Brian Fairbrother Final Unit Plan

FINAL UNIT
Unit Description In this unit, students will learn about biological evolution
and natural selection. Students will begin by learning about
Charles Darwin and his work with Galapagos finches and
continue to more complex topics such as speciation.
Multiple technologies will be employed within the unit to
help students learn about evolution and develop effective
21st century skills such as information and computer
literacy, communication, critical thinking, and collaboration.
After the presentation of all relevant material, students will
review topics through a Jeopardy web 2.0 application
review game. The unit will then end in an examination
about natural selection, common ancestry, and speciation.
Overall standards STANDARDS:
and objectives for 1.) S.10.LS.20: Communicate scientific information that
this unit common ancestry and biological evolution are supported by
multiple lines of empirical evidence.
2.) S.10.LS.21: Construct an explanation based on evidence
that the process of evolution primarily results from four
factors: the potential of a species to increase in number, the
heritable genetic variation of individuals in a species due to
mutation and sexual reproduction, competition for limited
resources and, the proliferation of those organisms that are
better able to survive and reproduce in an environment.
3.) S.10.LS.22: Apply concepts of statistics and probability
to support explanations that organisms with an
advantageous heritable trait tend to increase in proportion to
organisms lacking this trait.
4.) S.10.LS.23: Construct an explanation based on evidence
for how natural selection leads to adaptations of
populations.
Brian Fairbrother Final Unit Plan

5.) S.10.LS.24: Evaluate the evidence supporting claims

that changes in environmental conditions may result in (1)
increases in the number of individuals of some species, (2)
the emergence of new species over time, and (3) the
extinction of other species.
6.) S.9-10.L.3: Follow precisely a complex multistep
procedure when carrying out experiments, taking
measurements, or performing technical tasks attending to
special cases or exceptions defined in the text.
7.) S.9-10.L.12: write informative/explanatory texts,
including the narration of historical events, scientific
procedures/experiments, or technical processes.
8.) S.9-10.L.15: use technology, including the internet, to
produce, publish and update an individual or shared writing
products, taking advantage of technologys capacity to link
to other information and to display information flexibly and
dynamically.

OBJECTIVES:
1. Students will note common misconceptions of biological
evolution.
2. Students will discuss the factors leading to biological
evolution.
3. Students will apply the concept of probability to support
explanations that organisms with advantageous traits will
increase in number compared to organisms without the trait.
4. Students will construct an explanation of natural selection
based on evidence.
5. Students will argue that changes in environmental
conditions will result in natural selection.
6. Students will carry out laboratory procedures.
Brian Fairbrother Final Unit Plan

7. Students will narrate the historical discovery of Charles

Darwin.
8. Students will compare and contrast biological evolution
with a pop culture version of evolution.
Technology used Laptops/tablets, the internet, class blog, videos, Glogster,
in unit Jeopardylabs.com web 2.0 app
LESSON 1
Standards and S.10.LS.21: Construct an explanation based on evidence
learning objectives that the process of evolution primarily results from four
for this lesson factors: the potential of a species to increase in number, the
heritable genetic variation of individuals in a species due to
mutation and sexual reproduction, competition for limited
resources and, the proliferation of those organisms that are
better able to survive and reproduce in an environment.
S.9-10.L.12: write informative/explanatory texts, including
the narration of historical events, scientific
procedures/experiments, or technical processes.

Objectives:
1. Students will discuss the factors leading to
biological evolution.
2. Students will narrate the historical discovery of
Charles Darwin.

Essential Question Who is Charles Darwin?

Summary of 1. The teacher will show students a brown paper bag
activities/procedur and tell them that they have placed an object inside
es the bag. They will tell students that they will walk
around the room and give each student the
opportunity to place their hand in the bag and feel
the object, making observations with just their sense
Brian Fairbrother Final Unit Plan

of touch.
2. After every student has had the opportunity to
observe, the teacher will ask students to express their
observations to the class. After students have had an
opportunity to express their ideas, the teacher will
ask them if they can guess what is in the bag. Once
students have express their thoughts, the teacher will
reveal that it was a toy bird in the bag.
3. Then the teacher will ask the students what they
think the topic is for the lesson. The teacher will then
tell students that they will be learning about natural
selection and that the bird relates to the topic
because of a type of bird called Finches that live on
tropical islands called the Galapagos.
4. Then the teacher will pass out a worksheet
containing definitions of terms with blanks. The
teacher will explain that they will watch a Brain pop
video about Darwin and Galapagos finches. While
watching the video, students are asked to pay
attention to the video for the answers to the
worksheet.

