LS1+(5-6)+-+1


 * **Students demonstrate understanding of biodiversity by…**

1a recognizing that organisms have different features and __behaviors for meeting their needs to survive__ (e.g., fish have gills for respiration, mammals have lungs, bears hibernate).

What do these GSEs mean? What subtopics do students need to address to understand these GSEs?
Prior knowledge that students should be familiar with before understanding this GSE:
 * Characteristics of living things- made up of cells, obtain and use energy, grow and develop, reproduce, respond and adapt to their environment- understand that organisms must continually change to meet these needs in the environment they live in.
 * Could happen over generations, or within the same generation (understanding of evolution, natural selection)
 * What does an organism need in order to survive?
 * Water, shelter, food
 * Reproduction of species needed for survival of species
 * Distingush and provide evidence between living and nonliving things
 * Should be able to group animals and plants together based on similar features


 * Definition of biodiversity- variability of life forms in a given area


 * Adaptations- definition (adjustment of a trait that helps an organism survive in its environment)

What ideas to students need to understand before they can address the topics described above?
Adaptations Organisms' needs for survival

What misconceptions are students likely to have about these topics?
An organism is given the traits it needs for survival. Natural selection does not produce perfection. Natural selected is sometimes viewed as a random process, which is not true. Genetic variants that are more likely to aid an organism’s survival are selected for more often. Transmitted characteristics are acquired during the life time of the animal. Students believe animals consciously plan their reproductive strategies.

What phenomena and representations help students understand these topics?
Observations of organisms in their natural environments

What activities or activity sequences can be used to address these GSEs?
Inquiry activities: Bird beaks- match the beak with the type of food the bird might eat Observation of organisms, such as crickets, to discover which adaptations help in their reproductive process Body coverings, animal defenses, bird feet, bones and feathers activity with play-doh. Change the environmental conditions and have students create adaptations to help their play-doh animal.

How can students show that they understand this GSE?
Six Facets of Understanding: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">1. Explanation- based on data, experiments, observations. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: 0in;">After an inquiry activity such as the bird’s beak investigation, students can write an explanation of how organisms have special features for survival based on the observations and conclusions they made about the bird beaks.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">2. Interpretation- the means by which scientists make sense of data, making connections. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: 0in;">Before an explanation piece- students interpret reasons why certain birds’ beaks are shaped the way they are. Also can be used with the crickets- students observe to see which how physical characteristics on a cricket contribute to its survival in their terrarium ecosystem.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">3. Application- using knowledge to solve new problems <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: 0in;">- Do not give the answer. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: 0in;">- Present a related, but challenging task to explain <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: 0in;">- Point towards use of prior knowledge <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: 0in;">- Hints to provide a scaffold <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: 0in;">Playdoh activity- students change features on their playdoh animal as the environmental conditions change.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">4. Perspective- recognizing that multiple interpretations are possible, not jumping to conclusions and consider all alternatives, **knowing the importance of an idea-** teachers should design their lessons so that students come away knowing the importance <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: 0in;">- “Valuing the discipline is required for knowing and understanding the discipline” <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: 0in;">Why is it important that organisms have these special features? So they can survive.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">5. Empathy- Four levels: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in;">1. Struggle to validate the ideas and theories that they’re learning <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in;">2. Understand and appreciate the ways that science has changed people’s ways of thinking over time about the natural world. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in;">3. Teachers need to grasp how and why students are thinking as they do <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in;">4. Open- mindedly embrace ideas that seem strange <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">6. Self-knowledge- examination of one’s own ideas and reasoning in order to advance them