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How Does Survival Shape the World?



A 10
th
Grade Curriculum on the
Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection


By John Benjamin

Antioch University New England
M.S. in Environmental Studies, 2015
New Hampshire Life Sciences Certification



Table of Contents:

2. Macro Lessons
5. Curriculum Introduction and Overview
6. Challenge Board
7. Challenge Board Project Details
9. Narrative Introduction
10. Unit-based Assessment Rubric
11. Criterion-based Summative Assessment


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Guiding Question: How does survival shape the world?
A Curriculum on the Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection
by John Benjamin


Big Ideas Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday NextGen Science
Standards

WEEK 1

What do clues
from nature
tell us about
where we
come from
and our
relationship
to other living
things?







What is a scientific
theory? Just a
guess?

-Video of deep sea
life

-Introduction to
unit

-Activity: Taking a
stand

-Mini-Lecture on
scientific theories

-Challenge:
Puzzling over the
Pieces

What exactly is the
theory of evolution?

-Video: The Animated
Life of A. R. Wallace

-Lecture: Darwins big
ideas: Descent with
Modification, Common
Ancestry, and Natural
Selection.

-Evolutionary Video
Game Challenge -
Peppered Moths:
Natural Selection in
Black & White (a.k.a.
Hungry Birds) online
case study and video
game

How can you create
a new life form using
evolution?
Super Microbe
Challenge (Part 1)

-Video: Natural
Selection Clearly
Stated

-Mini-lecture and
discussion on natural
vs. artificial selection

-Super-Microbe Lab
Challenge

-Introduction to
materials, procedures
and safety

-Experimental design
planning

-Bacteria collection
and culture
preparation

Super-Microbe
Challenge (Part 2)

-Video: Bacteria
Mutation

-Continue Super-
Microbe Challenge

-Challenge Board
project selection and
work time






What is the evidence
for evolution?
(Part 1)


Lecture: Introduce
the major fields of
evidence for
evolution

Discussion: What
makes a good
presentation?

Teacher Example of a
boring vs. an
engaging
presentation

- Evolutionary Clues
Challenge




Students will understand that
variation within a population
leads to biodiversity through
natural selection. In order to do
this they must: Communicate
scientific information that
common ancestry and biological
evolution are supported by
multiple lines of empirical
evidence
HS-LS4-1.

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WEEK 2

How does
survival
change life
over time?


The Steps of
Natural
Selection


What is the
evidence for
evolution? (Part 2)

-Final Prep Time
-Student

-Evolutionary Clues
Challenge
Presentations and
Student Puzzles
How do mutations
cause a population to
evolve over time?
-Video What is
Evolution? Stated
Clearly

-Mini-Lecture on the
genetic basis of
evolution

-Mutating Bird
Challenge

Super-Microbe
Challenge (Part 3)

-Video Mutations
and Selection: The
Bacteria Resist

-Begin carrying out
experimental design
in Super-Microbe
Challenge



What does it mean to
be a survivor?

-Mini-lecture
adaptations, fitness,
and sexual selection

Activity: Evolutionary
Biology Thrown Down!

Competitive challenge
to figure out the
selective pressures in
real-life examples of
adaptation and survival





Challenge Board Day


Individual/group
work on challenge
board projects
Construct an explanation based
on evidence that the process of
evolution primarily results from
four factors: (1) the potential for
a species to increase in number,
(2) the heritable genetic
variation of individuals in a
species due to mutation and
sexual reproduction, (3)
competition for limited
resources, and (4) the
proliferation of those organisms
that are better able to survive
and reproduce in the
environment. NGSS HS-LS4-2.
Apply concepts of statistics and
probability to support
explanations that organisms
with an advantageous heritable
trait tend to increase in
proportion to organisms lacking
this trait. HS-LS4-3
WEEK 3

How do new
species
appear? Why
do species go
extinct?
How does
evolution
affect us
today?
Field Trip to the
Harvard Museum
of Natural History

-Scavenger Hunt
Challenge

-Collect info, ideas
and photos for use
in final lesson


How do new species
appear? What causes
them to go extinct?

-Review from field trip

-Mini-lecture: what is
the definition of a
species?