Link: http://www.teachertube.com/video/darwin-56980

5. When the video is finished the worksheet will be

reviewed and key terms from the video will be listed
on the board.
6. The teacher will then tell students that they will then
be given 10 minutes to incorporate the new vocab
into their interactive notebooks.
7. When time is up, and students have put away their
notebooks, the instructor will explain an assignment
Brian Fairbrother Final Unit Plan

where students will create a newspaper/magazine

article using Glogster about Darwins discovery. The
teacher will display an example of the assignment on
the board for student reference. The teacher will
discuss with students that they should include at
least one picture, a title, and a body paragraph
describing Darwins voyage and discovery. The link
to Glogster and the teachers example will be
provided to students for future reference.
8. The teacher will then give students 10 minutes to
work on their assignment using laptops. If students
do not finish within this amount of time, they will be
assigned completion of the assignment for
homework.
9. Students will then be asked to return materials to
where they came from and tell students to get
individual white boards and bring one back to their
seats.
10. Closure: Then using the individual white boards,
students will answer questions posed by the teacher.
The teacher will ask the question and students will
write on the boards and then display their answers.
This will begin 5 minutes before end of class and go
until the bell rings.

Brief explanation Students will use laptops to access the internet and Glogster
of the technology where they will create a magazine article describing Darwin
used in this lesson and his discovery of natural selection.
List of 21st The 21st century skills addressed in this lesson are computer
century skills literacy, information literacy, and communication. Students
addressed in this practice computer and information literacy through using
lesson laptops to access Glogster and through the use of Glogster.
Brian Fairbrother Final Unit Plan

Students are communicating through classroom discussion

as well as in written form with Glogster, therefore
addressing communication skills.
Describe the Students will construct a newspaper/magazine article, using
assessment used in Glogster, about Darwins discovery and natural selection.
this lesson Students will be expected to use at least one picture related
to Darwin, his voyage, and/or his discovery, a title, as well
as incorporate at least one body paragraph describing
Darwins trip and observations.

Example Glog:
http://edu.glogster.com/glog/ecology/2i5n26i7w2h

Accommodations Students may be given longer time in class to use Glogster,

Glogster example shown to students, worksheet read to
students that need it
LESSON 2
Standards and S.10.LS.20: Communicate scientific information that
learning objectives common ancestry and biological evolution are supported by
for this lesson multiple lines of empirical evidence.
S.9-10.L.15: use technology, including the internet, to
produce, publish, and update an individual or shared writing
products, taking advantage of technologys capacity to link
to other information and to display information flexibly and
dynamically.

Objectives:
1. Students will note common misconceptions about
biological evolution.
2. Students will compare and contrast biological
evolution with a pop culture version of evolution.
Brian Fairbrother Final Unit Plan

Essential Question What are some common misconceptions people have of

evolution?
Summary of 1. There will be a bell ringer question on the board
activities/procedur asking students to think of misconceptions people
es have with evolution.
2. Students will be asked to ponder the question and be
given 3 minutes to write their answers in their
journals. Then, the teacher will direct students to get
out laptops/tablets and go to the link

http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/misconcepti
ons_faq.php#a1

where they will be given 10 minutes to explore

common misconceptions of evolution.
3. After the 10 minutes are over, the teacher will
discuss with students what they found. The teacher
will write down notable ideas on the board.
4. Then the teacher will tell students that they are going
to go onto the class blog and comment on a video
displaying evolution. They will have 20 minutes to
comment on the video. In their comments they are to
compare and contrast the video with Darwins view
of natural selection. They will be expected to use
key terms and facts in their responses and write at
least 200 words.

Link: http://www.teachertube.com/video/simpsons-
evolution-168154

5. When time is up, students will be asked to return

Brian Fairbrother Final Unit Plan

laptops/tablets and return to their seats.

