Unit 6
Evolution
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?
Essential Questions
Required Readings:
3.24 Learning Objectives:
To recall that living organisms differ from one another
To distinguish between continuous and discontinuous variation
Day 1: Variation
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
Starter
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 1
Move to your lab groups Complete the Color Variation in Rock Pocket
Mouse Populations packet Time: 35 minutes
Activity 2
http
://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks3/science/organisms_behaviour_health/variation_classification/revision/1/
Read through the summary, complete the activity and the quiz
Time: 20 minutes
Activity 3
Complete the quiz (due Monday) Complete the “Color Variation in Rock Pocket
Mouse Population” (due Monday)
Closing & Homework
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 2
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
Day 3: Causes of Variation
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
Starter
Any questions on last week’s video? Time: 5 minutes
Activity 1
Get into your lab groups Mutations and Variation activity Time: 45 minutes
Activity 2
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?
Discussion
Beneficial vs. harmful mutations Create a cartoon showing the benefits and the
harms of mutations Time: 15 minutes
Activity 3
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
Day 4 (60 min)
Go to the website:
http://sciencenetlinks.com/esheets/nowhere-to-hide/ Play the game and answer the questions 1-9 on
the first page Go to the website:
www.biologycorner.com/worksheets/pepperedmoth.html Complete the simulation and answer the data
and analysis section
Activity 1
Activities due Tuesday, February 26
Homework
Required readings:
3.27: Natural Selection Learning Objectives:
TO understand how adaptation leads to natural selection
Day 5
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?
Activities
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
Day 6
Any problems from last week’s work? Show me the work you completed from the
last 2 lessons Time: 15 minutes
Starter
Get into your lab groups Read through the “Engage” section of the
activity and answer the questions on the side Time: 10 minutes
Activity 1
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 2
Answer the “explain” questions with your
group Time: 15 minutes
Activity 3
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
Day 7
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
Activity 1