Biology- Lesson Plan

Evolution
David Nunley
10 Grade/Biology
th

Common Core Standards:

Mechanisms
Natural selection
Mutation
Genetic drift
Gene flow (immigration, emigration)
Sexual selection
History of life on Earth
Diversity of Life
Speciation and biological classification based on molecular evidence
Variation of organisms within a species due to population genetics and gene
frequency
Lesson Summary:
The lesson of evolution will talk about a variety of things, mostly the common core standards. The students
will gradually build a sense of what evolution means and they will see examples of how evolution works over
time. They will learn the fundamental ideals of natural selection, gene flow, the diversity of life, and how it
can be see today.
Estimated Duration:
This lesson will take about 6 days to complete. Each day the topic in the classroom will address two of the
common core teaching topics. Each class period is fifty minutes long.
Commentary: How I will get my students hooked on the each topic for the day is at the beginning of each
topic there will be a fun video to get them interested in what we will be talking about for the day. The biggest
challenge I will face is getting them to stay on topic. So as I am talking to them, each time I bring up a new
point, I think it would be a good idea to give them another video so they stay alert.

Instructional Procedures:

Day 1:
For 10 minutes- I will introduce a video to the students so they can get interested in the topic of the
mechanisms evolution, and learn the basics of what it is all about.
Next 20 min- I will lecture to them what evolution is and we will learn key concepts and key words that go
along with the common core.
Last 20 min- they will get into small groups and discuss how each key term is related to each other, and they
will stand and give examples of evolution.
Day 2:
First 10 minutes- Another video introduction. This one is mainly focused on natural selection and mutations.
Next 5 minutes- the class will write down and share what they learned/key points of the video.
Next 20 minutes- class lecture on natural selection and genetic mutation.
Last 15 minutes- Students will have time to research famous cases of mutation and natural selection, and come
to class prepared to share what they found. (Using Technology)
Day 3:
First 10 minutes- Students will share what they found in their homework of famous mutation and natural
selection cases.
Next 10 minutes- Introduction video to genetic drift and gene flow (immigration, emigration).
Next 15 minutes- Lecture on gene flow and genetic drift.
Last 15 minutes- In class I will find a game online ( http://www.biomanbio.com/ ) that has to do with
evolution, and we can tie in the topic of genetic drift and gene flow as we play as a class.
Day 4:
First 10 minutes- introduction video on the history of life on earth and sexual selection of mates.
Next 15 minutes- Lecture on the history of life on Earth.
Next 15 minutes- lecture on the sexual selection of mates and how that is important to the evolutionary
process.
Last 10 minutes- A basketball game to learn about the lectures from the day:
A hoop is set up.
The students line up to attempt a shot
If they miss, they have to answer a question from that days lecture
If they make it, they can go to the back of the line.

Day 5:
First 5 minutes- video introduction on diversity of life
Next 5 minutes- Video introduction on Speciation and biological classification based on molecular evidence
Next 5 minutes- small introduction on cells and the molecular structure.
Next 10 minutes- lecture on the different types of organisms and how they are related.
Next 10 minutes- Lecture on classification of species based on molecular evidence (classification into 6
kingdoms)
Last 15 minutes- Classification game:
Students will write a species on a piece of paper
Ball the paper up, and everyone at once will throw their paper in the air
The students will get up and pick up a different piece of paper
They will place the paper into kingdom

Day 6:
First 10 minutes- video on, Variation of organisms within a species due to population genetics and gene
frequency.
Next 10 minutes- Lecture on why migration and natural selection can have an impact on the population of a
species in an area.
Next 30 minutes will be reviewing everything that we learned about in the past six day about evolution. This
time will be used for lecturing doing a worksheet, and have small group discussions on all the common core
standards.

Pre-Assessment:
What I will do for a pre assessment is I would have a small discussion, asking the students what they know
about evolution. Then I think it would be a good idea to give them a quiz on what they know, and evaluate
each student individually.
Scoring Guidelines:
The scoring criteria for the pre-assessment will not be hard at all. All I want to do is gauge what they
know and remember from previous years. The quiz will have two parts, a multiple choice section, and
a written portion. It wont be for a grade.
Throughout the lesson, I think it is a good idea to give the students pop quizzes to assess if the material is

getting through to them.

Post-Assessment:
What I would like to do for my post assessment is have the students use Prezi to research a certain common
core standard to teach the class (ex. Natural selection)
Scoring Guidelines:
Scoring will be based on:
How well the project is put together. Is it neat and organized?
Did all the students put in effort to get the project completed?
Did they fully explain the topic?
How does there topic relate to others?

Differentiated Instructional Support

Describe how instruction can be differentiated (changed or altered) to meet the needs of gifted or accelerated
students:
Giving students the chance to do extra credit, the students who want to go above and beyond will likely do it.
(The students who would want to the assignment would need to read ahead). The students would be given a
paper assignment to explain Give a specific example of how we can see evolution today, and how it relates to
all of the topics discussed in class.
Discuss additional activities you could do to meet the needs of students who might be struggling with the
material:
I think its good to directly go up to the students who may have scored less on the pop quizzes and tell them
what they could do to get more help. Either, stay after class, after school help, ask more questions in class.

Extension
http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article/evo_01
This website is very good for students. It briefly, but accurately explains each vocab term. It also uses
pictures, for the students who like to learn visually.

Homework Options and Home Connections

There would minimal homework for the students. If I gave them homework, I would ask them to find websites
online that would be appropriate to the topic and that we could share with the rest of the class.

Interdisciplinary Connection
The common core of evolution can tie in very well with the other common core of heredity. Heredity address
such topics such as mutation and genetic mechanisms and inheritance. These tie in well because the good traits
that the species inherits makes them more adapt to the environment which leads to the evolution of that
species.

Materials and Resources:

For teachers

Access to a computer
Access to a textbook

For students

They need access to a computer at home

Key Vocabulary
darwin, lamark populations, species, ancestral species, speciation, diversity of life, population traits, natural
selection, adaptation, natural selection, phenotypes, genetic variability, reproduce, morphological comparisons,
eubacteria, protista, fungi, plantae, animalia, kingdom, phylum class, family, order, species, molecular
evidence