Image From: www.kidcyber.com.au/ IMAGES/dinosaurs.jpg

Unit Plan for Evolution

I. Evolution

• 8th grade Science
• Unit will cover basic geological and biological evidence for the evolution of landformas and species.  Students will study fossils, rocks, and ice cores to investigate climate changes in Earth's history and suggest ways in which such changes affected life forms.  Students will also take a look at current Earth conditions and trends in order to make predictions about the future. 

II. Unit Objectives: (N.C. Standard Course of Study)

• I. Science Competency Goal 5 - The learner will conduct investigations and utilize appropriate technologies and information systems to build an understanding of evidence of evolution in organisms and landforms.
• II. Science Competency Goal 1 - The learner will design and conduct investigations to demonstrate an understanding of scientific inquiry.
• III. Computers/Technology Skills Competency Goal 3 - The learner will use a variety of technologies to access, analyze, interpret, synthesize, apply, and communicate information.

III. Enabling Objectives

• I. Science Competency Goal 5 - The learner will conduct investigations and utilize appropriate technologies and information systems to build an understanding of evidence of evolution in organisms and landforms.
• 5.01 Interpret ways in which rocks, fossils, and ice cores record Earth's geologic history and the evolution of life
• 5.02 Correlate evolutionary theories and processes
• 5.03 Examine evidence that the geologic evolution has had significant global impact
  
• II. Science Competency Goal 1 - The learner will design and conduct investigations to demonstrate an understanding of scientific inquiry.
• 1.01 Identify and create questions and hypotheses that can be answered through scientific investigations. 
• 1.05 Analyze evidence to explain observations and make inferences and predictions
• 1.08 Use oral and written language to communicate findings, defend conclusions of scientific investigations, and describe strengths and weaknesses of claims, arguments, and/or data

•  III. Computers/Technology Skills Competency Goal 3 - The learner will use a variety of technologies to access, analyze, interpret, synthesize, apply, and communicate information.

• 3.01 Select and use a variety of technology tools to collect, analyze, and present information.
• 3.03 Modify/create and use databases to analyze, interpret, and evaluate data and report findings.
• 3.07 Plan, design, and develop a multimedia product using data (e.g., graphs, charts, database reports) to present content information.

IV. Introduction

• Sample: 6 point lesson plan
• Lesson 1: Introduction to Evolution with a look at Fossils
• Resources
• Introductory parent/child newsletter (info): Evolution Newsletter (Open with Microsoft Publisher in Windows)
• C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\My Documents\EDEL 566\P Whit  web site\Newsletter\EvolutionNewsletter.pub
• Web cover page (info): Multimedia page which includes link introductory videoclip
• Higher Order Thinking Skills Asked throughout the Lesson
  
• Recall: Has anyone ever heard of a fossil before?
  
• Analysis: What kind of fossil would this be? (Referring to actual fossils)
• Comparison: How are molds and casts different?
  
• Inference: Hawaii is made of volcanoes and volcanic rock, would you expect to find many fossils there?
• Evaluation: Which types of fossils do you think would be the best to find if you were a geologist? In other words, which would tell you the most about an organism with the least amount of work from you?

V. Development

• Lesson 2: Preservation of Fossils
• In this lesson, students will learn about the geologic processes that are required to preserve fossils (Sciece Objectives 5.01 and 5.03).  They will do an activity found on the Berkley fossil website in section VII below that will take them through the steps a geologist goes through in order to determine relative ages of rocks and fossils.  This lab will be projected from the website onto the board with the in-class projection system.  As a class, the students will reflect on what they've learned and publish this reflection on the class blog. The movie Jurassic Park will be continued. 
• Lesson 3: Radioactive Dating
• A trip to the computer lab will be required for this lesson.  In groups of 3 or 4 the students will do the radioactive dating activity from the Science House website listed in section VII below.  Each group will make a spreadsheet of their results (Computer Objective 3.03).  Teacher will explain the concept of a half-life and how scientists use this concept to figure out ages of rocks.  A extra-credit homework assignment will be given that consists of creating a spreadsheet that has the radioactive decay formula in it that calculates ages of rocks based on one radioactive decay system. 
  
• Lesson 4, 5, and 6: Geologic Time Period Experts
• These three days will be spent mostly in the computer lab as the students research about their time period. 
  
• Day 4: Collect and compile data/Group work on project using books listed in section VII below
  
• Day 5: Collect and compile data/Group work on project in computer lab
• Day 6: Students will create their powerpoint, video, or website about their time period (Computer Goal 3.07)
• Lesson 7: Geologic Time Scale
• In this lesson, students will bring in their index cards from Lesson 1 and make a timeline of their life.  This will be a model of how scientists created the Geologic Time scale.  Once their index cards are lined up, they will take a digital picture of each card (Computer Goal 3.07).  Then the students will head to the computer lab and make a Photostory presentation about their timeline.  Once this is completed, they will use the Geologic Time Scale software listed in section VII below. 
  
