SINGLE SUBJECT CREDENTIAL PROGRAM

SCIENCE LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE Revised 4.15

For directions on how to complete this form, see EDSC Lesson Plan Directions and Scoring Guide in the SSCP Handbook at www.sscphandbook.org.

Name CWID Subject Area

Gorgeous Gryffindors Awesome Biology
Class Title Lesson Title Unit Title Grade Levels Total Minutes
From Bacteria to Animals: How
The Living Earth Population Change 9 165
Mutations Affect other Organisms
STANDARDS AND LESSON OBJECTIVES
Next Generation Science Standards Common Core State Standard Connections
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 WHST.11-12.9 - Draw evidence from informational texts to support
individuals in a species due to mutation and sexual reproduction, (3) analysis, reflection, and research. (HS-LS4-2)
competition for limited resources, and (4) the proliferation of those
organisms that are better able to survive and reproduce in the
environment.
Lesson Objective(s) Evidence
Students will construct a claim, evidence, and reasoning statement that
Argumentation Session presentations + Posters with drawings, labels,
evolution primarily results from the heritable genetic variation of
and explanations(visual aid for presentations)
individuals in a species due to mutation and sexual reproduction.
STUDENT ASSESSMENT (Phil)
Purpose/Focus of
Type Implementation Feedback Strategy How Informs Teaching
Assessment
The teacher will have the
students conduct a
This informs Teaching primarily
think/pair/share concerning By listening to student
by allowing the Teacher to
how the students think responses, the Teacher can
gauge students current
The purpose of an Entry organisms evolve. The teacher respond to correct answers
knowledge of the topic, as well
Level Assessment is to will ask the students to be as positively, reaffirming their
as unearth any misconceptions
unearth any student specific as possible and include prior knowledge. In response
that need to be addressed. This
misconceptions and gauge as many details as they can. to misconceptions, the
Entry Level gives the teacher a gauge of
students current The students will the Teacher can address the errors
where students are currently at
understanding of the participate in a class discussion and provide correct
in regard to the topic at hand.
concepts taught during this about evolution and the knowledge to guide the class
This allows the Teacher to focus
unit. mechanisms that drive it. This towards a consensus. Students
on particular parts of the lesson
is when the teacher checks for also receive peer feedback in
and get through others more
understanding and provides small group discussion.
efficiently.
feedback to the students.

