Topic: Natural Selection and Adaptations 8th Grade
Standard/Performance Expectation
08-LS4-1. Analyze and interpret data for patterns in the fossil record that document the existence, diversity, extinction, and change of life forms throughout the history of life on Earth under the assumption that natural laws operate today as in the past.
[Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on finding patterns of changes in the level of complexity of anatomical structures in organisms and the chronological order of fossil appearance in the rock layers.] [Assessment Boundary:
Assessment does not include the names of individual species or geological eras in the fossil record.]
What Students Need to Know:
What the fossil record is and what it shows(existence, diversity, extinction, and the change of life forms throughout history)
patterns in the fossil record and what they show about the history of life on Earth
the assumption that natural laws operate today as in the past
What Students Need to be able to Do:
analyze and interpret data for patterns
How Students will Learn/Science and Engineering
Practice: Analyzing and Interpreting Data
Analyze and interpret data to determine similarities and differences in findings.
Crosscutting Concept: Patterns
Graphs, charts and images can be used to identify patterns in data
Instructional Resources https://betterlesson.com/common_core/browse/2234/ngss-ms-ls4-1-analyzeand-interpret-data-for-patterns-in-the-fossil-record-that-document-theexistence-diversity-extinction-and http://ngss.nsta.org/DisplayStandard.aspx?view=pe&id=215 https://www.exploringnature.org/db/view/1926 https://www.opened.com/search?license=free&standard=MS.LS4.1
http://www.indiana.edu/~ensiweb/teach.macro.html
http://shapeoflife.org/sites/default/files/SoL-Lesson-The-Secret-of-Fossils.pdf
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/164944405079310598/ YouTube video on natural selection http://www.indiana.edu/~ensiweb/lessons/pat.in.time.html
http://www.globalwatershed.mtu.edu/docs/fossil_record_unit/Fossil_Unit_Le sson_3_Understanding_Ourselves_Through_Fossils_V2.pdf
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/fosrec/Learning.html
http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/search/lessonsummary.php?audienc
e_level%5B2%5D=6-
8&topic_id=&keywords=&type_id=&sort_by=audience_rank&Submit=Search& thisaudience=6-8&resource_id=26
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08-LS4-2. Apply scientific ideas to construct an explanation for the anatomical similarities and differences among modern organisms and between modern and fossil organisms to infer evolutionary relationships . [Clarification http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/teach/68goals.php#66 http://www.slideshare.net/harvey09/the-rock-and-fossil-record http://www.slideshare.net/olympushighschool/unit-13a-fossil-record-andgeologic-time-scale http://www.slideshare.net/angel4all1/interpreting-geologic-history-powerpoint http://www.slideshare.net/kulwaherman/geologic-time-15042017 http://www.grisda.org/origins/23068.htm
https://www.opened.com/search?license=free&resource_type=other&standar d=MS.LS4.1
http://www.indiana.edu/~ensiweb/teach.macro.html
http://lincoln8science.weebly.com/evolution.html
https://betterlesson.com/next_gen_science/browse/2235/ngss-ms-ls4-2apply-scientific-ideas-to-construct-an-explanation-for-the-anatomicalsimilarities-and-differences-among-modern-or https://www.opened.com/search?license=free&standard=MS.LS4.2
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Statement: Emphasis is on explanations of the evolutionary relationships among organisms in terms of similarity or differences of the gross appearance of anatomical structures.]
What Students Need to Know:
what is meant by scientific ideas
what anatomical similarities and differences in organisms are
the anatomical similarities and differences between modern and fossil organisms
the evolutionary relationships between modern day and fossil organisms based on anatomical structures
What Students Need to be Able to Do:
apply scientific ideas to construct an explanation
infer using data
How Students will Learn/Science and Engineering Practice:
Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions
Apply scientific ideas to construct an explanation for realworld phenomena, examples, or events.
Crosscutting Concept: Patterns
Patterns can be used to identify cause and effect relationships
Common Core Writing Connection
WHST 6-8.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content
WHST 6-8.9 Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection and research http://ngss.nsta.org/DisplayStandard.aspx?view=topic&id=33 http://lincoln8science.weebly.com/evolution.html
LS4-1, -2, -4, -4 http://shapeoflife.org/sites/default/files/SoL-Lesson-The-Secret-of-Fossils.pdf
Using Local Street Trees to Teach the Concept of Common Ancestry http://www.ibri.org/Books/Pun_Evolution/Chapter2/2.5.htm
http://itc.gsw.edu/faculty/bcarter/histgeol/paleo2/homol1.htm
http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article/similarity_ms_01 http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article/homology_01 http://www.zoology.ubc.ca/~bio336/bio336/lectures/lecture5/overheads.html
http://evolution.about.com/od/evidence/a/Homologous-Structures.htm
http://examples.yourdictionary.com/homologous-structure-examples.html
http://www.ck12.org/ngss/middle-school-life-sciences/biologicalevolution:-unity-and-diversity scroll to LS4-2
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08-LS4-3. Analyze displays of pictorial data to compare patterns of similarities in the embryological development across multiple species to identify relationships not evident in the fully formed anatomy.
