1. Evolution

2.   Why is there such a great diversity of organisms on Earth?  What are mutations and how do they lead to new species?  Why do organisms live where they do? How are organisms adapted to live in the habitat that they live in?  What are some of the modes of evolution?  Are humans still evolving?  How can we observe evolution? Essential Questions

3.   Required Readings:  3.24  Learning Objectives:  To recall that living organisms differ from one another  To distinguish between continuous and discontinuous variation Day 1: Variation

4.   Why do you think there is so much variation within species?  Provide some examples (at least 3) of organisms and how they vary.  Time: 10 minutes Starter

5.   Watch the video “The Making of the Fittest: Natural Selection and Adaptation”  Complete the quiz as you watch it. Don’t worry if you don’t finish the quiz  Time: 15 minutes Activity 1

6.   Move to your lab groups  Complete the Color Variation in Rock Pocket Mouse Populations packet  Time: 35 minutes Activity 2

7.   http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks3/science/organi sms_behaviour_health/variation_classification/revis ion/1/ http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks3/science/organi sms_behaviour_health/variation_classification/revis ion/1/  Read through the summary, complete the activity and the quiz  Time: 20 minutes Activity 3

8.   Complete the quiz (due Monday)  Complete the “Color Variation in Rock Pocket Mouse Population” (due Monday) Closing & Homework

9.   What Darwin Never Knew  While watching the video,  Write down questions that they have after watching the video  Keep note of interesting facts/information that they learned while watching the video  Hand these in at the end of the lesson  Homework: What is your personal view of evolution? Give 3 points to support your claim. Why do you think evolution is such a controversial topic to learn about? Day 2

10.   Required Readings:  3.25  Learning Objectives:  To identify mutation and sexual reproduction as sources of variation  To understand that mutations may involve whole chromosomes or genes within them  To recognize that environmental factors may increase the likelihood of mutation Day 3: Causes of Variation

11.   What is a mutation?  How do mutations occur?  What do mutations do to an organism?  Are mutations good, bad or neither? Explain.  Time: 15 minutes Starter

12.   Any questions on last week’s video?  Time: 5 minutes Activity 1

13.   Get into your lab groups  Mutations and Variation activity  Time: 45 minutes Activity 2

14.   Which mutation caused the greatest delay in acquiring food?  Which mutation caused the greatest delay in processing and consuming food?  What would these mutations do to the population of the environment?  What were some adaptations to the mutations your group came up with?  In what environment would each mutation be beneficial in? Harmful?  What type of animal would have these mutations? Discussion

15.   Beneficial vs. harmful mutations  Create a cartoon showing the benefits and the harms of mutations  Time: 15 minutes Activity 3

16.   Required Readings:  3.26: Variation and NS: The Evolution of Species  Learning Objectives:  To understand the meaning of adaptation and to provide examples of this  To realize that Darwin’s theory benefited from the ideas of other scientists Day 4 (60 min)

17.   Go to the website: http://sciencenetlinks.com/esheets/nowhere-to- hide/ http://sciencenetlinks.com/esheets/nowhere-to- hide/  Play the game and answer the questions 1-9 on the first page  Go to the website: www.biologycorner.com/worksheets/pepperedmot h.html www.biologycorner.com/worksheets/pepperedmot h.html  Complete the simulation and answer the data and analysis section Activity 1

18.   Activities due Tuesday, February 26 Homework

19.   Required readings:  3.27: Natural Selection  Learning Objectives:  TO understand how adaptation leads to natural selection Day 5

20.   Work in your groups to complete the following activities:  Using a picture, explain how and why natural selection occurred in Darwin’s finches in the Galapagos Islands  Create a powerpoint with the following:  Research the following and give examples where this occurs in nature: over-production, survival of the fittest, struggle for existence, variation, passing on advantageous characteristics to offspring  How are new species formed? How do selective pressures affect how a species evolves? Activities

21.   Required Readings:  None  Learning Objectives:  To simulate the Darwinian theory of natural selection  Observe how natural selection affects a population  Learn how mutations, gene flow, genetic drift, and selective mating affect a population  Understand how natural selection tends to create a population more adapted for its environment Day 6

22.   Any problems from last week’s work?  Show me the work you completed from the last 2 lessons  Time: 15 minutes Starter

23.   Get into your lab groups  Read through the “Engage” section of the activity and answer the questions on the side  Time: 10 minutes Activity 1

24.   Work through the “explore” section  You will do 2 generations at each of the three habitats  I will tell you “start” and “stop” for each of the generations after you have your station set up  Record the data when needed  Time: 45 minutes Activity 2

25.   Answer the “explain” questions with your group  Time: 15 minutes Activity 3

26.   Required Readings:  None  Learning Objectives:  To simulate the Darwinian theory of natural selection  Observe how natural selection affects a population  Learn how mutations, gene flow, genetic drift, and selective mating affect a population  Understand how natural selection tends to create a population more adapted for its environment Day 7

27.   Work through the “Extend” section of the “Simulating the Darwinian Theory” lab  When completed, answer the “Explain” questions with your group  Hand in one copy plus your observations  You may use the rest of the time to get caught up on missing work Activity 1