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Evolution: Survival of the Fittest?

Lesson Plan

Evolution: Survival of the Fittest? Lesson Plan

Students will be able to define evolution, natural selection, and adaptation, and explain how these processes contribute to the diversity of life on Earth.

Understanding evolution is crucial for comprehending the diversity of life, the interconnectedness of species, and the mechanisms that drive biological change over time. It provides a foundational framework for many other biological concepts.

Audience

9th Grade Students

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Through engaging slides, discussion, and a quick activity, students will grasp core evolutionary concepts.

Materials

Prep

Teacher Preparation

10 minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up: Think-Pair-Share

5 minutes

  • Distribute or display the Evolution Warm-Up.
    - Instruct students to individually respond to the prompt for 2 minutes.
    - Ask students to pair with a partner and share their thoughts for 2 minutes.
    - Bring the class back together and briefly solicit a few student responses.

Step 2

Introduction to Evolution

10 minutes

  • Present the Evolution Slide Deck starting with the title slide.
    - Define evolution and provide examples.
    - Introduce key concepts: natural selection, variation, adaptation, and common descent.
    - Facilitate a brief discussion using questions from the slides.

Step 3

Activity: Adaptation Scenario

10 minutes

  • Introduce the Adaptation Scenario Activity.
    - Explain that students will work individually or in small groups to read a short scenario and identify adaptations.
    - Circulate to provide support and answer questions.
    - After 7 minutes, bring the class back together to briefly discuss a few examples.

Step 4

Cool-Down: One Big Idea

5 minutes

  • Distribute or display the Evolution Cool-Down.
    - Instruct students to respond to the prompt, summarizing the main idea they learned.
    - Collect cool-down responses as an exit ticket.
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Slide Deck

Evolution: Survival of the Fittest?

How do living things change over vast amounts of time? What drives these changes? Today, we'll explore the incredible journey of life on Earth!

Welcome students and introduce the topic of evolution with an engaging question. Explain that today we'll explore how living things change over time.

What is Evolution?

Evolution is the process by which populations of organisms change over generations.

  • It's not individuals changing, but populations!
  • These changes happen over very long periods of time.

Define evolution clearly. Emphasize that it's a gradual process and not about individual organisms changing, but populations over generations.

Charles Darwin and Natural Selection

Charles Darwin proposed the theory of natural selection as the main mechanism of evolution.

  • Organisms with traits best suited to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce.
  • Think about the famous Galapagos finches!

Introduce Darwin and his key idea. Briefly mention the Galapagos Finches as a classic example.

Key Concept 1: Variation

Within any population, individuals have different traits.

  • Some giraffes have longer necks, some have shorter.
  • Some bacteria are resistant to antibiotics, some are not.

This variation is essential for natural selection to work!

Explain variation and its importance. Ask students for examples of variation within a species they know.

Key Concept 2: Adaptation

An adaptation is a trait that helps an organism survive and reproduce in its environment.

  • Camouflage helps animals hide.
  • Sharp claws help predators catch prey.

Over time, advantageous variations become more common as organisms adapt to their surroundings.

Explain adaptation and provide a clear example. Connect it back to natural selection.

Key Concept 3: Common Descent

All living things share a common ancestor if you go back far enough in time.

  • Think of it like a giant family tree!
  • We see evidence for this in shared DNA, similar bone structures, and fossils.

Briefly introduce common descent, simplifying it for 9th graders. Emphasize the 'tree of life' analogy.

Putting It All Together

How do variation, natural selection, and adaptation work together to cause species to change over time?

Think about a specific animal and how it might have evolved certain traits.

Pose a thought-provoking question to encourage students to synthesize the information. This can lead into the activity.

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Warm Up

Evolution Warm-Up

Think-Pair-Share: Imagine a world where all giraffes had short necks. What might happen if their main food source, leaves on tall trees, suddenly became much higher? How might the giraffe population change over many, many generations?












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Activity

Adaptation Scenario Activity

Instructions: Read the scenario below. Then, answer the questions that follow, thinking about the concepts of variation, natural selection, and adaptation.

Scenario: The Deep Sea Anglerfish

The deep sea is a dark, cold, and immense environment where food is scarce and finding a mate is a challenge. One fascinating creature that thrives here is the anglerfish. Female anglerfish have a bioluminescent (light-producing) lure that extends from their head, which they use to attract prey in the darkness. They also have huge mouths and sharp, inward-pointing teeth to ensure that once prey is caught, it doesn't escape. Additionally, to solve the problem of finding a mate in such a vast environment, the male anglerfish is significantly smaller than the female and permanently fuses to her body, essentially becoming a parasitic attached appendage that provides sperm when needed.

Questions:

  1. Identify three specific adaptations of the deep-sea anglerfish mentioned in the scenario.






  2. For each adaptation you identified, explain how it helps the anglerfish survive and/or reproduce in its deep-sea environment.











  3. Imagine a group of anglerfish were born without the ability to produce a strong light in their lure. How might natural selection affect this group over many generations?












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Cool Down

Evolution Cool-Down

One Big Idea: In your own words, what is one major idea or concept about evolution that you learned or found interesting today?







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