-Comparison of
historical mass
extinctions to the
current human-caused
Super-Microbe
Challenge (Part 4)

Video Mutations in
Bacteria

Continue selecting
for resistance in your
bacterial colony.
How are you
artificially selecting
which bacteria will
reproduce?
How will you prove
Is evolution occurring
today? How does it
affect us?

Additional examples of
observable evolution
with human
significance: Use of
antibiotics is selecting
for resistance in
diseases (relate to
Super-Microbe
Challenge). Use of
pesticides is selecting
Challenge Board Day


-Individual/group
work on challenge
board projects
Construct an explanation based
on evidence for how natural
selection leads to adaptation of
populations. HS-LS4-4
Evaluate the evidence
supporting claims that changes
in environmental conditions may
result in: (1) increases in the
number of individuals of some
species, (2) the emergence of
new species over time, and (3)
the extinction of other species.
HS-LS4-5
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mass extinction

-Taking a stand: do you
think humans have a
responsibility to try and
prevent the current
mass extinction?
evolution has
occurred by next
week?


for resistance in pests.
Human genetic
mutations/diseases.

-Taking a stand: do you
think humans are still
evolving?


WEEK 4

How can we
teach
younger
students
about
evolution?

How do we
known if
evolution
occurred in
our bacterial
colonies?
Work Day/Lesson
Preparation


Work Day/Lesson
Preparation



Teaching Lesson


-Students teach their
lessons to a middle
school science class

-Personal journaling

-Class discussion

Super-Microbe
Challenge (Part 5)
Assess the final results
of Super-Microbe
Challenge. How can
you determine whether
or not evolution has
taken place in your
bacterial colony?
Presentation of
findings, class
discussion


Does the theory of
evolution by natural
selection make
sense and hold up?

-Assessment
preparation:
Celebrity game
using key vocabulary
terms

-Summative
assessment: Short
essays

-Taking a Stand
revisited: Does the
theory of evolution
hold up? Why or
why not?






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Curriculum Introduction and Overview

The fundamental learning goals of this unit are for students to clearly understand and construct an argument for the theory of
evolution based on multiple fields of evidence, as well the process by which natural selection changes the genetics of populations and
drives evolutionary change. The unit begins unit with an attempt to address and gather student beliefs and misconceptions, as well as
introducing the scientific definition of a theory. Then you provide a general overview of the basic ideas, and allow the students to begin
investigating examples of natural selection with an online case study and with the lab challenge of trying to selectively breed bacteria to
exhibit resistance to antibiotics. (I acknowledge that this is a challenging task and the results are not guaranteed to be successful, but I
believe it has value in its emphasis on hands-on inquiry, experimental design, and the attempt to directly observe evolution in a field
where has major current relevance to society.) We examine the different fields of evidence for evolution, and then move into more
detailed investigations of how mutation and natural selection cause populations to change over time. A field trip to the Harvard Natural
History Museum will give students an opportunity to further investigate evidence for evolution, and examine the causes for speciation and
extinction. For the final project, the students design and teach a lesson on an important topic of evolution/natural selection to a middle
school science class, which I hope will be a valuable means for them to demonstrate their learning as well as to work in democratic
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principles of offering something valuable to members of the greater community. Challenge board projects and final written summative
questions will provide additional means to assess student learning.


Challenge Board
You must earn at least 20 points

1. Create a song or skit that
effectively communicates the
four steps of natural selection,
and perform it in class.

(5 points)
2. Write a 2+page review and
critique of a science news article
that involves evolution.


(10 points)
3. Interview an adult that uses
the theory of evolution in their
profession.


(15 points)
4. Design a video game based
on the theory of evolution that
accurately incorporates all four
steps of natural selection.
(15 points)
5. Choose any organism and
write a 4+page research paper (or
a 2+ paper and a visual poster) on
what is known about its
evolutionary history.
(15 points)
6. Write a science fiction story
that describes how an organism
(including humans) might evolve
in the future.
(5 points)
7. Watch the Bill Nye vs. Ken
Hamm debate on evolution and
creationism, and write a 3+page
paper critiquing both arguments
and describing how they relate
to and/or influence your
personal opinion. (10 points)
8. Create a visual art piece
(drawing, painting, collage,
comic) that communicates an
important concept (or concepts)
involved in evolution by natural
selection
(5 points)
9. Design your own project
related to evolution and natural
selection

