Direct instruction

Teacher(s): Danielle Moreau

Subject: General Science

Standard(s): SC08-S4C4-06
Objectives (Explicit): Students will be able to identify and determine what adaptations a specific organism has, and how these
adaptations help them to survive and thrive in their environment. Pick an organism and list at least one major attribute and how it helps
them to survive.
Evidence of Mastery (Measurable): Be able to analyze and describe more specialized adaptations of a variety of organisms and explain
how it may help them to survive. Compare organisms with others of its class, and note adaptations that are unique to this organism.
Hypothesize how this helps them to survive. Research this aspect, and confirm the purpose. Be able to visually or verbally demonstrate
this adaptation.
Assessment: Find organism of interest. Find at least one or two other types of organisms like it. (bird, mammal, ect?) Identify at least
one adaptation that sets it apart from other similar animals. Hypothesize how the adaptation helps the organism survive. Confirm the
hypothesis, or find the real purpose of this adaptation if the hypothesis was incorrect. Write, draw, or speak aloud the findings. Show at
least one source for your research collection.
Sub-objectives, SWBAT (Sequenced from basic to complex): I can look at organisms and identify some of their unique adaptations,
compare them to other, similar organisms, and understand/explain as how this affects the organisms ability to survive and thrive in its
habitat.
Key vocabulary: adaptation, environment, Natural Selection, Mutation,
Materials/Technology Resources to be Used: Computer,
Physical features, variation, behavioral adaptations, coloration,
laptops, tablets, paper, pencil, colored pencils,
biodiversity, specialization, trait, species, speciation
whiteboard+sticky notes, Peardeck, Socrative, Padlet

Instructional Input

Opening (state objectives, connect to previous learning, and make RELEVENT to real life): As a class, lets think of some of your own
human adaptations. (Hands, bipedalism, eye color, skin tone, sweating) Let's write/draw some of them. What characteristics did some of
us come up with? How do they compare with other primates? How do you think this help us survive? Reflect on this.
Teacher Will: Ask students to consider us; modern humans.
Student Will: Come up with some characteristics that
What are some characteristics that make us human? How do
humans and other primates/mammals have. Designate which
they compare with other mammals/primates? How are we all
characteristics set us apart. Which ones are adaptations
alike? What sets us apart from our relatives? Which of these
specific to humans? How do they help us survive?
characteristics are adaptations? What are some ideas for how
Assessment: Observe and reflect in their organizers.
they help us survive? Explain some of these to the students.
Mindmapping through padlet, or on board with sticky-notes,
write down ideas and be able to link them to categories from
basic/broad, to more complex, how these adaptations help
humans survive. Collaborative efforts and group content
promoted.
Co-Teaching Strategy/Differentiation: 1. Students write/draw ideas into notebooks or with group. 2. Make an interactive
presentation on the computer. Students input some of their ideas. Once ideas for adaptations are in, we can put in other aspects
of the questions.

Guided Practice

Teacher Will: Give students a few ideas of adaptations in a

few animals/organisms. Get them considering how different
aspects of these organisms affect their ability to survive. Pick
2-3 organisms out of say, 10.

Student Will: Learn with the teacher how to identify and

define adaptations in the organisms that we identify in class.
Discuss what may be considered an adaptation, and what
isnt. The bird has feathers or flies in the respect of this
lesson is not an adequate example of an adaptation specific
to it.
Summative Assessment: Using Peardeck, have students look
at a small variety of organisms and select through the
interactive presentation what they think is the adaptation (it
may be multiple in a list) that pertains to this organism.
Some may be broader adaptations, while others are more
specific. Try to get students to narrow down the specifics.

Independent
Practice

Co-Teaching Strategy/Differentiation/Check for Understanding: Through interactive presentation, have students answers
questions about adaptations.
Teacher Will: Give or have students find an organism not
discussed in class. If giving students organisms, have them
pick from a random number of them. (Maybe d100) Give
students some questions to think about while investigating.
Make some open ended.

Student Will: What is the organism? (Name, species, ect)

Where is it from? What class of organism is it? (How would
you categorize it? Is it a bird, mammal, insect, ect.) How is it
similar to other organisms of its class? What sets it apart
from them? How do you think these differences help them
survive?

Co-Teaching Strategy/Differentiation: Help student select organism if they are having trouble finding their own, or assist with
hinting at some ideas for ones given. Allow students to print out images or model their organism. Mark/circle parts they think
are adaptations, and write on a separate sheet why. Make an audio or youtube clip discussing their thoughts/findings.
Closing/Student Reflection/Real-life connections: Closure: Different adaptations help different animals survive in their environments.
Even humans have specific adaptations that help them live in their environments. Do you think different breeds of dogs have specific
adaptations that were bred into them? Why or why not? Why would we do this?