[Clarification Statement:
Emphasis is on inferring general patterns of relatedness among embryos of different organisms by comparing the macroscopic appearance of diagrams or pictures.]
[Assessment Boundary: Assessment of comparisons is limited to gross appearance of anatomical structures in embryological development.]
What Students Need to Know:
what is meant by embryological development across multiple species
patterns of similarities in the embryological development across multiple species
the relationships in embryonic development not evident in the fully formed anatomy
What Students Need to be able to Do:
analyze pictorial data to compare patterns of similarities
How Students will Learn/Science and Engineering
Practice: Analyzing and Interpreting Data
Analyze and interpret data to determine similarities and differences in findings
Crosscutting Concept: Patterns
Graphs, charts and images can be used to identify patterns in data https://betterlesson.com/next_gen_science/browse/2236/ngss-ms-ls4-3analyze-displays-of-pictorial-data-to-compare-patterns-of-similarities-in-theembryological-development-across-mul https://www.opened.com/search?license=free&standard=MS.LS4.3
http://ngss.nsta.org/DisplayStandard.aspx?view=pe&id=219 http://www.exploratorium.edu/exhibits/embryo/embryoflash.html
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/educators/teachstuds/tguide
.html
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/educators/teachstuds/svideo s.html
http://www.ngsslifescience.com/ngss_lesson_plans_biological_evolution.html
scroll to middle school
Evolution lesson
Embryo Comparison
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08-LS4-4. Construct an explanation based on evidence that describes how genetic variations of traits in a population increase some individuals’ probability of surviving and reproducing in a specific environment.
[Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on using simple probability statements and proportional reasoning to construct explanations
What Students Need to Know:
What is meant by genetic variations of traits in a population
How genetic variations of traits in a population can increase the probability of survival and reproduction in some individuals’ in a specific environment
What Students Need to be able to Do:
Construct an explanation based on evidence to describe
How Students will Learn (Practices):
Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions
Construct an explanation that includes qualitative or
quantitative relationships between variables that
describe phenomena.
Crosscutting Concept: Cause and Effect
Phenomena may have more than one cause, and some cause and effect relationships in systems can only be described using probability
Common Core Writing Connection http://ngss.nsta.org/DisplayStandard.aspx?view=pe&id=220 https://www.opened.com/search?license=free&standard=MS.LS4.4
http://biology.rosendigital.com/staticfiles/reproducibles/CCBIO-evolutionlesson-plan.pdf
http://lincoln8science.weebly.com/evolution.html
http://www.washoeschools.net/cms/lib08/NV01912265/Centricity/Domain/25
3/Science/Grade%206-8%20Science%20Curriculum%20Resources.pdf
http://www.teacherstryscience.org/ngsslp/perfect-beak-ngss
Craboloution 08-LS4-4, 08-LS4-6
Biomimicry 8-LS4-4*
For the Love of Infographics 8-LS4-4 http://betterlesson.com/next_gen_science/browse/2237/ngss-ms-ls4-4construct-an-explanation-based-on-evidence-that-describes-how-geneticvariations-of-traits-in-a-populationincreas?from=breadcrumb_core_dropdown http://www.sciencechannel.com/games-and-interactives/charles-darwingame/ https://askabiologist.asu.edu/sooty-selection/for-teachers http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/education/lessons/clipbirds/ http://www.teacherstryscience.org/ngsslp/perfect-beak-ngss
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WHST 6-8.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization and analysis of relevant content
WHST 6-8.9 Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research
08-LS4-6. Use mathematical representations to support explanations of how natural selection may lead to increases and decreases of specific traits in populations over time.
[Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on using mathematical models, probability statements, and proportional reasoning to support explanations of trends in changes to populations over time.] [Assessment
Boundary: Assessment does not include Hardy Weinberg calculations.]
What Students Need to Know:
What natural selection is
How natural selection can affect changes to populations over time
What Students Need to be able to Do:
Use mathematical representations to support an explanation
How Students will Learn/Science and Engineering
Practice: Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking
Use mathematical representations to support scientific conclusions and design solutions http://lincoln8science.weebly.com/evolution.html
http://ngss.nsta.org/DisplayStandard.aspx?view=pe&id=222 https://www.opened.com/search?license=free&standard=MS.LS4.6
http://lincoln8science.weebly.com/evolution.html
http://biology.rosendigital.com/staticfiles/reproducibles/CCBIO-evolutionlesson-plan.pdf
http://www.nj.gov/education/modelcurriculum/sci/8u2.pdf
http://betterlesson.com/next_gen_science/browse/2239/ngss-ms-ls4-6-usemathematical-representations-to-support-explanations-of-how-naturalselection-may-lead-to-increases-anddecrea?from=breadcrumb_core_dropdown http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/education/lessons/big_beans/
Crabolution 08-LS4-4, 08-LS4-6 http://www.ngsslifescience.com/ngss_lesson_plans_biological_evolution.htm
l
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Crosscutting Concept: Cause and Effect
Phenomena may have more than one cause and some cause and effect relationships in systems can only be described using probability
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