Feedback for the progress

The purpose of a
formative/progress
monitoring assessment is to
ensure students are
continuously engaged in the
Formative/ lesson. This assists the
Progress teachers in evaluating if
Monitoring students are comprehending
the content or not. This also
allows the Teacher to
interact with students and
assist them with the task at
hand.
The purpose of the
Summative summative assessment is to
giving the teacher a
This assessment will be
implemented continuously
during their research day, in
which the teacher will go
around and assess how the
groups posters/research are
going. The Teacher will be
checking to see if the groups
are DRAWING, LABELING,
COLORING, and EXPLAINING
their research onto the
posters, that way they have a
visual display to utilize during
their summative assessment
explained below.
Argumentation session. This is
an oral debate between two
teams. Students do not argue
monitoring is instantaneous,
with the Teacher addressing
Both formative/progress
misconceptions and gaps in
monitoring assessments
learning immediately during
provide the Teacher immediate,
their research activity. By
continuous feedback on how
allowing students to
the students of that period are
ask/answer questions, both
doing, as in which concepts they
the Teacher and students
are struggling with. This allows
receive feedback. Their
the Teacher to instantly adapt
ongoing work on the posters
the lesson for not only the next
will provide Teacher feedback
day, but for the next period as
on how the students of that
well.
period are doing, as in which
concepts they are struggling
with.
The teacher will give both This summative assessment
written and verbal feedback to informs teaching by giving the
students on their teacher a comprehensive
 comprehensive insight to against one another, but argumentative sessions, by insight to whether or not
whether or not students present their claim, evidence, noting things that are well students have been able to
have been able to meet the and reasoning orally. Then, the done/need improvement to meet the lesson objectives. The
lesson objectives. The other team is responsible for ensure the students are argumentative session at the
argumentative session will asking challenging questions. understanding the objective of conclusion of the lesson will
allow the Teacher to see if their research/argumentative allow the Teacher to see if
students were able to apply session. students were able to apply
concepts they have learned concepts they have learned to
to complete the task at complete the task at hand. This
hand. allows the teacher to adjust the
lesson for the next period.
FOCUS OF INSTRUCTION
Instructional Strategies
Small group work, argumentation session, research groups, negotiating expository text.
Lesson Introduction/Anticipatory Set (Kelsey)
Time Teacher Does Student Does
The teacher will ask the students to think back to the bacteria
videos they saw of bacterial cultures evolving before their
eyes. The teacher will have students do a think/pair/ share on
The students will participate in a think/pair/share on how they
how they think organisms evolve. The teacher will ask the
think organisms evolve. They will be as specific as possible and
students to be as detailed as possible. The teacher will then
provide as many details as they can regarding the mechanisms for
lead a short discussion on the mechanisms for evolution.
evolution. The students will then participate in a class discussion
about the mechanisms for evolution.
The teacher will then introduce the rugosodon and tell the
The students will get into their new lab groups.
students that it is an ancestor of modern mammals. The
teacher will tell the students that the rugosodon evolved just
like the bacteria did that the students had looked at in previous
lessons.
The students will actively listen to the teacher introduce the
rugosodon and connect the rugosodon evolution to their previous
The teacher will show the class a cladogram and explain
learning on bacteria.
transitional organisms and where new species begin in
evolutionary timelines. Each student will receive their own
mammal cladogram on the back of their sketchnotes to refer
to. The teacher will encourage students to annotate and color
The students will refer to their cladogram and annotate and color
the cladogram as needed for understanding.
as they need for understanding.
The teacher will hand out new sketch notes to students to go
1 Day
over the pertinent information regarding the 4 mechanisms of
(55min)
evolution. Students have learned some background on this
The students will annotate and color their sketchnotes as they
already, but these notes will go into the depth that will be
listen and participate in a discussion surrounding the mechanisms
necessary to complete the upcoming project.
of evolution and how it relates to the rugosodon.
The teacher will break the students into 8 teams of 5 students.

The teacher will then explain the project that the students will
Students will break into their new lab groups.
be conducting in the following days. The students will be
looking at the rugosodon which is an extinct and early
mammal. Each group will randomly select a mutation for the
rugosodon to develop and an environmental change that the
The students will actively listen to the teacher explain the
animal has to endure. The groups will then use their
upcoming assignment and ask any questions they might have
knowledge of natural selection, competition, and reproduction
about the project.
to decide whether their rugosodon survives, evolves and
eventually becomes a new species of rodent or dies out
through the process of natural selection.
The students will divide roles and discuss their project for the
Any remaining time in class the teacher will allocate to the
following day.
students to divide roles and set up their projects for the
following day.

Lesson Body (Phil)

