Week+4+-+Natural+Selection

INTRO Review meaning of adaptations, habitats, etc and get a few examples. (5-10 mins)

REVIEW VIDEO - Tell the children to watch the video again and think of some questions about it - Review video of Evolution - If children don't have questions use some focus question to elicit and probe their current thinking - How do you think evolution works? - How do you think animals change over time? (10-15 mins)

Natural Selection - Does anybody know what natural selection means? What? - What's a mutation? (10-15 mins)

Drawing Activity [] - Explain the activity - Students sit in their groups (in a line) - Starting from the rear each student quickly copies the picture they are given as exactly as they can - they pass the picture they drew to the person in front of them keeping the picture they were given - repeat until all students have drawn a picture - students sit in circle and discuss the results - Was anybody surprised with the results? - Why did the animal change over time? - What other groups of animals do you think have formed this way? (10-15 mins)

Powerpoint

(10-15 mins) This is our activity- it is a pretty long one so may not go ahead. You guys do your bits and we will work with the time that its left.

Jill and Liz's activity- Hands-on activity that is a simulation of how mutations can affect survival skills in animals Students pull a letter (1-6) from a hat. Each number states a specific mutation that students are required to take on. 1- Extremely long fingernails (tape wooden craft sticks to fingers) 2- No fingers (tape each hand closed) Jill will bring sticky tape 3- Hands fused together in front of body (place hands together in front of body and tape or tie them together) 4- No arms (tape or tie arms to the side of body with tape) 5- Blind (place tape over goggles or use blindfold) Jill will bring blind folds 6- Lack of peripheral vision with goggles. Jill will bring 1 pair of goggles Students break off into their table groups. In each group the leader needs to number students 1-6 randomly. When each student in each group is numbered, they are told what their mutation is eg student numbered 1 has to stick on their extremely long fingers etc. Once eac group has prepared their students with their relevant mutations, students stay at their tables. Jill and Liz will then call a number. Each student that has this number (there should be one from each group) comes to the middle floor area where there is a food source awaiting. Students then need to work as a team with their mutated peers to eat all of the food as quickly as possible. Jill will time each group and write this outcome on the WB.

This happens for each mutation (there are 6 in total) and following this there will be a lengthy discussion around the following questions:

Discussion 1. Which mutation caused the greatest delay in acquiring food? 2. What would these mutations do to the population of the environment? Ie if everyone in the world had this mutation how do you think this would affect the worlds population. 3. What were some adaptations to the mutations that group members came up with?

CONCLUSION 10 minute reflection and journal writing time.

Michael, are you bringing your own laptop this week. i am not planning on bringing mine as I don't need it. let me know what you want to do. Michael, you are LEADING this session as it is your turn. We are there to help as always but it is really your focus session, but maybe collaborate with Ariel. Up to you.

These themes below are gouing to be good for nezxt week I think.

Global warming []

Continental Drift [] [] Michael

Hi, Michael, as Jill and Liz have planned their parts, I am still not sure about my part. You have got your activities which are ready, do you need my help or are you happy to explain it by yourslef? I think your part might take 1hour to go. I do not know how to explain the rabbit or insects/monkeys websites which you have selected, if you want me to do something please tell me ahead, so that I can prepare it and discuss it with you. Or you can take the most of the time for this lesson, and I will do more planning for next lesson. What do you think????

Does anyone have any other ideas??? Ariel

Hey Ariel, Don't stress about tomorrow I think we have it all covered. I think Michael is doing his part on his own.You can contribute to the final week so we can make it AWESOME (we can go out with a bang!) as we are using your idea about evolution today. Do you have any goggles? For swimming? if so, can you bring these tomorrow so I can use them in the activity. Oh and you can help Jill and I run our activity, I will fill you in in the morning :)

Liz

Hey Guys, I'll be bringing my own laptop to class tomorrow. Ariel if you want to help me with the intro and the drawing activity it I would appreciate, but my part should be ok apart from that. Michael

Hi liz, Im bringing stickytape, 1 pair of goggles and also blind folds and cloth to tie their hands. I have brought a bag of nutrigrain for the items they have to pick up from the floor (instead of smarties) Did Merelina get back to you about the biscuits? I think nutrigrain should be fine :)

Jill