LS3+(9-11)+-+8

Students demonstrate an understanding of Natural Selection/ evolution by…**
 * GSE adopted by Ashley Borden

8a illustrating __that when an environment changes, the survival advantage /disadvantage of some characteristics may change.__

8b __distinguish between microevolution (on small scale within a single population –e.g., change in gene frequency within a population) and macroevolution (on a scale that transcends boundaries of a single species – e.g., diversity of all beetle species within the order of insects) and explain how macroevolution accounts for speciation and extinction.__

8c recognizing __patterns in molecular and fossil evidence, to provide a scientific explanation for Natural Selection and its evolutionary consequences__ (e.g. survival, adaptation).


 * Students demonstrate an understanding of classification of organisms by …**

8d using data or models (charts, diagrams, table, narratives etc.) to __analyze__ how organisms are organized into a hierarchy of groups and subgroups based on __evolutionary relationships. (e.g. creating__ a taxonomic key to organize a given set of examples).

What do these GSEs mean? What subtopics do students need to address to understand these GSEs?
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 * Evolution is a change in species over time
 * The theory of evolution is a scientific theory
 * Species change over time is a Fact and is observable in the lab and natural world
 * Evolution occurs at the species level while natural selection occurs at the organism level
 * Populations evolves, not individuals
 * Charles Darwin was not the first to discover Evolution (Wallace, Lamarck, Maltheus contributed to the ideas)
 * Charles Darwin's observations in the Galapagos & in the lab using artificial selection led to the his ideas on Natural Selection
 * Darwin's phrase "Descent with modification" refers to the idea that all species come from a shared common ancestor
 * When a population is in a genetic equilibrium, evolution does not occur. It occurs when it is disrupted
 * Natural Selection is not the same as evolution
 * An Adaptation is any variation that helps an organism survive within an environment (includes Mimicry & Camouflage)
 * Natural Selection relies on genetic variations, heredity, competition and survival/reproduction
 * The Hardy-Weinberg Equation measures how much Natural Selection is occuring within a population
 * There are three types of Natural Selection: Stabilizing Selection, Directional Selection, Disruptive Selection
 * Natural Selection, Mutations, Genetic Drift, Gene Flow are four mechanisms of Evolution
 * New Species form by mutation, genetic drift, gene flow, geographic and reproductive isolation
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">There are different rates of speciation including Gradulism or Punctuated Equilibrium
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">There are 3 specific patterns of evolution: Divergent (homology) or Convergent (Analogy) and Co-evolution
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">There are 5 major forms of evidence that supports evolution: Fossil Records, Embryology, Comparative Anatomy, Biochemistry, Adaptations
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Cladograms help scientists map out how closely related two or more species are and if they share a distant, common ancestor
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Microevolution occurs within single populations (Genetic Variation, etc) and Macroevolution occurs at or above the species level

What ideas to students need to understand before they can address the topics described above?

 * Genetics, Mutuations, Process of Meiosis, How mututations occur
 * Differientation between individual, species, and a population
 * History of Life

What misconceptions are students likely to have about these topics?

 * Evolution denies the existance of God (Who created this world)
 * Evolution is a process of the past and it is not ongoing
 * Evolution can occur during in the lifetime of one organism
 * Evolution provides input on the origin of life opposed to the origin of species
 * Evolution occurs at the the individual level
 * The term "Survival of the Fittest" defines evolution or natural selection
 * Natural Selection is the same exact thing as evolution
 * Structures we see in animals are all adaptive or perfectly adapted (Some things are simply there for structure and not purpose)
 * When an organism evolves, the thing/organism it evolves from dies or is no longer relevant
 * Evolution does not necessarily produce new species
 * The theory of evolution was created by Charles Darwin
 * Linneaus Binominal Nomenclature classifies organisms by evolutionary events (It does not but is rather hierarchial)
 * Once a species goes extinct, they do not come back
 * Genetics was discovered by Mendel before Darwin published "Origin of Species"
 * Evolution has never been observed
 * Evolution is only theory and there is no evidence that supports it
 * There are no intermediate/transitional fossils
 * Evolution occurred "by chance"
 * Natural Selection allow organisms to survive only

//Berthelsen, B. (1999). Students Naïve Conceptions in Life Science. MSTA Journal, 44(1) (Spring’99), pp. 13-19. http://www.msta-mich.org//
 * //Evolution from Sources//**
 * Students have difficulty relating an individuals adaptation to environment with changes in species phenotypes over long period of time due to selection.
 * Students believe that transmitted characteristics are acquired during the life time of the animal.
 * Individuals can adapt to a changing environment. These adaptations are heritable.

What phenomena and representations help students understand these topics?

 * **Representations of Key Concepts**
 * [|Darwin's Finches & adaptive radiation]
 * [|Disruptive Selection Model]
 * [|Directional Selection Model]
 * [|Stabilizing Selection Model]
 * [|Geological Time Scale]
 * [|Burgess of Shale Fossil]
 * [|Comparative Embryology]
 * [|Evolution of Mickey Mouse]
 * [|Hominoid Skull Comparison]
 * [|Homologous Structures]
 * **__Interactive Websites & Simulations__**
 * [|Becoming Humans]
 * -[|Exploring Learning]
 * __**Literature**__
 * //Icons of Evolution// by Jonathan Wells
 * //Beak of the Finch// by Jonathan Weiner
 * //A Wonderful LIfe// by Stephen J. Gould
 * //The Origins of Species// by Charles Darwin
 * //Your Inner Fish// by Neil Shubin
 * **__Videos__**
 * //[|Evolution of Dance]//
 * //[|How Evolution Happens]//
 * //[|Homer Evolution]//
 * [|Series of Short Videos Brought to you by PBS]
 * [|//From Big Bang to Humans//]

What activities or activity sequences can be used to address these GSEs?
//__(Links to useful websites to come....)__//
 * Hominoid Skull Comparison
 * Creating a Cladogram using Skateboards, Guitars, Rock N' Roll, Fashion, The Cell phone
 * Radiometric dating techniques and half-life (Carbon-dating labs)
 * Evidencing Natural Selection using other species on the Galapagos (Dining in the Galapagos or Beak of Finches)
 * Debating Intelligent Design v. Scientific Theory (Monkey Scopes Trial by PBS)
 * Comparing Lamarck v. Darwin v. Malthus v. Wallace (Jigsaw activity)
 * Archaeopteryx- The missing Link.... (Making inferences activity)
 * Dating a rock (virtual Dating of fossils)
 * Footsteps in Time
 * Micky Mouse Evolution (Polymorphism)
 * Comparing Fish, Bird, Human Embryology (Homologous structure activity)
 * Blocks and Screws exercise
 * Creating Oragmi Birds (Beaks of Finch Follow-up)
 * Chronology Lab
 * Students to create an evolutionary time scale

Released NECAP Items

 * NECAP 2009 GR 11 10 Analysis

Related Web Resources
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