Title Strategies and Pressures

(DAY FOUR)
Purpose/Rationale Students recognize that adaptations may occur in populations
of organisms over a period of time and can describe the
impact of reproductive strategies and rates in a populations
survival. They can also predict the impact of environmental
pressures on populations.
Community Resources Classwork will be differentiated by class level (i.e. honors vs.
and meeting needs general) and discussed with Cooperating Teacher and Special
students Education teachers/aides.

Students in General Biology will work in groups of 3-6

students and 1 teacher (either myself, my CT, or a Special
Education teacher) to keep the students on track, help clear up
any questions or misunderstanding about new concepts, and
give tailored help to each student. Many of these students
have a reading level that is much lower than their grade level
and working in these smaller groups gives the students more
time to read and gain comprehension from the assignments.
There are also students with IEPs in this classincluding
students with learning disabilities, students with ADHD, and
English Language Learners. All accommodations are given
and the small groups allows for more individualized attention.

Students in the Honor Biology class are quicker to complete

assignments, freeing up time to either go more in depth into
the curriculum or bring in new ideas and concepts. The
Honors students are less likely to have questions for the
teacher, but when there is any misunderstanding, it is easy for
the students to find helpeither from myself or a classmate.
Some assignments will be modified to include more analysis
about key concepts from the curriculum.
Virginia Science SOLs BIO. 1 The student will demonstrate an understanding of
scientific reasoning, logic, and the nature of science by
planning and conducting investigations in which
e) conclusions are formed based on recorded quantitative and
qualitative
i) appropriate technology including computers is used for
gathering and analyzing data, communicating results,
modeling concepts, and simulating experimental conditions

BIO. 7 The student will investigate and understand how

populations change through time. Key concepts include
b) how genetic variation, reproductive strategies, and
environmental pressures impact the survival of populations;
 c) how natural selection leads to adaptations.
INTASC/NSTA Standard 5: Application of Content
Students are able to take concepts from this lesson and apply
them to the environmental factors that surround them.
Materials Laptop, pencil, activity sheets, colored pencils
Safety and Class Students will be reminded that they must stay on appropriate
Management Issues internet sites needed for each activity. If need, students may
take a few minutes to get up and move about the classroom
(especially those that have trouble staying on one topic).
Procedures for Teaching (include time frame)
Engage Students will come into the classroom and write down the
Define problem activity sheets/notes that will be accomplished that day in
(10 minutes) their Table of Contents (which they picked up at the back of
Day 4 the room). They need to write the number (i.e. 1F, 2F), title,
date given, and date due on the Table of Contents for each
new entry. They MUST keep up-to-date as it will be a grade.
The teacher will have this up on the Smartboard when the
students come in so they can accomplish this quickly and
have a warm-up on Google Classroom that will serve as the
Engage portion of Day 4.
The warm-up today is a comparison of the Woolly Mammoth
and modern Elephants.
- Students will be asked to predict how modern
elephants and woolly mammoths are related and what
could have cause the changes/evolution of the animal.
Explore Environmental Changes
Planning, Modeling, - Students will read the story about an animal that lived
Testing 25,000 years ago in a wet, warm, swampy
(20 minutes) environment. Then, 25,000 years later, the original
Day 4 animal has evolved. Students will choose one factor
they want to change about the environment
(temperature, amount of moisture, etc.) and then draw
their new animal with the adaptations they think the
animal would need to be successful. The students will
then write a paragraph about the change seen in the
environment and the adaptations the organism had to
bring about.
- Teacher will have the activity sheet ready for the
students and make sure that they decide to change
only one factor. The teacher needs to make sure that
the students understand that this would happen over
several generationsnot within one animal.
- Adaptation
- Survival of the fittest
- Evolution
- Variation
Explain Selection Pressures Virtual Lab
Explanations of - Students will need their laptops and a pencil to
Concepts complete the activity sheet. They are expected to stay
(30 minutes) on the appropriate website. They may work with a
Day 4 partner if needed.
- The teacher will be walking around the classroom,
making sure that all students are understanding the
basics and working through the lab efficiently.
Elaborate Mutations Virtual Lab
Reflect and Redesign - Students will need their laptops and a pencil to
(30 minutes) complete the activity sheet. They are expected to stay
Day 4 on the appropriate website. They may work with a
partner if needed.
- The teacher will be walking around the classroom,
making sure that all students are understanding the
concepts and working through the lab efficiently.
Evaluate
Formative Throughout the activities, the teacher will be walking around
the classroom assessing the understanding of the students (i.e.
asking more in depth questions, answering or clearing up
questions from students, bring up older concepts to solidify
understanding from students).

Environmental Changes activity sheet will be taken up for

completion so that I can see how students thought the
environment influenced animals before learning about it.
Summative The virtual labs will be taken up and graded for completion
and correctness. Students will be able to take these home if
they are not completed during class.
Activity Sheet Environmental Changes
Selection Pressures
Mutations Virtual Lab