CliftonHillPS-+Gr2Evolution



COLOUR CODE: Black= Liz Red= Jill Green= Michael Blue= Ariel

Above is the link to the powerpoint, I still have more work to do but it's up for you guys to check out if you want to add anything, comment etc.

h[|ttp://www.uen.org/utahlink/activities/view_activity.cgi?activity_id=4750] The link above has heaps of ideas for discussion around animals, habitats and adaptations..

And the outline for our next session is as follows: 1) Introduction: led by Ariel (5 minutes) - recap what we covered last session and inform students that they can be carrying out their own research at home to find out about specific animals not covered in class.

2) PP presentation: led by Liz (20 minutes including discussion) I will judge this based on level of interest shown and discussion that occurs - comparing snakes with sea snakes, tigers with sabre tooth tiger, big eared rabbits (jack rabbits) with small ear rabbits (domestic) - discuss why these animals which are within the same family have different physical characteristics - elicit from students why they have different physical characteristics - show students 6 types of habitats, match them with the animals that might live in these habitats. - brainstorm how the animals that have lived in these habitats have had to adapt to survive.

Hey, I found a java applet and website to demonstrate natural selection that could be adapted into the powerpoint [] []

I also have some suggested changes to the Powerpoint that can lead into discussion about natural selection

3) Small group activity: modelled by Michael (5 minute explanation + 20 minute activity run by all of us) Give students a habitat each (1 each within each group) and get them to design an animal that could live here. Get them to make sure that they have deigned the animal physically so that it has the highest chance of survival in this habitat. (Can I suggest we each make 7-8 copies of the sheets each and not 6, as some students were away today, we can just double up one. Different environments to include on our worksheet:
 * 1) //African Savannah//
 * 2) //Sea//
 * 3) //Rainforest//
 * 4) //Wetlands//
 * 5) //Desert//
 * 6) //Antarctic Ice//

(Michael, you can elaborate here if you want to).

4) Sharetime: Michael to lead the discussion here (no more then 15 minutes but judge according to level of engagement).

5) Poem activity: whole class led by Jillian (15 mins)

6) (20 mins - students make up their own poems in pairs (TPS first) about animals evolving/ chaning over time to adapt to their environment. (Michael & Ariel)
 * have a discussion prior to activity discussing:
 * why animals are evolving
 * different habitits they adapt to
 * re-cap some of the animals seen in the power point.

(students then share their poems with the rest of the class (maybe another quick game of Chinese whispers)

7) Conclusion: led by Ariel (20 minutes)
 * discuss what students enjoyed about the lesson
 * re-cap what we learnt so far, evolution, animal adaptation to their habitat..ask students to recall some animals that have evolved (in the PP presentation)
 * what do students want to know for next lesson?
 * Discuss key terminology used in the lesson

Sorry, guys, I have got fever and flu two days ago, but I am still preparing my part. As we had a brief discussion on the day before we leaving, I am happy to do the parts belong to me. I have read the information what you have provided, I think they are all fantastic, I have got a few ideas but not sure whether it helps... relate evolution to current issuewhy do we have so many different kinds of animals in danger through these/these hundreds years? ---evolution takes a long long time and it is a natural process, but what we have done to the ecosystem (negtive action from human beings) has broken down the balance of the orignal ecosystem......which does not leave time to allow animals or planets to complete their evolution process or adapt to the new environment.......... get students to think about the at the same time of learning animals; evolution, understand more about the animals which live with us in a same planet, we also have the responsibility to protect them.

This sounds really good Ariel, I think we could def relate it to global warming and our responsibility to animals but I think we need to make sure they have an understanding of evolution and why animals change first, then we could lead into these ideas. What does everyone else think? P.S I hope you feel better soon you poor thing, everyone is so sick atm! Liz

I know we havent actually filled in the gaps but I was hoping for some input from you guys. Work in progress. Wiki's forever!

Liz