Corgi Natural Selection and Adaptation
Overview
In this unit, students will explore how natural selection and adaptation affect biological evolution and diversity. They will understand how natural selection leads to predominance of certain traits, characteristics of natural and artificial selection, and the impacts of environmental changes on the distribution of traits in a species.
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Unit & Lesson Plans
Natural Selection and Adaptation
Subject: Science
Grade level: Middle School
Guides: Question Exploration, Comparison, Cause & Effect
Standards: NGSS, Common Core - ELA
Introduction
Thank you for your interest in Unit & Lesson Plans for the Corgi application!
The units and lessons that follow are intended to be used in conjunction with Corgi, a free, digital tool developed with the principles of Universal Design for Learning.
Each unit is aligned to national and/or state standards such as the Next Generation Science Standards or the Common Core Standards.
Each lesson utilizes the 5E Instructional Model to guide implementation.
Table of Contents
What is included in this Unit?
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Suggestions
Lesson 1: Natural Selection and Adaptation
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Suggestions
Lesson 2: Natural Selection & Artificial Selection
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Suggestions
Lesson 3: Distribution of Traits in a Species
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Suggestions
Unit Plan
Unit Synopsis
In this 3-lesson unit, students will explore how natural selection and adaptation affect biological evolution and diversity. They will understand how natural selection leads to predominance of certain traits, characteristics of natural and artificial selection, and the impacts of environmental changes on the distribution of traits in a species.
Learning Goal
Students will understand biological evolution and diversity and how natural selection leads to the predominance of certain traits in a population and suppression of others. They will also understand that natural and artificial selection both describe the process for selecting genetic traits, and that over generations environmental changes affect the distribution of traits in a species.
Main Ideas
- Natural selection is a key mechanism of biological evolution and diversity, where certain traits are dominant and others are suppressed.
- Natural and artificial selection both describe the process for selection of genetic traits, but are different in how and why genetics are selected.
- Over generations, adaptation through natural selection leads to changes in the distribution of traits in a species.
Standards
Next Generation Science Standards:
MS-LS4. Students who demonstrate understanding can construct an explanation based on evidence that describes how genetic variations of traits in a population increase some individuals’ probability of surviving and reproducing in a specific environment, gather and synthesize information about technologies that have changed the way humans influence the inheritance of desired traits in organisms, and use mathematical representations to support explanations of how natural selection may lead to increases and decreases of specific traits in populations over time.
Disciplinary Core Ideas:
Natural selection leads to the predominance of certain traits in a population, and the suppression of others. (MS-LS4-4)
In artificial selection, humans have the capacity to influence certain characteristics of organisms by selective breeding. One can choose desired parental traits determined by genes, which are then passed onto offspring. (MS-LS4-5)
Adaptation by natural selection acting over generations is one important process by which species change over time in response to changes in environmental conditions. Traits that support successful survival and reproduction in the new environment become more common; those that do not become less common. Thus, the distribution of traits in a population changes. (MS-LS4-6)
Common Core State Standards:
ELA/Literacy - SL.8.5. Integrate multimedia and visual displays into presentations to clarify information, strengthen claims and evidence, and add interest.
What is included in this Unit?
Several key pieces are included to help you build your own unit or support a unit you have already created.
Each lesson in this unit contains:
- Essential question for students
- Key Terms
- Resources
- Lesson narrative that follows the 5E model of science instruction
- Corgi guide
- Universal Design for Learning (UDL) suggestions
This unit includes a step by step scaffolding that follows the 5E model of science instruction. Please note that we do our best to maintain correct links to resources and materials. If a specific link is no longer working, please don't hesitate to contact us at corgi@cast.org.
Lesson Plans
| Lesson 1 | Natural Selection and Adaptation | Question Exploration Guide |
| Lesson 2 | Natural Selection & Artificial Selection | Comparison Guide |
| Lesson 3 | Distribution of Traits in a Species | Cause & Effect Guide |
Methods of Assessment
Option A: Use your district’s current curriculum and suggested assessment designed to consider learner variability.
Option B: Select self-assessments, peer assessments, writing assignments, exams, etc., that allow students to reflect on their learning and demonstrate their understanding.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Suggestions
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework for teaching and learning that guides the design of inclusive, accessible, and challenging learning environments. The framework is grounded in three principles:
CAST’s UDL Guidelines were developed to support practitioners to apply these three principles to practice.
While this unit was not explicitly designed through a UDL lens, UDL can be used as a tool to reduce existing barriers and increase access to the unit learning goal as well as to individual lesson goals. Below is an overview of how UDL might be applied to this unit. We’ll also offer more specific ideas for applying UDL at the end of each of the lessons associated with this unit.