• Lesson 8: Geologic Time Period Experts!
• Students will present their projects to the class (Science Goal 1.08).  At the end of the presentations, they will upload their products to the class website and post a reflect in the class blog.  For homework, the students will add to the Geologic Time Periods database found in Section VII below using the notes they took during the presentations.
  
• File Name: evolution.mdb
• Disk Name: 566 Jump Drive
• Geologic Time Period database (Open with Microsoft Access in Windows)
• Lesson 9 and 10: "It's Our Environment" Pamphlet*
• Students will pick an environmental issue that changes habitats and will evaluate the effects it has on the inhabitants (Science Goal 1).  They will make a brochure about their issue explaining the problem and its impacts.  The products will be used to illustrate how changes in environment affect different organisms. This concept will open the doors for the discussion about adaptation for the next lesson.  This project will be done in the computer lab (Computer Goal 3.01). 
  
• Day 9: Research and Create
• Day 10: Create and Present
• Lesson 11: Adaptation of Species
• Students will learn about adaptations and the various types of evidence scientists have found to support their theory of evolution.  After a little mini-lecture on the subject, the class will play together the BBC evolution game on the website listed below in section VII.  The game will be projected from the classroom computer onto the wall using the in class projection system. 
  
• Lesson 12: Darwin and Natural Selection
• This lesson will introduce Charles Darwin and his theory of evolution.  After an introductory discussion about Darwin, students will learn more about Natural Selection and Darwin's exploration as they explore the Evolution and Natural Selection software listed below in section VII.  At the end of the class, they will post a reflection on the class blog.  The book titled Charles Darwin listed below in section VII under Curriculum Materials will be used to begin the lesson.
  
• Lesson 13: Niche, Migration, and Controversy!
• Discussion of niche and migration will be discussed briefly to add to the previous lessons topics.  The rest of the lesson will be spent exploring the controversy behind teaching the theory of evolution.  Students will explore the viewpoints behind creationism and evolution (Science Goal 5.02).  As they explore each side, the students will add to the Creationism vs Evolution spreadsheet found below in section VII.  For homework, they will complete the online lesson about the controversy found on the PBS website listed below.  (If students do not have internet access, I will have a print out of the lesson for them to take home.)
  
• File Name: evolutionvscreationism.xls
• Disk Name: 566 Jump Drive
• Evolution vs Creationism spreadsheet (Open with Microsoft Excel in Windows)
• Lesson 14, 15, and 16: "Mystery of the Meddling Monkey"*
• For these three days, students will investigate the "sighting" of a monkey at their school.  They will investigate and, using what they have learned about the aspects of evolution, argue for or against the possibility of such a monkey (Science Goal 1.05).  The students will be split into four groups (two will argue for and two will argue against). 
  
• Day 14: Gathering evidence from the teachers who "saw" the monkey
• Day 15: Day in the computer lab investigate the local habitat and information about the monkey's environment
  
• Day 16: In computer lab creating their power point presentations

*Both of these activities came from 15 Standards-Based Science Activities Kids Will Love by Julie Fiore and Gwenn Lei; published by Scholastic.

VI. Conclusion

• Sample 6 point lesson plan
• Lesson 17: The "Annual Conference on North American Monkeys"
• Higher Order Thinking Skills Asked throughout the Lesson
  
• Recall: What do adaptation and natural selection mean?
  
• Analysis: What kind of resources available to wildlife within the city of Asheville?
  
• Comparison: How are habitats in Asheville different from the Habitats found in the jungle of Africa?
  
• Inference: What would be necessary for a monkey to survive in Asheville?
  
• Evaluation: Argue which theory seems like the most possible regarding the existence of a monkey here in Asheville. 
  

VII. Materials/Resources Available/Needed

These information resources include references to people, items on shelves and items in computer storage (diskettes, hard drives, and networks).

Brains

• Expert from the United States:
• Fred Schwab – Emeritus Faculty in Washington and Lee University’s Department of Geology
• Historical Geology, Origin and Evolution of Life (in the rock record)
• schwabf@wlu.edu
• Richard Alley – Professor of Geosciences at Penn State University, Two-Mile Time Machine author
• Ice Cores, Paleoclimates
• ralley@essc.psu.edu
• Lisa Greer – Assistant Professor in Washington and Lee University’s Department of Geology
• Historical Geology, Sediments, Climate Change
• Rm 123 Science Addition, Washington and Lee University, Lexington, VA 24450
• 540-458-8870
• greerl@wlu.edu

• Expert from another country:
• Prof Richard Moody – Dinosaur Society
• 21 Victoria Road, Surrey, KT6 4JZ
• rtj.moody@virgin.net
  

