INTRODUCTION TO NATURAL SELECTION (DAY 1):
Outcomes
Students will be able to…
discuss the effects of natural selection to predict what will happen
to a population
describe why natural selection causes evolution to happen
compare/contrast organisms in order to evaluate their relationships
Special Needs of Students
Content Differentiation
Process Differentiation
Product Differentiation
Academic Language
Language Function
Vocabulary
Syntax
Discourse
Assessments
Formative: Students will fill out two
compare/contrast graphic organizers and use
them to discuss possible relationships between
the organisms they are comparing.
This class has two English Language Learners, Ernesto and Maria, who are
both performing at a level 1 English proficiency according to the NYS
ELA test, and need special support when it comes to reading and writing.
They are both able to converse with other students in fluent English,
though they do often converse with each other in their native language.
Our two ELLs will be given a powerpoint with pictures representing the
vocabulary words alongside their definitions to aide them with their
K-W-L. If they struggle too much with the K-W-L, they will then be asked
to draw their own image that will help them remember what the word
means instead.
Since students will be working in groups, other students may have to aid
Ernesto and Maria with certain vocabulary, or the instructor may be asked
to assist.
Rather than have them write the differences between the organisms in the
graphic organizers, they may be allowed to simply circle the similarities
and differences (preferably in different colored pens) if describing them
proves difficult. Since the majority of learning in this segment is oral, there
should not be any other need for product differentiation.
Students will be able to discuss the effects of natural selection and
predict how populations will change.
Natural Selection, Favorable Traits, Population, Species, Trait,
Generation, Variation, Adaptation, Camouflage, Competition,
Diversity, Environment, Extinct, Fossil, Inherited, Organism, Predator,
Prey, Theory of Evolution
Students will use a venn diagram to compare a frog skeleton and a
fossil of a frog ancestor.
Students will be given sentence starters for their discussions during
lecture (If the mice live in the desert the ___ mice will survive more.
and If one fur color survives more, the population will…).
Students will use a comparison worksheet to compare two animals of
their choice (either a weasel and an otter or a pheasant and a guinea.
Students will be shown different colored mice living in different
environments. Using specific academic language, they will explain why
they think what mice will survive in which environment. Students will
also use a simulation in which they can directly see for themselves how
a change in the environment affects the population of organisms. They
will discuss their observations in class using academic vocabulary, and
provide reasons as to why a specific environment change caused a shift
 Prior to beginning the lesson, students will have turned in the assigned K-W-L chart.
Students will discuss what “survival of the fittest” means to them in order to establish
whether or not students have misconceptions about the phrase (e.g., If an animal is
Pre-assessment &
bigger/stronger they will survive better). Students’ K-W-L charts will be briefly
Student Readiness
reviewed by the instructor in order to determine if there is any prior knowledge lacking.
Depending on students’ overall familiarity with the vocabulary words, lectures may be
altered to assure students have all the required prior knowledge.

Introduction: Anticipatory Set

To get students into the mindset of the lesson being taught, they will be sorted into groups of 2 and asked
what they think the phrase “survival of the fittest” means.Students turn in the K-W-L chart they
completed prior to class, which will be reviewed by the instructor while students discuss to ensure all
students have the required prior knowledge.

Initial Phase Direct Instruction

Students will be shown a powerpoint presentation that introduces the topic of natural selection. In the
presentation there is a short video that discusses Darwin and his finches and how they led to developing
the theory of evolution as we know it today.

Middle Phase
Guided Practice
Students will be shown 2 images of different colored mice living in different environments: snow and
desert. They will be asked which mice do they think will survive better in which environment, and be
asked to explain their reasoning.

Independent Practice
Students will do a simulation in which they can change various environmental and genetic factors of
bunnies. They will observe the differences in the populations as they change factors (why are there fewer
white bunnies in the desert when you introduce wolves to the environment? Why do more bunnies have
long teeth when food is tough?) in order to discuss the changes they made and their effects with the class.

Concluding Phase
Closure/Summary
Students will be shown an image of a T-Rex and be asked “What farm animal is related to this dinosaur?”
They will be allowed to discuss with each other in small groups before each student hands in a post-it
note with their answer.