6. Then, for closure, students will toss around a stuffed
ball (bean bag, talking stick, etc.) sharing one thing
they learned. After one student is done sharing they
will pass to another student and then they will share.
This will be continued until either the bell rings or
all students have shared.
Brief explanation Students will use laptops/tablets to access a class blog
of the technology where they will comment on a post.
used in this lesson
List of 21st The 21st century skills addressed in this lesson are
century skills information literacy, computer literacy, critical thinking, and
addressed in this communication. Students practice computer and information
lesson literacy through the use of the internet including exploration
of a website and the use of a blog. Students are developing
communication and critical thinking when watching and
commenting on the video comparing and contrasting the
video with Darwins view of biological evolution because
they are communicating in written form as well as thinking
critically to compare the two.
Describe the Students will comment on a video online posted to a class
assessment used in blog. In their comments, they will compare and contrast the
this lesson video to Darwins explanation of natural selection. They
will be expected to use key terms and facts in their
responses and write at least 200 words.
Accommodations Teacher lead exploration of website
LESSON 3
Standards and S.10.LS.20: Communicate scientific information that
learning objectives common ancestry and biological evolution are supported by
for this lesson multiple lines of empirical evidence.
S.10.LS.21: Construct an explanation based on evidence
Brian Fairbrother Final Unit Plan

that the process of evolution primarily results from four

factors: the potential of a species to increase in number, the
heritable genetic variation of individuals in a species due to
mutation and sexual reproduction, competition for limited
resources and, the proliferation of those organisms that are
better able to survive and reproduce in an environment.
S.10.LS.22: Apply concepts of statistics and probability to
support explanations that organisms with an advantageous
heritable trait tend to increase in proportion to organisms
lacking this trait.
S.10.LS.23: Construct an explanation based on evidence for
how natural selection leads to adaptations of populations.
S.10.LS.24: Evaluate the evidence supporting claims that
changes in environmental conditions may result in (1)
increases in the number of individuals of some species, (2)
the emergence of new species over time, and (3) the
extinction of other species.

Objectives:
1 Students will note common misconceptions of biological
evolution.
2. Students will discuss the factors leading to biological
evolution.
3. Students will apply the concept of probability to support
explanations that organisms with advantageous traits will
increase in number compared to organisms without the trait.
4. Students will construct an explanation of natural selection
based on evidence.
5. Students will argue that changes in environmental
conditions will result in natural selection.
Brian Fairbrother Final Unit Plan

Essential Question What is evolution?

Summary of 1. Once the bell rings and students have sat down
activities/procedur in their seats the teacher will play a short video
es of the introduction of the show Jeopardy and
quickly explain that for class they are going to
play Jeopardy to review material for their unit
exam.
2. The teacher will group students into teams based
on their lab groups. Each lab group will come up
with a biology related name for their team.
When the game is ready to begin the first team
will choose a category and question.
3. Each group will be given the chance to answer
simultaneously. They will be given 30 seconds
to discuss their response as a group. When the
30 seconds are up, they are to write their
answers on their groups white board. If the
group gets it right, they are rewarded points
based off of the value for that question. After
each question, the next group in order will
choose a category and groups will be given 30
seconds to answer that question.
4. After all categories have been chosen, the
teacher will have students participate in a final
round. Prior to the final round, the teacher will
request groups to give them their wager. Then
the teacher will instruct students to write their
groups answers on the individual white boards.
Students will be given 2 minutes to discuss the
answer amongst their groups. When time is up,
Brian Fairbrother Final Unit Plan

the group will reveal/show the teacher their

answer. The teacher will tally points
accordingly.
5. When the game is finished, students will be
asked to return white boards and markers to
their place and then return to their seats.
6. Finally, for closure, students will write two
things they learned and one thing they have a
question about on a scrap piece of paper as an
exit ticket.
Brief explanation The Jeopardy game is created with Jeopardylabs.com, an
of the technology online web 2.0 application, using the template they provide.
used in this lesson The game will be projected onto the smartboard screen and
the teacher will control the scoring.

List of 21st The 21st century skills addressed in this lesson are
century skills collaboration and communication. Students will collaborate
addressed in this and communicate with others in their groups to determine
lesson their answer to Jeopardy questions. Further communication
is used when communicating their answers to the teacher.
Describe the The teacher will perform formative assessment using
assessment used in Jeopardy looking at student responses and whether or not
this lesson there are any topics that students do not understand.

Example Jeopardy Questions:

1. Q: This man was a British citizen whom developed
the modern theory of evolution in the 19th century.
A: Who is Charles Darwin?
2. Q: This is the process where organisms that are
better adapted to their environment survive and
reproduce.
A: What is natural selection?
Brian Fairbrother Final Unit Plan

3. Q: This form of speciation occurs when individuals

of the same species become geographically isolated.
A: What is allopatric speciation?
4. Q: This man believed that individuals would pass on
traits they developed during their lifetime, such as
strength, to their offspring.
A: Who is Lamarck?

Accommodations Reading the questions aloud to students/groups, visual aids

with questions, more time on questions