Final+Project+Take+2

=Evolution- What Does it Take for Species Survival? =

At the end of the lesson the students will be able to:

 * describe how organisms struggle to survive
 * give examples of organisms that overproduce
 * connect genetic variation to different organism's survival
 * make connections to the last unit of study- genetics
 * (maybe) mark up text using WORD annotation tools

Essential Questions: What are the advantages and disadvantages of different reproductive strategies? How does natural selection encourage diversity over time?

Connections to MA Biology Standards:
5. Evolution and Biodiversity 5.3 Explain how evolution through natural selection can result in changes in biodiversity through the increase or decrease of genetic diversity within a population

Connections to MA Technology Standards:
Standard 1. Demonstrate proficiency in the use of computers and applications, as well as an understanding of the concepts underlying hardware, software, and connectivity

(This lesson is planned for a long block period) ===__Background Information__:(This could be a closing activity to the prior day's lesson) === In previous lessons we have studied the four parts of Darwin's Theory of Evolution for natural selection to occur Do a Turn and Talk to your partner and give one example from your notes (class notes, DVD notes, or text notes) for each part of Darwin's Theory. As you share your information, add to your examples your partner's suggestions or feedback in a different color pen/pencil/marker. Be prepared to share and support your examples with the class. <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">(Below is the four parts of Darwin's Theory for reference)
 * 1) <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Living things overproduce= more offspring are produced in the hopes that some will survive to reproduce
 * 2) <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">There is a variation among species = genetic variety increases chances of survival
 * 3) <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">There is a struggle to survive = competition for resources
 * 4) <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Natural selection is ongoing = individuals that have traits that prevent them from surviving will produce less offspring

<span style="color: #ff8400; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Last Night's Homework
<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Mark up the text in a different color, taking notes, asking questions, adding annotations to important information of the following background essay from Teachers Domain. IF we have the laptops, we could do this as the prior day's lesson, on the laptops using the annotation feature in Word.

<span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Opener
<span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">The background essay for the Mating Game is posted on the ENO board. Taking turns, go up to the board and use the interactive pen to add one thing that you marked up the text on your article last night. Be prepared to support why you added the markings that you did. While your classmates are adding their comments to the text continue to make revisions to your document using another font color or style.

<span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Class Activity
PBS Mating Game

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Mating Game from PBS <span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">You will take turns in the various roles for this game. Some of you will play the organism that is looking for a mate and others will play the contestants or the host. The GOAL of the game to to listen to each contestant descriptions to determine which organism is the best mate. Be prepared for "game pauses" where you will explain your "role" -if your are the organism looking for a mate, you will need to explain WHY you chose the contestant that you did AND why you did NOT choose the other two contestants. This activity is an interactive game that will be played on the ENO board using the ENO PEN and microphones. Depending on time, you may have a chance to play more than one role. IF you are not the announcer or one of the coentestants, you will make your selection (on paper, taking notes) of the best mate based on the answers the contestants are giving to the questions and identify why the other contestants are not the best mate.

** Wrap Up :**
<span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Posted on the ENO board (or on my Wiki for next year) are the following discussion questions. Turn to a **DIFFERENT** partner than you already worked with today and choose one question to answer together as your **joint <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">TICKET to LEAVE** Make sure you put both names on your ticket. Answer the two questions that you did not answer together on your own <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">**for homework.** ==<span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Discussion Questions <span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">(which will be posted on the ENO board or hopefully next year on my class wiki): ==
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">What are the similarities and differences in the reproductive strategies used by organisms in this interactive feature? <span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Give specific examples of the different reproductive methods from the game.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Why do you think some organisms produce many offspring that require very little parental care, while other organisms produce very few offspring but devote huge amounts of time and resources to them? <span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Back up your response with examples from the dating game.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">What are the advantages and disadvantages of asexual reproduction? <span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">(you may need to go back to Chapter 7-mitosis and meiosis to help you) Give examples of organisms from the dating game that reproduce sexually and examples of organisms that reproduce asexually.

__<span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Follow Up Assignment __
====<span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">From the notes you took during the game, or the statments you made if you were the organism looking for the date, give a detailed overview as to why two organisms that even if they lived in the same habitat and were very similar would not be the perfect mates for each other. Then, describe why, due to reproduction strategies/needs two organisms were the perfect mate for each other. Connect your explainations to Darwin's theory. ====

Resuorces Teachers Domain [|Teachers Domain Evolution] PBS/NOVA Website[| PBS NOVA]