Follow up: Students will be given a homework assignment in which they will fill out a venn diagram and
identify the similarities and differences between a Triadobatrachus fossil and a frog skeleton. They will
also complete a different comparison chart for the animals of their choice (guinea and pheasant OR
weasel and otter) and they will discuss with their classmates in the next class if they think their animals
are related and why.

Materials: (items, technology, etc.)

Natural Selection Powerpoint
Simulation
Venn Diagram with picture of frog skeleton and fossil
Compare/Contrast Organizer with pictures of weasel/otter and guinea/pheasant
 NATURAL SELECTION LAB (DAY 2):
Outcomes Assessments
Students will be able to… Formative: students will perform a lab in which they
discuss why natural selection leads to changes in populations act as Darwin’s finches in order to see how certain
identify which beak type works best for different types of food traits are more advantageous. Students will use these
explain the advantages of variation and diversity in observations to infer these traits’ effects on the finch
populations population and their offspring.

Academic Language
Language Function Students will discuss how favorable traits affect populations and
identify how this causes natural selection.
Vocabulary Natural Selection, Favorable Traits, Population, Species, Trait,
Generation, Variation, Adaptation, Camouflage, Competition,
Diversity, Environment, Extinct, Fossil, Inherited, Organism, Predator,
Prey, Theory of Evolution
Syntax Students will have peer discussions and work in groups to complete a
lab activity that illustrates favorable traits. Students will use the lab,
their discussions, and knowledge from the previous lesson to define
natural selection and predict the effects of various scenarios on their
populations.
Discourse Students will participate in a lab activity in which they will act as they
are Darwin’s Finches. Using materials such as chopsticks, spoons, and
paperclips, they will simulate the different beak sizes of finches to pick
up food. In the post-lab questions, students will use different academic
vocabulary to discuss the significance/implications of this simulation,
along with defining key terms and various “what-if” questions, to help
them in thinking about how to apply what they did in the activity to
other scenarios.

Introduction: Anticipatory Set

Students will begin this lesson with a short game of snowman. It has the same concept as the game hangman, but
you draw a snowman instead. The phrase students have to figure out is “Charles Darwin.” First the instructor will
ask for volunteers, but if no students volunteer answers (or it’s only two students offering guesses) students will
be cold-called.

Initial Phase Direct Instruction

Following the game of snowman, we will review the students’ discoveries from their comparison assignments.
Students will be asked to split into small groups to discuss whether they think their animals were related to each
other and what traits made them think so. Following the discussions, students will turn in their homework
assignments. Once students return to their seats, there will be a demonstration of the lab techniques students will
use.

Middle Phase
Guided Practice
While students perform the lab, the instructor will walk around the room, answering student questions and
offering guidance and suggestions where needed. It may be necessary to have students walk you through their
thought processes in order to better gauge their understanding.
Independent Practice
Following the hands-on portion of the lab, students will create a graph to illustrate their results. Each group will
have been assigned a different kind of beak so following the lab the class will come together as a whole and share
their results between groups. Once data has been shared, students will analyze all of the results to determine
which beak type worked best with which food. Students will also reflect on what they did in the lab in order to
connect it to natural selection and determine how future generations will evolve.

Concluding Phase
Reflective Beach Ball Activity: On a beach ball, there will be 10 reflection questions. Students will GENTLY toss
the beach ball to a peer and their RIGHT THUMB determines which question written on the ball they have to
answer. The questions on the ball:
1. What are you most proud of from today’s lesson? 7. Were there any obstacles you had to overcome? How
2. How did today’s lesson make you feel? did you do it?
3. What was one thing you learned today? 8. List 3 words to describe today’s lesson.
4. What was one thing you found interesting today? 9. What do you want to learn more about from today’s
5. Is there anything you would do differently? lesson?
6. What part of today’s lesson worked best for you? 10. Explain what you learned today to a 5-year old.

Follow Up:
Students will fill out one of the two vocabulary graphic organizers for homework in which they define natural
selection by breaking it up into part. This graphic organizer will also prepare them for the upcoming lesson on
speciation.

Materials:
Lab Handout
Beach Ball with reflective questions written on it in sharpie
Both vocabulary graphic organizers
- Organizer 1
- Organizer 2