Jessica Marsh
EDF4402 BIOLOGY EDUCATION
Detailed Plan of Learning Activities
CONTENTS
Learning activity 1: Excursion to the Melbourne Museum
Purpose & Key knowledge
Activity information
Resources attached separately (PDF)
Learning activity 2: Darwin’s finch adaptation practical
Purpose & Key knowledge
Activity information
Student Handout
Assessment & criteria
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Jessica Marsh
Learning Activity 1: Excursion to the Melbourne Museum
Melbourne Museum Darwin to DNA Self guided program.
Purpose:
- To get students to examine the mechanisms of evolution, the importance of genetic
variation and how DNA is used to study evolution.
- For students to use the range of resources provided and the knowledge they already have to
find information needed to fill in their worksheets.
Key knowledge
This knowledge includes

change in populations: gene pool, allele frequencies; selection pressures; genetic drift;

natural selection as a mechanism of evolution;

evidence of evolution: fossil record, biogeography, comparative anatomy; molecular
evidence

patterns of evolution: divergent, convergent; allopatric speciation, extinction

the development of evolutionary theory

hominid evolution: patterns, origin;

interrelationships between biological, cultural and technological evolution;
Information:
Guide your students through the Darwin to DNA exhibition at the Melbourne Museum. Use the
museum education resources provided to investigate the roles of Charles Darwin and Alfred
Russel Wallace in independently discovering the theory of evolution through natural selection.
Students consider a number of controversial issues: Who owns the genome? Should
chimpanzees be classified as part of the genus Homo? Can DNA from fossils be used to clone
long-extinct organisms? Are humans still evolving? Mechanisms of evolution, including genetic
drift and divergent and convergent evolution, are also explored.
When a group booking is made an education kit, Darwin to DNA, will be posted to your school
which includes background information, pre and post visit activities and a resource list.
The museum is open daily from 10am – 5pm. The school excursion will most likely take the
entire day depending on where your school is located. Concession and children get free entry,
though a school booking fees will apply. The school will also need to organise a bus to transport
students or another way of getting the students to the museum (e.g. Public transport)
Address:
Melbourne Museum
11 Nicholson St
Carlton, Victoria, 3053
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Darwin to DNA Resources providedTeacher Notes:
An Education Program at Melbourne Museum – Evolution. This explains the structure and
purpose of the exhibition. It also includes ideas of how to use the students guide and an
exhibition floor plan.
Student Guide:
This handout gives the students instructions on where to go and what information they need
to find. They work through the handout as they move through the exhibition covering the
following topics; following in Darwin’s footsteps, evolution in action, evolution of songbirds,
examining DNA and hominid evolution. You can choose for students work independently or
in small groups.
Exhibition Notes: Includes detailed information on the following topics
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
The History and New Theory of Evolution
Evolution and Genetics
Natural Selection and Genetic Variation
Evolution in Action
Extinction and Diversity
Fossils and Evolution
DNA and Evolution
Evolutionary Milestones
Reference: This activity idea and information about the exhibition was taken from the Melbourne
Museum website. All of the teacher, student and exhibition resources can be found
through the following website: http://museumvictoria.com.au/melbournemuseum/
(accessed on 7/10/09)
Assessment: To assess what they learnt form the excursion you could develop a test for them to
complete back at school.
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Jessica Marsh
Learning Activity 2: Darwin’s Finches
Darwin’s Finch Adaptations Practical
Purpose:
-
For students to gain an understanding of how natural selection works and how different
traits can be better suited to certain environmental situations.
For students to use skills in recording, analysing and graphing results
Key knowledge
This knowledge includes
 change in populations: gene pool, allele frequencies; selection pressures; genetic drift;

