Lesson Plans: Animal Adaptations
Teaching evolutionary concepts can be tough, especially to young audiences. The purpose of this demonstration is to introduce a simple concept in evolution, adaptations. Students learn what an adaptation is by constructing two animals from different habitats. Natural Selection
Introduction to natural selection and the Chi square method of statistical analysis. Rat Islands
This activity allows students to use some of their creativity to imagine how rats would adapt to a particular island in order to survive. You can make up a story as elaborate as you want to explain how the rats ended up on their Island (A, B, C or D) and how long they have been on the island in order to change so much. Animal Adaptations: Focus on Bird Beaks
This is an activity designed to provide students with a hands-on activity to help them explore animal adaptations, namely the shape of a bird's beak in relation to their food source. (adapt for older students) Toothpick worms
The objective of this lesson is to let students experience the role of
color in camouflage. Darwin/Lamarck Court Case
This is a fun activity where students learn about evolution by staging a trial. Dicussions and notes are then taken after the trial using the court reporters' notes. This is one the kids will remember all year. Mammoth Extinction
To explore various hypotheses concerning the extinction of the woolly mammoth. Introduction to Natural Selection
To develop an understanding of natural selection, specifically, how it unfolds from generation to generation. Natural Selection
Introduction to natural selection and the Chi square method of statistical analysis. The Natural Selection of Forks and Beans
Students will observe how population size can vary from generation to generation in response to changing environmental conditions. Comparing Theories: Lamarck and Darwin
To compare Lamarck's mechanism for evolution with Darwin's theory of natural selection. Fossilworks
Making fossils then comparing them. Beans and Birds - A Natural Selection Simulation:
In this natural selection simulation students solve the following problem concerning the evolution of seed color in pinto bean plants: "How does natural selection change the frequency of genes or traits over many generations?" A Fishy Twist On Adaptations:
Students design a fish based on certain criteria (adaptations) and determine the type of habitat which would be best suited for their fish's survival. Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down - Grasping the Idea of Evolution:
Students compare their performance of a series of tasks using their thumb and fingers to their performance of the same tasks without the use of their thumb. The class discussion that follows the activity defines and discusses the role of fine and gross motor skills and speculates on the role of the opposable thumb in primate evolution. Investigating Natural Selection:
In this activity, the students experience one mechanism for evolution through a simulation that models the principles of natural selection and helps answer the question: How might biological change have occurred and been reinforced over time? Darwin's Great Voyage of Discovery
Follow in Darwin's footsteps as he travels the world and changes from an amateur naturalist to a noted scientist.
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