Evolution:
Hand Me Down Traits

Developed by: Kelly Pirc

ENGAGE    

You've heard of evolution, what do you know? List some key words that you associate with the term evolution.

View Movie clips:

• Simpson's Clip- Lisa the Skeptic (winged human)
• Evolution (2000)- Shows meteor striking Earth, life forms and reproduces.
• Instinct (1999)- Dr. Powell draws his true history of the world, how human evolution occurred.

After each clip, ask the students what evolutionary characteristics were seen from the film clips and what questions they have or are curious about evolution.

EXPLORE                       

Investigation #1- Evolutionary development through the ages.

Investigation #2- Lab stations: evolutionary problems, analyzing bones and understanding the principles of evolution.

Reflecting and Discussing.

EXPLAIN                        

Students will establish a definition for evolution. Key concepts will be used to create a concept map.        

ELABORATE              

Students will form into cooperative learning teams and develop an evolutionary timeline from the beginning of Earth to the current day. Each group will have a specific era in which they will provide the evolution during that era. Students will present their timeline to the class using Power Point in chronological order.

EVALUATION

Students will be evaluated on their presentations and understanding of the history of evolution. Pictures and Facts will be needed on the slides through the timeline.

Students would be assessed on a unit exam after subsequent learning cycles ("'Survival of the Fittest': Generations of passed down traits" and "Allele Frequencies: Determining differences)

As a review for the unit exam, students will play Evolution Jeopardy in teams, testing their knowledge and seeing how prepared they are for the test.