natural selection as a mechanism of evolution;
Time length: recommended 70 mins
Materials:
-
Plastic knives, spoons and forks (approx 5 of each)
Plastic cups (1 for each student)
Grass area, such as an oval
Beans (3 different colours, acting in the place of seeds)
Graph paper
Coloured pencils
Tape
Setup:
1. Count 100 beans of each colour and place each colour in one cup.
2. You will also need to count out 50 beans for each colour and put these in separate cups.
These will be used later in the experiment
3. Each student will need an empty plastic cup to collect beans
4. Students will need to be in 5 groups according to the tool used; knife, spoon, and fork, taped
thumb or hand.
Method:
1. Allow students/ place students into 5 different groups with an even number of people. If
there are not enough students to have 5 groups, reduce the number of students per groups.
2. Allocate each group with one of the following tools (beak adaptation); knife, spoon, and
fork, taped thumb or hand. Taping the thumb removes the use of the opposable thumb.
3. Take the students to the grasses area, and group with their group.
4. To start the practical spread out the 100 beans of each colour as evenly as possible within a
6 X 3 metre area.
5. When you say “Go” then students begin picking up the beans using their allocated tools, and
putting them in their cups. After about 3 minutes say “stop”. The student should then
record the number of beans they collected according to the colours and the results from the
other groups.
6. Students then need to calculate how many seeds (beans) were eaten (collected). They do
this by subtracting the number collected from the 100 originally there to give them the
number of seeds left in the grass.
7. Next, the seeds in the grass have reproduced and there is now double (randomly distribute
an additional beans, an equal amount to what is in the grass).
8. Repeat step 5, and record the number of seeds eaten. The lowest seed amount becomes
extinct each generation, so this is known place a zero in the box of the table.
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9. Continue this process for generations until only one type of adaptation is left, displaying that
the rest had become extinct.
10. Student will need to hand in their group results so they can be collated with the other
groups to form class data which can be used in the formal assessment
RESULTS TABLES
1st Generation Finches
Seeds
Knife
Fork
Spoon
Taped thumb
Hand
Total
White
-100=
Red
-100=
Brown
-100=
Total
2nd Generation Finches
Seeds
Knife
Fork
Spoon
Taped thumb
Hand
Total
Fork
Spoon
Taped thumb
Hand
Total
Fork
Spoon
Taped thumb
Hand
Total
White
Red
Brown
Total
3rd Generation Finches
Seeds
Knife
White
Red
Brown
Total
4th Generation Finches
Seeds
Knife
White
Red
Brown
Total
Reference: This activity and assessment idea was adapted from a great activity in a lesson plan found
at the following website: www.lessonplansinc.com (accessed on 7/10/09)
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DARWIN’S FINCH ADAPTATION PRACTICAL
Purpose: You are going to mimic the variation in Darwin’s finches’ beak types for 3 different types of
food. You will investigate this by using certain tools in place of beaks to pick up beans
which represent seeds. This practical activity looks Natural Selection and how certain
populations can be better suited to an environment.
Hypothesis:________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Materials:
-
Plastic knives, forks and spoons
Red, white and brown beans
Plastic cups
-
Tape
Grassed area
Handout and pencil
Method:
1. Get into 5 different groups with an even number of people, minimum 5 per group.
2. Your group will be given one of the following tools (beak adaptation) from the teacher;
knife, spoon, and fork, taped thumb or hand. Taping the thumb removes the use of the
opposable thumb. My beak adaptation is __________________?
3. Follow your teacher to the grass area, taking with you your tool, cup, handout and pencil.
4. After the teacher has finished spreading the beans they will tell you to start collecting by
saying “Go”. Collect the beans with your tool and place them in your plastic cup. After about
3 minutes the teacher will say “stop”. Now record the number of beans you collected
according to the colours
5. Calculate how many seeds (beans) were eaten (collected). You can do this by subtracting the
number collected from the 100 originally there to give you the number of seeds left in the
grass. Fill out the 1st Generation table and put these beans to the side (they are no longer
needed). Tell the teacher your results, the group with the lowest seed amount becomes
extinct each generation, so this is known place a zero in the box of the table.
6. Next, the teacher will distribute more beans in the grass
7. Repeat step 4, and record the number of seeds eaten. Tell the teacher your results, the
group with the lowest seed amount becomes extinct each generation, so this is known place
a zero in the box of the table.
8. Continue this process for generations until only one type of adaptation is left, displaying that
the rest had become extinct. Fill out the nest Generation table provided.
9. Your group will need to hand in your results so they can be collated with the other groups to
form class data which can be used in the formal assessment.
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STUDENT RESULTS