Points depend on difficulty of
project

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Challenge Board project details
Please meet with me if you need any clarification, guidance, or assistance with your projects

1. Create a song or skit that effectively communicates the four steps of natural selection, and
perform it in class.
Use your creative talents to explain natural selection in an original skit or a song to be
performed in class. You can do this alone or in a group of 2 or 3. Your performance should be well-
rehearsed, and should clearly communicate 1) the four factors of natural selection (variation,
heritability, struggle for survival, and survival/reproduction of the best-adapted), and 2) how this can
result in evolutionary changes in a population over time.

2. Write a 2+page review and critique of a science news article that involves evolution.
Find a science news article that includes ideas related to evolution or natural selection.
(Please use a reputable news source*) Read the article carefully, doing additional research if
necessary to understand the key ideas. Your typewritten paper (2 or more pages) should include: 1) a
summary of the most important ideas, 2) an explanation of how it relates to any of the concepts we
have been discussing in class, and 3) your personal critique of the article: does the author
communicate about the subject clearly? Does the article demonstrate an accurate understanding of
evolution/natural selection? What would you do to improve the article?
*Good news sources:
Local or national newspapers
New York Times
BBC
National Geographic

3. Interview an adult that uses the theory of evolution in their profession.
People in many professions need to have an understanding of evolution in order to do their jobs.
Conduct an in-depth interview with an adult about how they use an understanding of evolution in
their work. This person could be a scientist, doctor, naturalist, farmer, or another profession. Write
up at least 15 questions ahead of time, and check with me before your interview. Your interview can
be in person, or over skype, the phone, or e-mail. Your final interview should be submitted as a
typewritten paper that includes an introduction to your subject as well as their answers to your
questions.

4. Design a video game based on the theory of evolution that accurately incorporates all four steps
of natural selection.
How could the evolutionary principles weve been discussing in class be incorporated into a video
game? Design your own video game that you think would be both fun to play and accurately involve
the four factors of natural selection. You have two options:
1) Design your own original game from scratch
2) Play the existing computer game Spore, and critique what is and isnt accurate about its portrayal
of natural selection. Then make suggestions about how it could be improved.
Your final report should be at least 4 pages of written description, and can also include drawings,
diagrams, and any digital components you wish to include. It should clearly demonstrate your
understanding of the four factors of natural selection

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5. Choose any organism and write a 4+ research paper (or a 2+ paper and a visual poster) on what
is known about its evolutionary history.
Write a scientific research paper on the evolutionary history of an animal of your choice,
including humans. Describe in detail the best current scientific understanding of the past stages this
creature passed through. Be sure to address the following questions: What environmental pressures
were involved in the evolution of this animals unique adaptions? What allowed it to survive to
present day? What evidence do we have that tells this story? What is known for sure, what is
speculated by scientists, and what is still a mystery? The paper should be 4+ pages, or 2+ pages with
a well-crafted and informative visual poster with images, diagrams, and written captions.

6. Write a science fiction story that describes how an organism (including humans) might evolve in
the future.
Evolution is still working on living things today! Earths environments are changing quickly with the
influence of humanity (urbanization, climate change, invasive species, etc.) and organisms are still
being influenced by natural selection. Who will survive into the future, and why? Write a piece of
creative science fiction that speculates how an organism (perhaps human beings) will adapt to the
changing conditions of the future through natural selection. How might it look and behave differently
in a few thousand or million years? What will the environment be like? Be creative, but be sure to
accurately incorporate the principles of natural selection in your story.