Anticipate Potential Barriers
The UDL framework can support educators to reframe their understanding of barriers: from locating barriers within individual students to locating barriers within the design of the learning environment. Here we brainstorm potential barriers that learners may encounter in the design of the unit. Please note that these are just examples to get you thinking about the potential barriers in your own unique context.
Are there barriers to engagement? (connection to students’ lives, location, grouping, noise level, etc.)
The design of the unit/lessons may need to do more to spark students’ curiosity based on their unique interests, goals, and contexts. The design may need to better emphasize why the topics are meaningful and important to explore. The design may also need to more fully support students to make connections to their own lives, communities, and questions they care about.
Are there barriers to the representation of content? (oral, written, etc.)
These lessons consist of multimedia presentations with text, graphics, videos, and infographics. Some videos may need captions, or some captions don’t turn on automatically. The videos may also need a written transcript so students can follow along for key ideas, vocabulary, and note-taking. Further, the content shares mathematical and scientific notation and complex mathematical relationships that may also act as barriers to students engaging with the ideas. Finally, several of the lessons contain non-interactive PDFs that do not allow students to highlight or make comments.
Are there barriers to action and expression? (writing, speaking, planning, etc.)
While the Corgi guides embed multiple options for students to share their ideas (text, images, and speech-to-text), it is important to anticipate barriers to students being able to express their ideas in other associated activities.
Address Learner Variability
Here we brainstorm ways to address the potential barriers described above. Again, please note these approaches to reducing barriers and increasing access to the learning goals are just examples to get you thinking. We know every context is unique.
How will you address barriers to engagement?
The Engagement Guidelines prompt us to consider the following questions when addressing barriers to engagement:
- Are there options for choice, relevancy, and minimizing distractions?
- Are there options for sustaining effort and persistence?
- Are there options for supporting and developing self-regulation and self-assessment?
Barriers to learners’ engagement and multiple pathways to engage students will be addressed through the supplementary resources, survey questions, and videos throughout each lesson.
With regard to the anticipated barriers around supporting students to find meaning and relevance, consider creating spaces for students to make connections to their own lives, their communities, and issues that they care about. For example, students could explore the school yard to find examples of natural selection or adaptation.
We encourage you to collaborate with your students and co-design ways to address other barriers to engagement that may emerge throughout this unit.
How will you address barriers to representation?
The Representation Guidelines prompt us to consider the following questions when addressing barriers to representation:
- Are there options for audio/visual/display of info?
- Are there options to access language, math, and symbols?
- Are there options to build background knowledge, construct meaning, and generate new understandings?
The supplementary resources and videos have been constructed to offer multiple ways of representing information as well as the mixed media within each lesson/activity.
With regard to captions that don’t turn on automatically, support students to learn how to use and turn on/off the closed caption option. Also, transcripts of the videos should be made available for students.
With regard to the anticipated barriers around the lack of captions and transcripts, consider transcribing tools like Otter.ai, rev, and Express Scribe. Further, free screen readers such as TextHelp Read & Write, ChromeVox, or NVDA can assist students with online articles. Finally, to reduce the barriers associated with non-interactive PDFs, consider free PDF tools such as Bit.ai and Jotform.
We encourage you to collaborate with your students and co-design ways to address other barriers to representation that may emerge throughout this unit.
How will you address barriers to action and expression?
The Action and Expression Guidelines prompt us to consider the following questions when addressing barriers to acting on ideas and communicating:
- Are there options for physical action?
- Are there options for multiple communication tools?
- Are there options for varying levels of support?
- Are there options for goal setting, strategy development, and self-monitoring?
The Action and Expression Guidelines can offer ideas for embedding varied ways for learners to communicate ideas, share understandings, and work toward goals in the associated activities throughout this unit.
With regard to the anticipated barriers around physical action and physical space, consider encouraging learners to find learning spaces that work best for them (e.g. a quiet space, a space with natural lighting, etc.) and spaces that offer room to move or stand.
We encourage you to collaborate with your students and co-design ways to address other barriers to action and expression that may emerge throughout this unit.
Review the following link for a complete interactive overview of the UDL Guidelines.
Lesson 1: Natural Selection and Adaptation
Essential Question
How does natural selection impact biodiversity on Earth?
Key Terms
Predominance
Suppression
Biodiversity
Genetic Variations
Resources
Video: What is Natural Selection?
Website: ‘Defender: Natural Selection’ https://www.nationalgeographic.org/interactive/defender-natural-selection/
Video: Competition and Natural Selection | Evolution | Biology | FuseSchool
Handouts: A Population of Butterflies Going through Natural Selection
Sample Corgi Guide: Question Exploration - Natural Selection and Adaptation (To be able to view the guide you must be logged in to Corgi)
Lesson Narrative
Engage:
The instructor shares the agenda, learning goal, and assessment criteria with the class.
