Englewood Public School District Grade 7

Unit 5: Evidence of a Common Ancestry

Overview: In this unit of study, students analyze graphical displays and gather evidence from multiple sources in order to develop an understanding of how fossil records and anatomical similarities of the relationships among organisms and species describe biological evolution. Students search for patterns in the evidence to support their understanding of the fossil record and how those patterns show relationships between modern organisms and their common ancestors. The crosscutting concepts of cause and effect, patterns, and structure and function are called out as organizing concepts for these disciplinary core ideas. Students use the practices of analyzing graphical displays and gathering, reading, and communicating information. Students are also expected to use these practices to demonstrate understanding of the core ideas.

Time Frame: 20-25 Days

Enduring Understandings: • The fossil record documents the existence, diversity, extinction, and change of many life forms throughout the of life on Earth. • There are anatomical similarities and differences among modern organisms and between modern organisms and fossil organisms. • Similarities in embryological development across multiple species show relationships that are not evident in the fully formed organisms.

Essential Questions: • How do we know that birds and dinosaurs are related? • How do we know when an organism (fossil) was alive?

Standards Topics and Objectives Activities Materials/Resources Assessments (MS-LS4-1) Topics Students will complete the Text: Formative Assessments Analyze and interpret data text activities: Prentice Hall Science for patterns in the fossil The Fossil Record 1. Discover Activity (p148) Explorer: Cells and Journals record that document the How Can You Classify Heredity existence, diversity, Anatomical Similarities Species Learning/Response Logs extinction, and change of 2. Skills Activity (p150) Materials: life forms throughout the Embryological Drawing Conclusions For Discover Activity Discussions history of life on Earth Development 3. Lab (p154) Telltale (p148) How Can You under the assumption that Molecules Classify Species natural laws operate today Twenty-First 4. Discover Activity (p155) • 6-8 different pens Summative Assessments as in the . Themes and Skills include: What Can You Learn For Hands of Primates Lab Unit quizzes and test

• The Four C’s from Fossils? • Masking Tape Student responses to (MS-LS4-2) • Life and Career Skills • /Stopwatch Xenosmilus and Dating the Apply scientific ideas to • Information, Media, and Students attempt to Fossil Record activities construct an explanation for ITC Literacy reconstruct an organism Websites: will demonstrate the anatomical similarities based on fossil evidence in • Geologic understanding of patterns and differences among Objectives the Xenosmilus activity. in the fossil record. modern organisms and (MS-LS4-1, CRP8, CRP6) Videos: between modern and fossil Students will: Student will be answer • The The Mesozoic organisms to infer Use graphs, charts, and Students will analyze the quiz questions while Died evolutionary relationships. images to identify patterns relative ages of fossils by viewing The Day The

within the fossil record and completing Dating the Fossil • NOVA: Judgement Mesozoic Died. determine similarities and Record. Day: Intelligent Design on Trial: Human differences in findings. (CRP4, 9.2.8.B.3, RST.6- Student will complete a (MS-LS4-3) 8.7) Chromosome 2 quiz at the conclusion of Analyze displays of Make logical and the interactive website pictorial data to compare conceptual connections Students will interact with Enrichment Lesson Plans: Similarities and patterns of similarities in between evidence in the the by • See Examining the Differences. the embryological fossil record and visiting the website Geologic Fossil Record development across explanations about the Time. • See What did T. Rex Students will be graded on multiple species to identify existence, diversity, Taste Like? responses to Lab (p154) relationships not evident in extinction, and change in Students will take part in an Telltale Molecules and the the fully formed anatomy. many life forms throughout interactive video quiz, The Hands of Primates Lab. the history of life on Earth. Day The Mesozoic Died, Additional Resources: about the asteroid that caused Book: Benchmark Assessment Apply the patterns in gross the extinction of dinosaurs. Common People: The See Unit 4 for quarterly (RST.6-8.7) anatomical structures (MS-LS4-2) History of An English assessment Integrate quantitative or among modern organisms Family technical information and between modern Students will investigate by Alison Light Common Formative expressed in words in a text organisms and fossil homologies and analogies Assessment with a version of that organisms to construct with the interactive website Web: information expressed explanations of Similarities and Differences. https://wiki.kidzsearch.com/ Exact Path visually (e.g., in a evolutionary relationships. (8.2.8.A.5, WHST.6-8.2, wiki/Ancestor flowchart, diagram, model, 8.2.8.A.2, RST.6-8.7) Alternative Assessments graph, or table). Use diagrams or pictures to Students will use graphs, identify patterns and Student will complete the charts, and images to similarities in Hands of Primates Lab to identify patterns within the embryological development investigate anatomical fossil record. across multiple species. similarities. Graphic Organizers (MS-LS4-3) Students will analyze and Students will NOVA: Judgement Day: Intelligent interpret data within the Design on Trial: Human fossil record to determine Chromosome 2 to explore similarities and differences the concept of common in findings. ancestry. Venn Diagram, Graphic Organizers (8.2.8.A.5, 6.1.8.C.4.c) Students will apply Enrichment Activity: scientific ideas to construct Students will analyze explanations for characteristics of fossils as evolutionary relationships. they change over time by Writing, Reflection Examining the Fossil Journals Record.

Students will discover the Students will use diagrams relationship between or pictures to identify dinosaurs and birds in the patterns in embryological simulation What did T. Rex development across Taste Like? multiple species. (WHST.6-8.9) Graphic Organizers

Accommodations and Modifications:

Students with special needs: Support staff will be available to aid students related to IEP specifications. 504 accommodations will also be attended to by all instructional leaders. Physical expectations and modifications, alternative assessments, and scaffolding strategies will be used to support this learning. The use of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) will be considered for all students as teaching strategies are considered.

