Your name: Leila Ponsford

Discipline: Science and Technology

Level: Cycle 1 (Level 1)

Title of the LES: Adapting to Life on Earth

Guiding Question: How have living things adapted to survive on earth?
Educational Intention: To develop a scientific understanding of the complexity of life on earth and the mechanisms that has allowed life to develop and prosper in all regions throughout the world.
BAL, Focus of Development, Issue[s]: Environmental Awareness and Consumer rights and responsibilities.
- Awareness of his/her environment:
- Construction of a viable environment based on sustainable development

SubjectSpecificCompetency:Competency
Key Feature, Manifestation
Puts scientific or technological issues in context
#2Makes the most of his/her
knowledge of science and

Identifies aspects of the context (e.g. social, environmental, historical)

technology

Makes connections between these aspects

Identifies any ethical questions related to the issue

Foresees long-term consequences

Evaluation Criteria (Framework for the Evaluation of Learning)

Formulation of appropriate questions

Appropriate use of scientific and technological concepts, laws, models, and theories

Relevant explanations or solutions

Suitable justification of explanations, solutions, decisions or opinions

Program content (pacing guide with reference to the progression of learning)

Describes certain characteristics that are common to all living things (nutrition, relationships, adaptation, reproduction)

Describes the stages of evolution of living organisms

Explains the natural selection process (survival of the fittest)

Names the characteristics that define a habitat

Describes the habitat of certain species

Names that characteristics that define an ecological niche

Describes the ecological niche of certain species

Names the characteristics that define a species

Calculations the number of individuals of a species in a population in a given territory

Describes physical adaptations that enable living organisms to improve their chances of survival

Describes behavioral adaptations that enable living organisms to improve their chances of survival

Complex Task [concise description]: Students will select one of the endangered animals that we have encountered throughout the unit for a research project. The research project will be completed in grou
or 3 and will involve researching, displaying and presenting an overview of the selected animal using the content we have explored this unit. For example, students will be asked to describe the habitat,
ecological niche, position on the food chain, physical and behavioral adaptations, taxonomy etc. The research will have a focus on spreading awareness of animal extinction, destruction of habitat and ani
conservation. Students will compile their research into a booklet and then begin to display the information in the form of a model, poster, power point, and video, Claymation etc. Students will then presen
material orally to the class.
Materials: Poster board, devices connection to the internet, supplies for model building.

Overview of Daily Lesson Plans

Note: Although the activities have been designed in a particular fashion, they can easily be altered and modified to meet the diverse needs of individual students within a classr

Lesson
#1- Characteristics of
living things

#2- Species

Overview

Learning
Intentions

Success Criteria

Content Targeted

Evaluation

-Think pair share comparing a rock and a plant and a

tree.
- Video showing characteristics using movie clips
-Notes
- Creation of a comic strip with characteristics as
separate boxes

-To define what

makes
something living

- Students are able

to explain the 6
characteristics of
living things using
examples

- Describes certain
characteristics that are
common to all living
things (nutrition,
relationships,
adaptation,
reproduction)

- Students will be evaluated on

their understanding and
creativity in expressing their
ideas from their comic strip

- Students will investigate whether or not two

organisms are the same species using the
characteristics of species.
- Students will investigate case studies of hybrid

- To determine
whether or not
two organisms
are the same

- I can determine if
two organisms are
the same species by
investigating

- Describes the habitat

of certain species

- Students will be evaluated

informally as the teacher
walks around the class
listening to discussions.

Tool

- Checklist (1
each for crea
accuracy, v
appeal and la

- Anecdotal r

animals ( wolphins, zorses, mules etc. using a

checklist
#3- Evolution and
Natural Selection

#4- Habitat

#5 Ecological Niche

- Display a picture of the first organism and then a

picture of all the organisms known to man and ask the
students how did we go from this to this?
- Watch COSMOS episode 2 and ask students to fill in
the hand out
-Review key terminology and walk through examples
of natural selection
- Finish with a picture of a giraffe with a long neck and
ask students to describe what happened to the person
beside them.
Think/Pair/ Share what do animals need to
survive in their habitat
Notes
Abiotic and biotic factor quiz using arm
signals
Habitat folder activity with graphic
organizer.
Wrap up discussion of habitats

#6- Food Chains

#7- Adaptations

Display a photo of populations sharing a

habitat and ask students if they are all
looking for the same basic thing, why is
there not competition (food, shelter, water)
Notes on ecological niche
Human job comparison
Students will read through a text on a
specific bird and then will fill in a graphic
organizer,
Students will pair up with another student
who has a similar bird and will compare
using a Venn diagram
Discussion questions (can two species share
the same ecological niche?)
Exit card- what is the difference between a
habitat and an ecological niche.
Students will review terms and record
definitions
Students will complete a cut and paste
activity in which they must create 4 food
chains and using cards provided and label
the producers, consumers and
decomposers
Students will explore the reality of the
complexity of the food web and explore
what would happen if one element were
removed from a food web.
Students will watch a video and record the
beavers physical and behavioral
adaptations
Students will explore different adaptations
for movement, communication diet etc.
Ask students to think about humans
habitat, and how can we be adapted to
each habitat.
Students will then complete an activity
matching human inventions to the animal

species using
the
characteristics
of species
- To explain how
all organisms
evolved from
one simple
organism billions
of years ago
using the theory
of evolution

whether they have

natural reproduction
resulting in viable
fertile offspring.
- Students are able
to use the theory of
natural selection to
explain how changes
occur in species over
generations

- Describes the stages

of evolution of living
organisms
- Explains the natural
selection process
(survival of the fittest)

-Students will be evaluated

formatively as the teacher
circulates in the final
discussion

- To discover
what biotic and
abiotic factors
organisms need
to be able to
survive in a
habitat
- To investigate
the geography,
climate flora and
fauna of various
habitats
- To define an
ecological niche
as an organisms
habitat, diet and
daily rhythms

- Students will define

a habitat based on
its geography,
climate, flora and
fauna.

- Names the
characteristics that
define a habitat
- Describes the habitat
of certain species

- Students will hand in their

habitat graphic organizer for
formative assessment.

- Comments

- Students will be
able to describe an
ecological niche and
differentiate
between an
ecological niche and
a habitat.

- Names that
characteristics that
define an ecological
niche
- Describes the
ecological niche of
certain species

-Students will be evaluated

based on their post- activity
discussion questions

- anecdotal rec

-To build a food

chain to show
the flow of
energy through
an ecosystem.

- Students will be
able to identify
producers,
composers and
decomposers and
then be able to put
them in the correct
order.

- Names that
characteristics that
define an ecological
niche

- Students will be evaluated on

their food chain that was
created.

-rubric

- To investigate
organisms
adaptations for
climate,
movement,
communication
and diet.

- Students will be
able to provide an
example for each
type of adaptation
-Students will be
able to match
human inventions to
animal adaptations.

- Describes behavioral
adaptations that
enable living
organisms to improve
their chances of
survival
- Describes physical
adaptations that
enable living
organisms to improve

- Students will be evaluated

based on their completion of
the human invention
adaptation assignment

Homework che

- Checklist
attendance s

adaptations that inspired them.

their chances of
survival