• Email Conferences
• LISTSERVs (info): -
• EVOLISTKY@LSV.UKY.EDU - Evolution teaching discussion list
• Evolist-wy@uwyo.edu – Evolution listserv from University of Wyoming
• edg-request@zoology.ubc.ca – Friday morning discussion group on Evolution at Berkeley
• Newsgroups (info):
• sci.bio.evolution – discussions of evolutionary biology
• sci.anthropology.paleo – evolution of man and other primates
• sci.geo.geology – discussions of solid earth sciences

Shelves

• Set of Books for BK-12 students: -A set of age-appropriate books and/or instructional materials for this unit plan
• Asheville Middle School Library:
• Meteorites by Robert Hutchison, New York: Sterling Pub., 1993: Discusses the characteristics of meteorites, including where they come from, how they fall to earth, and their effect on evolution.
• The Audubon Society field guide to North American fossils distributed by Random House, 1982: Identifies 474 common fossils found in Norht America
• The Cambridge illustrated dictionary of natural history by Cambride University Press, 1987: An illustrated guide includes 10,000 entries on plants, animals, microorganisms, and fossils
• The Encyclopedia of animal evolution by Facts on File Publications, 1987: Photographs, diagrams and text present a survey of life in the past and of the theory and operation of evolution.
• A bone from a dry sea by Peter Dickinson, New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers, 1995: In two parallel stories, an intelligent female member of a prehistoric tribe becomes instrumental in advancing the lot of her people, and the daughter of a paleontologist is visiting him on a dig in Africa when important fossil remains are discovered.
  

• Curriculum Library Resources (info): A list selected relevant curriculum library resources.
• Western Carolina University Curriculum and Media Center
• Life on earth: the story of evolution by Steve Jenkins, Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2002: Provides an overview of the origin and evolution of life on earth and of what has been learned form the study of evolution
• Charles Darwin by Brenda Clarke and illustrated by Christa Hook, New York: Marshall Cavendish, 1988: A biography concentrating on the childhood of the British naturalist who became famous for his theories on evolution
• Animal Feet by George F. Mason, New York: W.Morrow, 1970: Traces the evolution of animal feet and how they adapted to run, dig, scratch, swim, attack, and perform other useful tasks.
• Dinosaurs of the South by Judy Cutchins and Ginny Johnston, Sarasota, FL: Pineapple Press, 2002: Discusses dinosaur fossils discovered in the southeastern United States and what they tell us about prehistoric creatures of that region, including new dinosaur species known only in the South.
• Sedimentator [model] from Madison, NJ: Janeval Toys, Inc, 1996: A plastic transparent cylinder filled with water, rocks and other types of sediment. This device simulates sediment deposition by water in a river or in other bodies of water.
  
• Fossils and geologic time [chart] from Omni Resources: Chart has 17 small fossils attached.  Categories shown are age in millions, era, periods, epoch and life and fossils.
• Fossils [kit], Hudson, NH: Delta Education: A box of different fossils with a guide book. 

• Video Resources (info) (TV/Cable, videotape, videodisc, online digital video): A list selected relevant video resources.
  
• Insight Media
• The Cambrian Explosion of Life (2003) [VHS] This program discusses the Cambrian explosion and the subsequent appearance of myriad animal species on earth. It looks at the cause of this sudden proliferation of life and discusses the resulting species. 27 min.
  
• Discover Magazins: Living Fossils (2001) [VHS]  This program explores a scientific study surrounding the horseshoe crab, an arachnid that has not changed for 250 million years. It also looks at such fossils as the coelacanth and the archaea from which scientists believed plants and animals evolved. Discovery Enterprises. 51 min

Drives

• Web sites - This is a list of useful web site addresses for this unit plan found using the web search engines from each of these headings..

• Expert database (info): (Encylopedia Britannica Online). 
• http://www.whyfiles.org/095evolution/index.html - The Why Files website exploring the evidence for evolution.
• http://www.accessexcellence.com/AE/AEPC/WWC/1995/ - Woodrow Wilson Collection - Evolution and teaching resources.  Has activities and Labs for exploring the different aspects of evolution.
• http://www.whyfiles.org/125galapagos/index.html - The Why Files website for galapagos island as the site for Darwin's work.  Good Pictures and descriptions.
• http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/programs/earthspast/index.html - Discovery Channel School site with a great activity for developing a timeline of Earth's history.
• http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/fosrec/fosrec.html - Learning from the fossil record website with resources for teachers.

• General Catalog database (info): (e.g., Yahoo.com).
• http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/ -PBS website on a series of shows about the different aspects of evolution.
• http://evolution.berkeley.edu/ - Berkeley website that provides lots of evolution information for teachers. Contains lesson plans and up to date news articles.
• http://www.science-house.org/learn/CountertopChem/exp32.html  - The Science House activity for learning about a half-life and radioactive decay
• http://mcb.harvard.edu/BioLinks/Evolution.html - Harvard website that contains further links for evolution resources.