7. Watch the Bill Nye vs. Ken Hamm debate on evolution and creationism, and write a 3+page
paper critiquing both arguments and describing how they relate to and/or influence your personal
opinion.
Evolution is still a very controversial topic in our society today, and its important to understand
whats being debated and why. Watch this entire 3-hour debate, and take notes on the major
arguments of both Bill Nye, representing the scientific view of evolution, and Ken Hamm,
representing one particular perspective of Christian creationism. Write a paper on the debate that
answers the following questions: What were the main arguments of both sides? What were each
sides strengths and weaknesses? Did Bill Nye accurately portray the theory of evolution by natural
selection? Did Ken Hamm display an understanding of the science behind the theory? Does he fairly
represent the views of all religious groups (or even all Christian groups)? Do you think this debate
was a helpful contribution to the dialogue on evolution? Why or why not? How did this debate
relate to and/or influence your personal opinions?
The debate can be watched online here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6kgvhG3AkI

8. Create a visual art piece that communicates an important concept (or concepts) involved in
evolution by natural selection
Employ your artistic talents to creatively express an important idea or ideas we have been learning
about in this unit (such as common decent, descent with modification, natural selection, artificial
selection, etc.) Your piece can be in any medium you choose (drawing, painting, comic, collage, etc.)

9. Design your own project related to evolution and natural selection
Bring a written project proposal to me so we can discuss what you wish to accomplish, how it meets
the learning goals of this unit, and how I might be able to assist you.
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Narrative Introduction

Imagine you are a scientist in Germany in 1861, excavating fossils from rock deposits that were once
a swamp 150 million years ago, a time when dinosaurs roamed the earth. As you begin to clear away
the clay and dust from a fossil skeleton you just found, to begin to notice details that leave you
speechless. You have discovered a creature unlike anything that has been discovered before.

This animal had a very dinosaur-like skeleton: solid bones, a long bony tail, sharp teeth, and claws on
its hands and feet. But there is something else in the fossil, remarkable and unmistakable: elegant
impressions of feathers cover the body. The long, bird-like feathers on the animals arms and tail
reveal a creature that seems to have been capable of true flight. This creature, which will be named
Archaeopteryx, appears to be a transitional form between dinosaurs and birds.

This discovery will change the way we look at birds forever. You have found evidence that these
familiar animals we see every day have changed dramatically over millions of years, and that their
ancestors were in fact small, carnivorous dinosaurs related to the infamous T-Rex and Velociraptor.
You have begun to piece together a lineage of survivors that have changed over time, adapting to
new environmental pressures and developing ingenious solutions to the challenges of life. You have
added a small but amazing puzzle piece to the grand story of how all life is related, diverging from a
common ancestor into the dazzling diversity of species on Earth. In science, we call this story the
theory of evolution by natural selection, and we will be investigating it in depth over the next four
weeks.

We will be looking at the scientific evidence for evolution, the mechanisms by which living things
change, and examples of how evolution continues to affect us in important ways today. As we move
through this unit, we will try to answer the question: How does survival shape the world?

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Unit-based Assessment Rubric

Students will receive a copy of this rubric at the beginning of the unit, and will assess their own
performance based on these criteria. The teacher will also complete this rubric for each student. At
multiple points during the unit, students will check in with the teacher on their progress, giving them
ongoing constructive feedback and opportunities for self-assessment.

Goals Grade
Percentage
Exemplary Performance Comments
Conceptual
Understanding
of Material
40% Student displays a thorough and
sophisticated understanding of the
subject material, as evidenced through
their work on written assignments,
presentations, class activities and
discussions. Student displays critical
thinking, makes fruitful connections
between ideas, and effectively applies
their understanding to new concepts.

Final Project 20% Student teaches an engaging and
informative lesson that meets all criteria,
incorporates examples from previous
lessons and activities, and demonstrates
a clear understanding of the major
content goals.

Challenge Board 20% Student earns the required amount of
points, submits projects on time and
demonstrates work of high quality

Participation 20% Student demonstrates active engagement
in all class work, making meaningful
contributions to class discussions and
activities, as well as in small group work.
Student stays on task, asks questions, and
offers thoughtful responses to questions
by others.









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Criterion-based Summative Assessment: Short Written Essays

1. Write a short essay response to our Guiding Question: How does survival shape the world?
Use all of the following terms in your response: theory of evolution, natural selection, mutation,
variation, heritable, population, adaptation, fitness, genotype, phenotype.

2. What is a scientific theory?

3. What are the major fields of evidence for common ancestry and evolution? (Describe at least 4,
using specific examples for each)

4. Use a case study from class or your own research to clearly explain the four steps of natural
selection.

5. Is evolution random or directed? Explain your response.

6. Describe one other concept from our unit you learned about that you have not mentioned yet.

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