ELL/ESL students: Students will be supported according to the recommendations for “can do’s” as outlined by WIDA – https://wida.wisc.edu/teach/can-do/descriptors This particular unit has limited language barriers due to the physical nature of the curriculum.

Students at risk of school failure: Formative and summative data will be used to monitor student success at first signs of failure student work will be Reviewed to determine support. This may include parent consultation, basic skills review and differentiation strategies. With considerations to UDL, time may be a factor in overcoming developmental considerations. More time and will be made available with a certified instructor to aid students in reaching the standards. Gifted and Talented Students: Students excelling in mastery of standards will be challenged with complex, high level challenges related to the complexity In planning and carrying out investigations and analyzing and interpreting data.

English Language Learners Special Education At-Risk Gifted and Talented

● Teacher modeling ● Speak and display ● Using visual ● Students can create questions ● Peer modeling terminology demonstrations, that they still have and can study ● Provide ELL students with ● Utilize modifications & illustrations, and models outside of class multiple literacy strategies. accommodations ● Give directions/instructions ● Inquiry-based instruction ● Word walls delineated in the verbally and in simple ● Independent study ● Use peer readers student’s IEP written format. Oral ● Higher order thinking skills prompts can be given. ● Give page numbers to help ● Work with ● Adjusting the pace of lessons ● Peer Support the students find answers paraprofessional ● Increase one on one time ● Interest based content ● Provide a computer for ● Use multi-sensory ● Teachers may modify ● Real world scenarios written work teaching approaches. instructions by modeling ● Student Driven Instruction ● Provide two sets of ● Work with a partner what the student is expected ● Engage students with a textbooks, one for home ● Provide concrete to do variety of Science and and one for school examples ● Instructions may be printed Engineering practices to out in large print and hung provide students with multiple ● Provide visual aides ● Restructure lesson using up for the student to see entry points and multiple ways UDL principals ● Provide additional time to during the time of the to (http://www.cast.org/our complete a task lesson. demonstrate their -work/about- ● Use graphic organizers ● Review behavior understandings. udl.html#.VXmoXcfD_ expectations and make ● Use project-based science UA). adjustments for personal learning to connect science ● Provide students with or other behaviors as with observable phenomena. multiple choices for how needed. ● Structure the learning around they can represent their ● Structure lessons around explaining or solving a social or understandings (e.g. questions that are authentic, community-based issue. multisensory techniques- relate to students’ interests, ● Collaborate with after-school auditory/visual aids; social/family background programs or clubs to extend pictures, illustrations, and knowledge of their learning opportunities. graphs, charts, data community. tables, multimedia, ● Provide opportunities for modeling). students to connect with people of similar backgrounds (e.g. conversations via digital tool such as SKYPE, experts from the community helping with a project, journal articles, and biographies).

ELA-NJSLS/ELA: WHST.6-8.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content. (MS-LS4-2) WHST.6-8.9: Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. (MS-LS4-2) Career Ready Practices: CRP4: Communicate clearly and effectively and with reason. CRP6: Demonstrate creativity and innovation. CRP8: Utilize critical thinking to make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. Integration of Technology Standards NJSLS 8: 8.2.8.A.5: Describe how resources such as material, energy, information, time, tools, people, and capital contribute to a technological product or system. 8.2.8.A.2: Examine a system, consider how each part relates to other parts, and discuss a part to redesign to improve the system.

Social Studies: 6.1.8.C.4.c: Analyze how technological innovations affected the status and social class of different groups of people, and explain the outcomes that resulted. Integration of 21st Century Standards NJSLS 9: 9.2.8.B.3 Evaluate communication, collaboration, and leadership skills that can be developed through school, home, work, and extracurricular activities for use in a career. Science and Engineering Practices Disciplinary Core Ideas Crosscutting Concepts Analyzing and Interpreting Data LS4.A: Evidence of Common Ancestry and Patterns Diversity • Analyze displays of data to identify linear and • Patterns can be used to identify nonlinear relationships. (MS-LS4-3) • The collection of fossils and their placement in cause and effect relationships. (MS- chronological order (e.g., through the location LS4-2) • Analyze and interpret data to determine of the sedimentary layers in which they are similarities and differences in findings. (MS- • Graphs, charts, and images can be found or through radioactive dating) is known used to identify patterns in data. LS4-1) as the fossil record. It documents the existence, (MS-LS4-1),(MS-LS4-3) Constructing Explanations and Designing diversity, extinction, and change of many life Cause and Effect Solutions forms throughout the history of life on Earth. (MS-LS4-1) • Phenomena may have more than • Apply scientific ideas to construct an explanation one cause, and some cause and

for real-world phenomena, examples, or events. • Anatomical similarities and differences effect relationships in systems can (MS-LS4-2) between various organisms living today and only be described using probability. between them and organisms in the fossil (MS-LS4-4),(MS-LS4-5),(MS------record, enable the reconstruction of LS4-6) Connections to Nature of Science evolutionary history and the inference of lines of evolutionary descent. (MS-LS4-2) ------Scientific Knowledge is Based on Empirical ------Evidence • Comparison of the embryological development of different species also reveals similarities Scientific Knowledge Assumes an • Science knowledge is based upon logical and that show relationships not evident in the fully- Order and Consistency in Natural conceptual connections between evidence and formed anatomy. (MS-LS4-3) Systems explanations. (MS-LS4-1) • Science assumes that objects and events in natural systems occur in consistent patterns that are understandable through measurement and observation. (MS-LS4-1),(MS-LS4-2)