Lesson 16. Charles Darwin and Natural Selection

Estimated Time: 1 period

Objective

Identify the process of natural selection and evidence that was used to develop Darwin’t concept

EQ: What evidence influenced Darwin and his theory of evolution?

Bridge

The variations that you saw in the plants during your lab test show an example of variation in a species. Do you think that the plants you examined yesterday have a common ancestor? What evidence do you have to prove that? Why would there have to be more than one variety of this flower?

Mini Lesson

Share out answers from bridge.

The goal of life is survival, and that survival has been dictated by the laws of nature. Scientists for as long as we know have struggled with what these laws are. Everyone has been able to observe how life goes on around them, but it wasn’t until one naturalist was able to speak up and back up those laws that people started to really put the pieces together.

It is important to note that evolution does NOT explain how life began, but rather it explains how life has changed and diversified over time. So what is the science that has driven life for these billions of years?

Greatest Discoveries: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nnqoKGR80k, from 25:47 to 35:04 This piece introduces Linneus and classification as well as Darwin’s theory of evolution

Then watch Evolution in the Galapagos: http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=n3265bno2X0&feature=related

Work Period

Answer the following questions based on the videos and what we have studied so far this year:

What exactly does natural selection mean? What drives natural selection to occur? The videos gave examples of organisms on the Galapagos Islands and how they have “evolved” over time. Why is it that organisms that started out as the same species came to develop new species on each of the islands? Explain how populations of finches shifted from year to year based on the observations and measurements of the scientists studying the Galapagos Islands. How does everything we have studied so far this year support Darwin’s theory of natural selection?

Summary

Answer the EQ

Closing

So if natural selection, this idea of survival of the fittest”, is the mechanism for evolution and survival is the driving force behind it, what interactions/processes or behaviors of organisms are leading the way?

SPED and ELL Modifications: 1. There is an app for Charles Darwin’s famous book- Origin of species- Use the App for the Independent Practice.

2. Bookmark the Bill Nye Video for students to review concepts at a station with headphones: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svHQ4BQY__o&feature=related

3. For very low functioning students this is an interactive story of Natural Selection – http://www.nysci.org/charlieandkiwi_finches/

Apps and Internet Activities: 1. Darwin’s natural selection theory explained along with a flash game helping students understand how characteristics of survival are selected. http://bio.wcupa.edu/biology/biohtml/darwin-game/darwin.swf

2. The autobiography of Charles Darwin and his famous book, The Origin of Species are both available on the iPad. Students could be assigned additional reading and questions as a way to make up homework points or other missed work.

3. Students could use the webpage (listed below) with multiple videos as a sort of webquest on the netbooks or iPads. Students have to watch the videos and determine the definitions of both: Evolution, and natural selection. They also have to explain why Charles Darwin is called the “father” of evolution. They could then report out their findings by making posters on the iPads with the definitions. They could also use iPads to make a visual story of the answers to those three questions using the iPad camera. http://www.neok12.com/Natural-Selection.htm 4. This is a great PBS activity about finches that could be not only used as support for evolutionary theories of Darwin but as a good reinforcement of inquiry skills about interpreting data: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/library/01/6/l_016_01.html

5. Evolution video by Bill Nye the Science Guy-it’s a two part video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svHQ4BQY__o&feature=related

6. A neat site about cricket natural selection using a comic: http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article/0_0_0/sneakermales_01

Independent Practice

Excerpt reading from Origin of Species with questions