Dinh 1 Evolution/Extinction Name(s): Dahlia Dinh Title of lesson: Evolution/Extinction Date of lesson: Spring 2010 Length of lesson: 50-90 minutes Description of the class: Name of course: Biology Grade level: 11th Honors or regular: Regular Source of the lesson: TEKS addressed: 112.37. Environmental Systems (b) Introduction. (1) Environmental Systems. In Environmental Systems, students conduct laboratory and field investigations, use scientific methods during investigations, and make informed decisions using critical thinking and scientific problem solving. Students study a variety of topics that include: biotic and abiotic factors in habitats, ecosystems and biomes, interrelationships among resources and an environmental system, sources and flow of energy through an environmental system, relationship between carrying capacity and changes in populations and ecosystems, and changes in environments (4) Science concepts. The student knows the relationships of biotic and abiotic factors within habitats, ecosystems, and biomes. The student is expected to: (B) assess the role of native plants and animals within a local ecosystem and compare them to plants and animals in ecosystems within four other biomes; (F) predict how the introduction or removal of an invasive species may alter the food chain and affect existing populations in an ecosystem; (G) predict how species extinction may alter the food chain and affect existing populations in an ecosystem; and 112.43. Biology (13) Science concepts. The student knows the significance of plants in the environment. The student is expected to: (A) evaluate the significance of structural and physiological adaptations of plants to their environments; and
Dinh 2 (B) survey and identify methods of reproduction, growth, and development of various types of plants. I. Overview There are different parts of the plants that contribute to their survivorships. However, many of these parts are not consistent from one plant to the other. There are modifications that the plants have that make them more adaptive for the environment that they live in. These are called adaptations. Those that cannot adapt to its environment will end up being extinct. II. Performance or learner outcomes Students will be able to: Define evolution and examples Define extinction and list causes for extinction Compare and contrast the difference between extinct plants and those that thrived III. Resources, materials and supplies needed Computers/Internet Markers Crayons Note cards Posters IV. Supplementary materials, handouts. (Also address any safety issues Concerning equipment used) V. Safety Issues N/A VI. Accommodations for learners with special needs (ELLs, Special Ed, 504, G&T) N/A Engage: The teacher will show a clip of a cartoon about dinosaurs (The Land before Extinction/Evolution Activity Teacher Does Probing Questions Student Does What is the first thing that came to mind when I say extinction? Dinosaurs, mammoth, animals that doesn t exist anymore.
Dinh 3 Times) or a clip of Ice Age and asked the students about what do they think of when they hear the word extinction. Approx. Time_10_mins Explore: The students will be divided into groups of 3 to choose a specific species of plant on a list the teacher had prepared beforehand that no longer exist and research about it. Students are to follow a rubric on what they need to include in their later presentation on the plant. Students have specific roles in the group: Manager: tells the researcher what to search for and make sure the group is on task Researcher: research on internet or books. Recorder: record the information that the researcher found. Everybody will work on how to present this to the class and this can be in a form of a poster, power point, writing on chalkboard, etc. What is extinction? Does extinction just tie to animals? What is evolution? How does evolution tie in with extinction? What is your choice of extinct plant and present day plant? Why do you think that plant went extinct? What is the difference between the two plants? Where are you planning on researching about it? Why do you think some plants are becoming extinct in today s society? What structure of the plant do you think underline whether or not a plant will go extinct? Things that does not exist anymore./ no, it include everything that doesn t exist anymore. Changes that occur in things. Don t know. Things that don t have adaptations might not have what s necessary to survive in certain conditions. This can vary in the plants that they choose. Ran out of resources, big environmental changes. Different size, number of leaves, some other medications, etc. Google, yahoo, books, etc. Environmental changes caused by people. (destroying natural habitats and building other things such as malls, houses, etc.) Bark, leaves, stem, etc. Approx. Time 40_mins
Dinh 4 Explain: Each group will present their findings and students that are not presenting are required to write 2 things they liked/learned from the presentation and 2 suggestions that can make the presentation better. After presentation, the teacher will have some notes for students to take to make sure they can see the main focus of the lesson. This includes: Extinction def and why it occurs Evolution def and what role it plays in extinction. Ties this to adaptations. Approx. Time_30 mins Extend / Elaborate: The teacher will let students compare extinction in plants and animals. Compare the extinction of dinosaurs versus the plants that they just learned. What do plants need to survive? What are some of the causes for extinction that we heard today through the presentations? How did plants survive today? What do they have that are similar and/or different from those that went extinct? What is evolution? How might evolution relate to extinction? How might this tie back to adaptations that we learned before? Why did the dinosaurs become extinct? How is this different or similar to why your plant of choice became extinct? Is there a way to prevent extinction? Is it possible to escape Water, sunlight, etc. Drastic changes in environment or gradual changes into harsh environment. Certain adaptations such as leaves, barks, spines/thorn. Changes made in species If evolution doesn t happen to benefit the organisms to benefit in the environment, then organisms may survive. If they have an adaptation that might enable them to be more fit in the environment then the population won t necessarily go toward extinction. There are many theories that contribute to the extinction of the dinosaurs: ice age, drowning of the dinosaurs, and the comet hits. Same/different. Environment changes Different in how environment changes Yes, through adaptation. No, nothing can escape
Dinh 5 Approx. Time_10 mins extinction? Why or why not? extinction. Yes through adaptation. Evaluate: The students will write on a note card one thing they learned yesterday about extinction and one question they may have. Quiz a day or two later about this topic and plant physiology. Approx. Time 10_mins What is an adaptation? Give an example found in plants. What causes adaptation to occur? What is evolution? Include examples. What is extinction? How does this relate to adaptation? Modifications made to make specie more fit to survive. Ex. barks, leaves Changes in the environment Changes in organisms over time due to some pressure. Ex. spine/thorns in plants The extermination of a species. This might be because there might be a radical change in the environment and the plant cannot adapt to survive in the new environment.