Unit

Title: Polar Bear Evolution and Climate Change

Content Area: Biology

Digital Unit Plan Template

Name: Paola Gonzalez
Grade Level: 9-10

CA Content Standard(s)/Common Core Standard(s):

Next Generation Science Standards
HS-LS4-1 Communicate scientific information that common ancestry and biological evolution are supported by multiple lines of
empirical evidence.
HS-LS4-2 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.
HS-LS4-3 Apply concepts of statistics and probability to support explanations that organisms with an advantageous heritable trait tend
to increase in proportion to organisms lacking the trait.
HS-LS4-4 Construct an explanation based on evidence for how natural selection leads to adaptation of populations.
HS-LS4-5 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.
Big Ideas/Unit Goals:
Big Ideas
All organisms are related through common ancestors.
Evolution by the process of natural selection is depended on environmental conditions.
A change in environmental conditions may result in a new species, a loss of a species, or a change in a species.
Unit Goals
Students will gather all the necessary information and context surrounding a problem in order to predict a possible future consequence.
Students will develop individual questions, interests, and knowledge on the topic of climate changes effect on polar bears.
Unit Summary:
In this unit, you will learn about the theory of evolution as you answer the driving question about polar bears and climate change. You
will start by asking questions about how climate change is affecting polar bear populations. In answering these questions, you will
identify polar bear adaptations and study how polar bears came to be so highly adapted to their environment. You will study the
various lines of evidence that support the theory of evolution of polar bears. You will discover the environment's role in natural

selection and what the changing environment today could mean for the future of polar bears. As you develop this understanding, you
will create a narrative describing the polar bear's situation and proposing an answer to the driving question: What will happen to polar
bears as climate change continues?
Assessment Plan:
Entry-Level:
Formative:
Summative:
Survey of student prior
Webercise on basic polar bear characteristics and
Narrative answering the driving question
understanding
background
and citing information gathered throughout
Discussions of climate changes effect on polar bears, polar the unit
bears prior evolution, and possible future evolution
Exam on the main content and big ideas
Concept Map of lines of evidence for evolution
Lecture Notes on speciation
Peer Edit of narrative drafts
Lesson 1
Student Learning
Acceptable Evidence
Lesson Activities:
Objective:
(Assessments):
Students use laptops to access different websites listed on their webercise
Students will describe Using provided
worksheet. As they read the various pages and articles, students answer the
polar bear adaptations websites, students will questions or prompts on their worksheet as a way to record their thoughts and
and characteristics and complete a webercise main ideas from the readings. The readings cover the concepts of adaptations and
ask questions about
to gather information the role of environmental factors in evolution through the lens of polar bears.
how polar bears
on polar bears.
Students then participate in a discussion, led by the teacher, on the essential
evolved.
Students will
information learned about polar bears and climate change. Students begin to
brainstorm their
wonder about how polar bears evolved and the effect climate change is having on
narrative that
their populations. Lastly, students use the information gathered and discussed to
describes the affect
brainstorm their narratives and begin a draft.
climate change is
having on polar bears.
Lesson 2
Student Learning
Acceptable Evidence:
Lesson Activities:
Objective:
Students will create a
Students access a set of resources provided to collect information that they
Students will
concept map
organize in a concept map creating on Mindomo, an online mind mapping website.
summarize and
describing 5 lines of
The resources range from the student textbook, a video, and online articles but all

organize information
from multiple sources
on the various lines of
evidence for evolution.

Lesson 3
Student Learning
Objective:
Students will explain
how changes in the
environment and
differences between
individuals can cause
the appearance of a
new species.

evidence and providing

two examples.
Students will write a
draft of their
narratives.

provide information on five lines of evidence for evolution: comparative anatomy,

embryology, and biochemistry, the fossil record, and geographic distribution.
Students look at the five lines of evidence in general with various species examples
and also focus on polar bear examples for each line of evidence. Students will have
another discussion on this new information learned about the prior evolution of
polar bears and will have an opportunity to add this information to their narrative
drafts.

Acceptable Evidence:
Students will fill-in
guided notes on
speciation with their
own descriptions and
thoughts. Students will
peer edit a narrative
draft.

Lesson Activities:
Students will listen and participate in a teacher lecture while taking guided notes.
These notes begin with a recap of information students should already know as they
test their knowledge in naming polar bear adaptations and guessing which principle
of natural selection is presented. Next, the definitions of speciation and species are
presented and all the isolating mechanisms for speciation to occur. Then, a review is
held were students again test their knowledge with examples of the isolating
mechanisms and a video recapping how they could take place on an island. The
lecture leads into a last discussion on what the future of polar bear evolution could
look like as polar bear and brown bear hybrids are discovered. Students make
predictions on the future of polar bears and add this information to their narrative
drafts. Then, students will peer edit a partners draft using the final rubric as a guide
to provide feedback and suggestions. Taking this feedback, they will complete their
final narratives to turn in for assessment.

Unit Resources:
Digital Unit Plan Site: http://evolutionwithmsg.weebly.com/
Entry-Level Survey: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/13I1sDZ-NuifSA0u12Cy_AdoeTu8p_8eN4RFBb-4UnGc/viewform
Webercise:
o Worksheet: https://www.scribd.com/doc/316110210/Untitled?secret_password=sCLozYXabxOtBFmKaq9f
o http://goo.gl/gkG7Fh
o http://goo.gl/PLnbs4
o http://goo.gl/jp6Be8
o http://goo.gl/v5luKe

o http://goo.gl/nLpOvd
o http://goo.gl/jQUJMT
o http://goo.gl/8EY9RS
o http://goo.gl/2c8rj6
o http://goo.gl/PQkmwN
Concept Map:
o Example: https://www.mindomo.com/mindmap/map_7021db7bbea84e8083b2921dc9bffe5d
o Rubric: https://www.scribd.com/doc/316561153/Untitled?secret_password=bkrFlkOyuXzXOHhFMVOD
o https://www.mindomo.com/
o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIEoO5KdPvg
o http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/news/100401_polarbears
o http://www.nsrl.ttu.edu/about/Outreach/Exhibits/Bear%20Exhibit.pdf
o https://beautifullybony.wordpress.com/bone-of-the-month/the-polar-bear/the-skull-biomechanics-of-the-polar-bear/
Guided Notes:
o Lecture: https://prezi.com/qnmcftcibytv/speciation/
o Notes: https://www.scribd.com/doc/315951006/Untitled?secret_password=0Zn0Ypd0PyV6ithFLJag
o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lE-RKRNSG_c
o http://science.jrank.org/pages/1470/Chromosomal-Abnormalities.html
o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yvEDqrc3XE
Narrative Rubric: http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=ShowRubric&module=Rubistar&rubric_id=2632993&
Useful Websites:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpfAZaVhx3k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpUuJC_jcDE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCeHQfCjgJM
http://www.polarbearsinternational.org/about-polar-bears
http://www.polarbear-world.com/
https://polarbearscience.com/category/evolution/
http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/
http://www.nwf.org/Wildlife/Threats-to-Wildlife/Global-Warming/Effects-on-Wildlife-and-Habitat/Polar-Bears.aspx
https://www.khanacademy.org/science/biology/her