Time Teacher Does Student Does
Research Day Research Day
1 day
After students have been broken up into 8 teams of 5 students, After students have been broken up into 8 teams of 5 students,
(55 min)
they will be assigned to one of the 8 stations around the room. they will be assigned to one of the 8 stations around the room.
Each station will have a large poster paper, 3 Chromebooks to
conduct research, a basket of color pencils/markers/rulers, etc.
The Teacher will give instructions that students are to Draw,
Label, and Write Explanations onto their poster. On the top of
the poster, the Teacher will tell students to write their
Designated Trait/Mutation, and the environmental change
they were assigned on the previous day. For example, if Group
1 pulled the trait Wings out of the Mutation Hat, and also
pulled Flood out of the Environmental Change Hat, their
Poster would be titled Advantage of Wings during a Flood,
and they would use this as the basis of their poster research.
The Teacher will reiterate that these assigned
traits/environmental changes they received were completely
random, since they cant choose what mutation to get, nor
can they control the weather.
The Teacher will then have students use their chromebook to
do research on their topic Why is our Mutation an
Advantage/Disadvantage in this drastic Environmental
Change?
The Teacher will then project onto board various website
articles with information to assist them in their research
Changes due to Mutation:
Wings:
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/vertebrates/flight/evolve.html
Sweat Glands:
https://helix.northwestern.edu/article/evolving-skin
Body Fat:
https://www.nature.com/articles/0800473.pdf?origin=publicat
ion_detail
Nocturnalism:
https://biology.stackexchange.com/questions/324/why-did-
the-process-of-sleep-evolve-in-many-animals-what-is-its-
evolutionary-ad
Environmental Changes:
Cold Weather:
http://www.businessinsider.com/animals-able-survive-
extreme-cold-2016-4
https://voices.nationalgeographic.org/2014/07/30/animals-
science-extreme-temperatures-frozen-alaska-wood-frog/
Heat Waves:
http://people.com/celebrity/hottest-bodies-animals-that-can-
withstand-extreme-heat/
https://voices.nationalgeographic.org/2014/07/30/animals-
science-extreme-temperatures-frozen-alaska-wood-frog/
Flooding:
https://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/blogs/how-
wild-animals-are-coping-hurricane-harvey-flooding
Humidity:
https://sciencing.com/life-survive-humid-subtropical-climate-
8660303.html
The Teacher will go around and provide support to students
research and rationales, for example asking guiding question
such as, Okay, you got the mutation of high amounts of body
fat, so what advantage/disadvantage will that have when the
temperatures drop due to freezing cold weather? Or, you got
the mutation of sweat glands and the environmental change of
heat waves, how does sweating help your organism
survive/not survive in the heat? Use the articles I provided on
the board to assist in your research. The Teacher will make
ensure students are on task and that they are writing down all
Each station will have a large poster paper, 3 Chromebooks to
conduct research, a basket of color pencils/markers/rulers, etc.
The students will listen to the instructions given by the teacher.
Students are to Draw, Label, and Write Explanations onto their
poster. On the top of the poster, the students will write their
Designated Trait/Mutation, and the environmental change they
were assigned on the previous day. For example, if Group 1 pulled
the trait Wings out of the Mutation Hat, and also pulled Flood
out of the Environmental Change Hat, their Poster would be titled
Advantage of Wings during a Flood, and they would use this as
the basis of their poster research. The students will listen as the
Teacher reiterates that these assigned traits/environmental
changes they received were completely random, since they cant
choose what mutation to get, nor can they control the
weather.
The Students will use their chromebook to do research on their
topic Why is our Mutation an Advantage/Disadvantage in this
drastic Environmental Change?
The Students will use these various research articles/websites to
collect data/research to add onto their poster.
Changes due to Mutation:
Wings:
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/vertebrates/flight/evolve.html
Sweat Glands:
https://helix.northwestern.edu/article/evolving-skin
Body Fat:
https://www.nature.com/articles/0800473.pdf?origin=publicatio
n_detail
Nocturnalism:
https://biology.stackexchange.com/questions/324/why-did-the-
process-of-sleep-evolve-in-many-animals-what-is-its-
evolutionary-ad
Environmental Changes:
Cold Weather:
http://www.businessinsider.com/animals-able-survive-extreme-
cold-2016-4
https://voices.nationalgeographic.org/2014/07/30/animals-
science-extreme-temperatures-frozen-alaska-wood-frog/
Heat Waves:
http://people.com/celebrity/hottest-bodies-animals-that-can-
withstand-extreme-heat/
https://voices.nationalgeographic.org/2014/07/30/animals-
science-extreme-temperatures-frozen-alaska-wood-frog/
Flooding:
https://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/blogs/how-wild-
animals-are-coping-hurricane-harvey-flooding
Humidity:
https://sciencing.com/life-survive-humid-subtropical-climate-
8660303.html
The students may ask the teacher for support and assistance,
such as, Okay, you got the mutation of high amounts of body fat,
so what advantage/disadvantage will that have when the
temperatures drop due to freezing cold weather? Or, you got the
mutation of sweat glands and the environmental change of heat
waves, how does sweating help your organism survive/not survive
in the heat? Use the articles I provided on the board to assist in
your research. Students will remain on task in writing down all
their explanations/research/information on their poster, as well
as labeling and drawing models as well.
 their explanations/research/information on their poster, as
well as labeling and drawing models as well.