1st Generation Finches
Seeds
Knife
Fork
Spoon
Taped thumb
Hand
Total
White
-100=
Red
-100=
Brown
-100=
Total
2nd Generation Finches
Seeds
Knife
Fork
Spoon
Taped thumb
Hand
Total
Fork
Spoon
Taped thumb
Hand
Total
Fork
Spoon
Taped thumb
Hand
Total
Fork
Spoon
Taped thumb
Hand
Total
White
Red
Brown
Total
3rd Generation Finches
Seeds
Knife
White
Red
Brown
Total
4th Generation Finches
Seeds
Knife
White
Red
Brown
Total
5th Generation Finches
Seeds
Knife
White
Red
Brown
Total
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Jessica Marsh
ASSESSMENT TASK: DARWIN’S FINCH ADAPTATIONS PRACTICAL REPORT
Title:
Should explain to the reader what the experiment was about
Introduction:
This needs to include a little bit of background information about the topic, the aim of the
experiment and your hypothesis.
Materials:
The material section includes a list of everything that is needed to conduct the experiment
Method:
The method section should be written in numbered steps. Explaining what you did, in order,
in past tense (Instead of ‘Sam collected 10 red beans’ you would say ’10 red beans were
collected’. The steps should be written with enough detail that the experiment could be
repeated by someone else.
Results:
This section includes; tables, number data, measurements, observations, colour changes and
descriptions. This section should include a graph or a table to display the class results
provided, however you should not discuss any results in the section of your report.
Discussion:
The discussion section allows you to talk about your results by using theoretical knowledge
you already have and the observations you have made. You will be required to answer
specific questions to guide your discussion; these should be answered in full sentences. You
should also mention any limitation to the experiment in this section.
Questions:
1. Explain possible reasons for the first adaptation becoming extinct compared to the
adaptation that was best suited (adapted for survival)
2. Which colour of the seeds was eaten the least of all the generations? Why was this seed
colour more fit for survival in the grass environment?
3. How would the depth of the grass affect which beak adaptation (tool) was better suited for
that environment? Explain...
4. In this activity, four beak adaptations became extinct, however Darwin’s finches from the
Galapagos Islands survived with many different beak types. How is this possible, how do
they avoid extinction due to competition?
Conclusion:
This section consists of a brief summary of what the experiment taught you. You should
always refer back to your aim and hypothesis, stating whether it was supported or otherwise
by the results. Your conclusion should be written in full sentences, about a paragraph or two.
 Remember this is a scientific report so needs to be informative but concise, keep on topic
and make sure you answer all discussion questions.
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Student name:
Title
(descriptive)
Introduction
(aim, background
information and
hypothesis)
Materials/Method
(Materials and procedure
written in enough detail
that it can be replicated)
Results
(Table or graph with
captions)
Discussion
(Discussion and analysis
explaining the results and
addressing the questions)
Conclusion
(Paragraph in which you
summarize your results)
Comments
DARWIN’S FINCH ADAPTATION PRACTICAL REPORT
(1) Needs
improvement
(2) Showing progress
(3) Competent
(4) Distinction
(5) High Distinction
Total
Title provided little
information about the
experiment
Provided little
information, or
incorrect data.
Title provided some
information about the
experiment
Provided some
inappropriate or
incorrect information
Provided satisfactory
information about the
experiment
Appropriate and
correct information
used
Provided adequate
information about the
experiment
Good quality information
used, moderately detailed
Title provided detailed
information about the
experiment
High quality information,
very detailed
Little or no explanation
of material and
method
Little explanation,
mentioning one or two
main point of the
materials and method
High quality explanation,
mentioning most of the
materials and sufficient
method
Outstanding
explanation, mentioning
all materials used and a
detailed method
/4
No table / graph to
display results and no
caption used
Table / graph used with
little detail in caption
Sufficient explanation,
mentioning an
appropriate number of
materials and
satisfactory method
Table / graph used
with caption to a
satisfactory level
Results displayed with
caption to a medium level
Results displayed to a
high standard with
detailed and correct
captions
/5
Little to no analysis of
the results, addressing
none of the questions
Little analysis of the
results, addressing only
one of the questions
Sufficient analysis of
the results, addressing
two of the questions
Detailed analysis of the
results, addressing three of
the questions
Little or no conclusion
stated
Conclusions gave little
insight into the findings
of the experiment
Conclusion gave an
adequate insight into
the findings of the
experiment
Conclusion gave a good
insight with a sufficient
overview of the findings of
the experiment
Highly detailed analysis
of the results, with all
four questions
addressed
Conclusion gave a high
quality, detailed
overview of the findings
from the experiment
/2
/6
/10
/3
/30
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