Performance Objective: Given visual, written, and oral prompts and assessment questions involving real organisms and adaptations, students will correctly label at least eight of 10 given adaptations as structural or behavioral and correctly explain how these adaptations help the organisms survive in their environments.
Content: Smart Parts journal prompt: “Make a t-chart with "Smart Parts (structural adaptations)" on the left and "How this helps the organism survive" on the right. Fill the chart with at least 2 different structural adaptations and explanations.”
Smart Moves journal prompt: “Make a t-chart with "Smart Moves (behavioral adaptations)" on the left and "How this helps the organism survive" on the right. Fill the chart with at least 2 different behavioral adaptations and explanations.”
Peppered Moths
From the links below, click and read through all of the sections in order.
As you are reading the above sections, complete the first half of the "Peppered Moths" assignment page.
Then, click Play Game and play at least once in the "Light Forest" and at least once in the "Dark Forest".
At the end of each game, record your data on the "Peppered Moths" assignment page.
Complete the entire "Peppered Moths" assignment page.
How Animals Do That
Watch the "How Animals Do That" movie (~50 minutes, on DVD only). Run 1st 10 minutes of the movie one day and the rest the next.
During the movie, as instructed by your teacher, do one of the following three things.
Complete the "How Animals Do That" assignment sheet.
Make a table in your journal like the "How Animals Do That" assignment sheet and fill it in.
Point out structural adaptations (smart parts) and behavioral adaptations (smart moves) that are shown in the movie.
Extension if time: Make a table per the teacher's instructions in your journal. Read "The World's Strangest Animals" and fill in the table.
The Auctioneer
Watch and/or sing: Who's the fastest talker in the world? Well, that's the auctioneer. (For teacher reference: see video of lesson here.)
An adaptation auction is fun, and it highlights how adaptations are crucial to species success.
Brainstorm a list (~20 is good) of animal adaptations such as scales, gills, fur, nocturnal/night vision, carnivore, wings, lays eggs, etc.
Student table groups of 2-4 decide on a treasurer, who's in charge of their bank account, an auction bidder, and someone who's keeping track of what adaptations they've won and are going for (this goes to auction bidder if only 2 people).
The goal of the auction is for each team to "buy" adaptations to build a creature.
Each group starts with $1000 and has to bid in increments of $50.
The way the auction is run is the facilitator (usually the teacher) gives time for the teams to look at the whole list and pick the adaptations they'll want and discuss their financial strategy.
Then we go through starting at the top and auction each adaptation off.
Only the bidder is allowed to raise their hand; but whoever bids is held to it. The highest bidder wins that adaptation. Make sure you don't bid money you don't have.
At the end of the game, teams do the following on a piece of paper or a whiteboard:
Draw the organism and its environment,
Describe the animal's adaptations, and
Name the organism.
Follow-Through Activities: Following the auction, partner teams up and 'battle' their animals by asking "who would survive better in a ______ecosystem" and discuss.
Debrief Questions (answer on the piece of paper with the organism):
What adaptations do humans have and how are those crucial for survival?
How quickly do you think animals in the real world evolve their adaptations?
How might climate change affect adaptations?
How does genetics play a role in adaptation development?
Lesson Plan Summary: The lesson includes an introduction to adaptations as a noun, an informational reading or movie, an online adaptations simulation with associated worksheet, an engaging review of strange animal adaptations, an adaptation auction simulation, and a summary of adaptation as a noun being the result of adaptation as a verb. The lesson involves behaviorist (correct definitions at the start and the option for the textbook reading with correct answers), cognitivist (the option for the movie with students choosing adaptations to focus on, the online simulation that students run, and the strange animals book activity building on prior knowledge), and constructivist (the creativity of coming up with adaptations and building organisms in the adaptation auction) techniques.