Lesson Closure (Daniel)

Time Teacher Does Student Does
Argumentation Session

Teacher distributes grading rubric (one per team) for all

students to see and consider before and while speaking. Points
given for use of unit concepts (listed on rubric), for
participation, and for cogency of answers, challenge questions,
and answers to challenge questions. Teacher allows students
to review their notes from the day before and the rubric for 5-
10 minutes.

Teacher assigns student teams to lab tables, each team on one

side or the other so that teams are facing one another. The
teacher instructs students to present their oral argument,
citing claim, evidence, reasoning, and considerations of Students receive rubric from teacher.
counterpoints, to answer the following question: Will your
species survive in your changed environment, given this new Students review notes and rubric in teams.
adaptation? Why or why not?
When instructed, students go to lab tables.
Teacher instructs students on the listening team that, while the
first team is speaking, they are responsible for writing one Students present argument to answer question Will your species
challenge question. After the team has finished, they are survive in your changed environment, given this new adaptation?
55
responsible for asking that question, and the speaking team Why or why not?. Other team listens, and records challenge
must answer. question. Once first team is done speaking, second team asks
challenge questions and first team responds.
Then roles are reversed for round two.
When instructed, students reverse roles and complete round two.
Teacher monitors four teams at two tables. Co-teacher
monitors the four other teams at two tables. When instructed, students return to seats and participate in small
group discussion about oral vs. written argumentation.
Teacher and co-teacher monitor time, instruct students when
to transition into Q&A, then next round.

Teacher and co-teacher grade students on oral performance.

Record on clipboard.

5 minutes before the bell, teacher asks students to return to

seats. Teacher instructs students to talk with table groups to
answer the following question, Is it easier or harder to make
arguments orally or in writing? Why?

Teacher monitors student conversation, and may choose to

allow them to go on or to convert to a class discussion.
Instructional Materials, Equipment, and Multimedia
poster materials, chromebooks, handouts, powerpoint slides, clipboards, fancy top hat
Co-Teaching Strategies
One teach, one assist; parallel teaching

DIFFERENTIATION (PHIL)
English Learners
ELL students and are all allowed
to speak directly to the Teacher
using
Spanish/Chinese/Vietnamese,
however we only answer them in
English. The ELL students also
have preferential seating, allowing
them to sit next to a mentor
student who will serve as a
translator.
Striving Readers Students with Special Needs Advanced Students
There is a significant amount of
For our students that have been
Students who are striving readers advanced and gifted students in
identified with an IEP plan, they
will be encouraged to highlight our periods, and their learning will
will be given accommodations
key concepts in the be enhanced by having them
based on the plan notes. This
reading/notes/poster, etc. and be engage in higher level thinking
includes preferential seating at
asked guided questions to questions. For example, when the
the front of the room, extended
strengthen their connection of teacher asks the ELL students level
time to turn in assignments, and
scientific vocabulary and word 1 questions, they are simply
alternative arrangements for test
meaning. yes/no or identify the word type
taking.
questions. For the advanced
 students however, my master
Teacher has taught me to engage
them in higher level questions
such as explain why this or
what makes you believe that
etc. These students learning will
be fostered and encouraged just
as much as the other focus
students in this course.
REFLECTION: SUMMARY, RATIONALE, AND IMPLEMENTATION