• Web site Robot database (info): - (e.g., hotbot.com)
• http://www.talkorigins.org/ - Website discussing the controversy between Creationism/Evolution.
• http://nationalacademies.org/evolution/ - National Academies website with evolution resources
• http://www-nsidc.colorado.edu/ - Information on the ice core studies and the data regarding Earth’s history and past climates

• Web sites from Child Safe search engines (info): (e.g. Yahooligans)
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/beasts/evolution/evolution_game.shtml  - Learn how species evolve by playing this game. It's teaches about adaptation and natural selection
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/darwin/ - See a fossil roadshow, learn about natural selection, and much more!
• http://www.billybear4kids.com/dinosaurs/long-long-ago.html - Pictures, games, projects, and dinosaur info

• MetaLibrary catalogs (info): web sites pre-sorted by educational topics.
  
• http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/ - Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators on the Discovery Channel School website.  It has the sciences broken down by subject with lots of links to other websites under each subsection of science.
  

• Instructional Software (info)
• Shareware (info): - None available using the search terms:  evolution, geology, biological evolution, darwin,  and adaptation
• Commercial (info): -
  
• Source: CyberEd: Science Education Software
  
• Life Science Software: Change Over Time Unit (2 part unit) $629.65: a set for 30 users on a network. 
  
• Fossils and Geologic Time: "Students are presented with the evidence to support change over time. They learn how fossils are made and dated while exploring major developments and extinctions of life on Earth over the geologic time scale."
• Evolution and Natural Selection: "Explore how overpopulation, genetic variation, competition for resources, and reproductive success drive natural selection. Students find out how speciation and diversity results from gradual processes over many generations where organisms fill new or available niches."

• Unit Plan Topic Database: This database file will not display on a web page. To see and use the database, you must download it to your computer and open it running Microsoft Access in Windows
  
• Geologic Time Periods - A comparison of the different periods in geologic time periods
  

• Comparison Spreadsheet: 
  
• Creation vs Evolution spreadsheet - This spreadsheet file will not display on a web page. To see and use the spreadsheet, you must download it to your computer and open it with Excel.  I made this spreadsheet using Windows version of Excel. 
• Web view of Creation vs Evolution spreadsheet. Click this file name to see a web view of this spreadsheet.

VIII. Equipment Needed

Tasks:

• This is a list specific equipment needed and where equipment will be secured in the room or returned after its checkout.
• One computer that will be kept in the classroom and the classroom will be locked whenever the teacher is not present.
• One projector system for the computer that will be checked out the library for the duration of the unit.  While in the teacher's possesion, it will remain in the classroom which will be locked when the teacher is not present. At the end of the unit, the projector will be returned to the library.
• Computer Lab key which will be checked out on the days it is needed and returned when the class time for those days is over. 
  
• Classroom layout.
• Two dimensional view  Here is a diagram of my current classroom.
• This is the way I will arrange the classroom for the teaching of this unit.
  
• It is easy for Technology Shopping Lists to go beyond your classroom or even your school budget. To find that funding, one can consult the Grant Development Process site.

IX. Evaluation

• Student assessment will be mostly informal through daily teacher-led discussions.  The formal assessment will come from the blog postings, website publishings, and the group presentations.  There will also be a handful of homework assignments that will be graded as well as student participation in classroom discussions. 
  
• In order to evaluate the unit, I will make daily reflections on each lesson plan to record what needs to change for the next time.  I will also video various lessons for me to watch and review.  At the end of the unit, I will also have evaluation forms for the students to fill out in order to let know how much they enjoyed the unit.  I will take suggestions from the students themselves on what could be added or subtracted to the unit for the next class.
  

• Further technology integration:

• Grading Spreadsheet:
• Gradebook Spreadsheet. This spreadsheet file will not display on a web page. To see and use the spreadsheet, you must download it to your computer and open it with Excel.  I made this spreadsheet using Windows version of Excel. 
  
• Web view of Gradebook. Click this file name to see a web view of this spreadsheet.
  



• Student information Database: (used for grades, comments on assignments and general student information such as emergency phone numbers and health issues)  This database file will not display on a web page. To see and use the database, you must download it to your computer and open it running the same application as was used to create it.
• Student Info - Open with Microsoft Access in Windows. 
  
• Midterm update letter to Parents (example of a Mail Merge document) - Open in Microsoft Word in Windows
  

X. Time Period

• This unit will require seventeen 85 mintue class periods.  This will be sufficient time to complete the science objectives for the study of evolution as well as some of the computer competency goals for 8th grade.  This time period will fit in the year schedule as it is part of the 8th grade curriculum for North Carolina.
  

Unit Plan Author: Peggy Altman

Back | Home

---

Template Designer: Houghton