The instructor shares a link to a blank Corgi Question Exploration Guide to each student via email or Google Classroom.
The class reviews the Question Exploration Guide steps together.
The instructor introduces the essential question and key terms to the class and directs each student to complete Steps 1 and 2 in their guides.
The instructor invites students to share their background knowledge and facilitates a whole-class discussion using the prompts:
- What do you know about natural selection?
- What do you know about biodiversity?
- How does survival and reproduction impact natural selection?
- How does time and adaptation affect natural selection?
The instructor shares the video What is Natural Selection?with the class.
The instructor divides the class into groups of 3 to 4 students. In small groups, the students complete Step 3 of the guide by applying their understanding from the video.
Explore:
Option A: Use your district’s current curriculum and suggested activities designed to consider learner variability.
Option B: Use supplemental articles, online simulations or experiments, jigsaw routines, visual thinking routines, etc., to explore.
The instructor invites students to interact with ‘Defender: Natural Selection,’ helping students to build their own understanding through common experiences and build vocabulary for whole group discussion.
The instructor reconvenes the class to recap the exploration and invites students to share their findings.
Explain:
To develop an understanding of how natural selection leads to the predominance of certain traits in a population and suppression of others, the instructor shows the video Competition and Natural Selection | Evolution | Biology | FuseSchool and posts the following inquiries for students to independently explore:
- Explain the three basic principles of natural selection.
- What is the inevitable outcome of natural selection?
To further enhance students’ understanding, ask students to review the handout, A Population of Butterflies Going through Natural Selection, and direct them to either independently or in small groups of 2 to 3 complete the Corgi Guide, ‘Question Exploration’ with their new understanding.
Elaborate:
Use the Corgi presentation feature to create a slide deck and have learners present their thinking to reinforce new understanding.
Evaluate:
Option A: Use your district’s current curriculum and suggested assessment designed to consider learner variability.
Option B: Select self-assessments, peer assessments, writing assignments, exams, etc., that allow students to reflect on their learning and demonstrate their understanding.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Suggestions
Below is an overview of anticipated potential barriers and learner variability design questions for this lesson specifically.
- Students could have trouble accessing the ‘Defender: Natural Selection’ activity, either due to technology barriers or screen navigation tools. A similar or alternative activity should be considered.
- The lesson makes use of video. Students should be made aware of how to use and turn on/off the closed caption option. Also, transcripts of the videos should be made available for students.
- The infographic A Population of Butterflies Going through Natural Selection is listed as a .png file and its content does not respond to screen readers. As an alternative, convert the infographic into a powerpoint slide with selectable text. For reference, review the steps found in this presentation from California State University Northridge.
Lesson 2: Natural Selection & Artificial Selection
Essential Question
Why might natural selection and artificial selection impact the environment in different ways?
Key Terms
Offspring
Organism
Breed
Selective breeding
Genetic modification
Resources
Video: Science Today: From Wild Wolves to Man's Best Friend | California Academy of Sciences
Website: ‘Elaborate: Comparing Natural Selection and Selective Breeding’ https://www.texasgateway.org/resource/natural-selection-and-selective-breeding
Video: Why are there so many types of apples? - Theresa Doud
Handouts: Process of Selection of Traits
Sample Corgi Guide: Comparison - Natural Selection & Artificial Selection (To be able to view the guide you must be logged in to Corgi)
Lesson Narrative
Engage:
The instructor shares the agenda, learning goal, and assessment criteria with the class.
The instructor shares a link to a blank Corgi Comparison Guide with each student via email or Google Classroom.
The class reviews the Comparison Guide steps together.
The instructor introduces the essential question and key terms to the class and directs each student to complete Steps 1 and 2 in their guides.
The instructor invites students to share their background knowledge and facilitates a whole-class discussion using the prompts:
- What do you know about offspring?
- What do you know about artificial selection?
The instructor shares the video Science Today: From Wild Wolves to Man's Best Friend | California Academy of Scienceswith the class.
The instructor divides the class into groups of 3 to 4 students. In small groups, the students complete Steps 3 and 4 of the guide by applying their understanding from the videos.
Explore:
Option A: Use your district’s current curriculum and suggested activities designed to consider learner variability.
Option B: Use supplemental articles, online simulations or experiments, jigsaw routines, visual thinking routines, etc., to explore.
The instructor invites students to interact with ‘Elaborate: Comparing Natural Selection and Selective Breeding,’ helping students to build their own understanding through common experiences and build vocabulary for whole group discussion.
Explain:
To develop an understanding of the relationship between natural selection and artificial selection, the instructor directs each student to watch the video Why are there so many types of apples? - Theresa Doud and posts the following inquiries for students to independently explore:
- Why are there so many types of apples?
- How does natural selection and artificial selection play a role in the types of apples?
To further enhance students’ understanding, the teacher directs the students to review Process of Selection of Traits to understand the process of trait selection, cementing vocabulary and redirecting misconceptions. The teacher directs students, either independently or in small groups of 2 to 3, to complete the Corgi Guide, ‘Comparison’ with their new understandings.
Elaborate:
Use the Corgi presentation feature to create a slide deck and ask learners to present their thinking.
Evaluate:
Option A: Use your district’s current curriculum and suggested assessment designed to consider learner variability.
Option B: Select self-assessments, peer assessments, writing assignments, exams, etc., that allow students to reflect on their learning and demonstrate their understanding.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Suggestions
Below is an overview of anticipated potential barriers and learner variability design questions for this lesson specifically.
- Students could have trouble accessing the ‘Elaborate: Comparing Natural Selection and Selective Breeding’ activity, either due to technology barriers or screen navigation tools. A similar or alternative activity should be considered.
- The lesson makes use of video. Students should be made aware of how to use and turn on/off the closed caption option. Also, transcripts of the videos should be made available for students.
- The infographic Process of Selection of Traits is listed as a .png file and its content does not respond to screen readers. As an alternative, convert the infographic into a powerpoint slide with selectable text. For reference, review the steps found in this presentation from California State University Northridge.
Lesson 3: Distribution of Traits in a Species
Essential Question
How does the environment influence populations of organisms over multiple generations?
Key Terms
Industrial Revolution
Adaptation
Resources
Video: INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION | Educational Video for Kids.
Video: Air pollution in a historical perspective
Video: Story Time: A Very Special Moth
Handout: Environmental Changes Affect Distribution of Traits of Peppered Moth
Handout: Peppered Moth Simulation
Website: Peppered Moths | Natural Selection Game
Sample Corgi Guide: Cause & Effect - Distribution of Traits in a Species (To be able to view the guide you must be logged in to Corgi)
Lesson Narrative
Engage:
The instructor shares the agenda, learning goal, and assessment criteria with the class.
The instructor shares a link to a blank Corgi Cause & Effect Guide with each student via email or Google Classroom.
The class reviews the Cause & Effect Guide steps together.
The instructor introduces the essential question and key terms to the class and directs each student to complete Steps 1 and 2 in their guides.
The instructor invites students to share their background knowledge and facilitates a whole-class discussion using the prompts:
- What do you know about the effects of environmental changes on distribution of traits in a species?
- How can environmental changes affect certain populations over time?
The instructor shares the video INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION | Educational Video for Kids. for a brief history of the industrial revolution and workers’ rights, or shares the videoAir pollution in a historical perspective for a brief history of pollution with the class.
The instructor divides the class into groups of 3 to 4 students. In small groups, the students discuss their understandings from the video.
Explain:
To develop an understanding of how environmental changes caused by the Industrial Revolution affect the Peppered Moth population, the instructor shows the video Story Time: A Very Special Moth.
The instructor directs each student to review the handout, ‘Environmental Changes Affect the Peppered Moth,’ and posts the following inquiries for students to explore:
- Why did the white Peppered Moth decrease in number during the Industrial Revolution?
- Why did the white Peppered Moth increase in number during the Clean Air Act of 1956?
The teacher directs them to either independently or in small groups of 2 to 3 to complete the Corgi Guide, ‘Cause & Effect’ with their new understandings.
Elaborate:
Use the Corgi presentation feature to create a slide deck and direct learners ro present their thinking.
Evaluate:
Option A: Use your district’s current curriculum and suggested assessment designed to consider learner variability.
Option B: Select self-assessments, peer assessments, writing assignments, exams, etc., that allow students to reflect on their learning and demonstrate their understanding.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Suggestions
Below is an overview of anticipated potential barriers and learner variability design questions for this lesson specifically.
- The lesson makes use of video. Students should be made aware of how to use and turn on/off the closed caption option. Also, transcripts of the videos should be made available for students.
- The infographic ‘Environmental Changes Affect the Peppered Moth’ is listed as a .png file and its content does not respond to screen readers. As an alternative, convert the infographic into a powerpoint slide with selectable text. For reference, review the steps found in this presentation from California State University Northridge.
- As an alternative or extension to learning, students can use the Peppered Moth Simulation activity: Peppered Moth Simulation and Peppered Moths | Natural Selection Game to make connections and identify the relationships between environmental impacts and adaptations.