Grade 11 Biology – Evolution Unit: Culminating Activities
By John Miranda, Qiumin Huang and Laura Pepper
Students will choose one Culminating activity of their choice to work on.
Culminating Activity One:
Scenario
As an expert biologist working for National Geographic, you have been selected by your editor for
a once in a lifetime opportunity to travel 3 million years into the future to document the evolution
of an animal of your choice. Based on the data and observations you collect, you will have to
submit an evolutionary article to the editor. Your story must include the environmental conditions
of the time period, as well as the appearance, lifestyle and characteristics of your chosen animal.
Assignment Outline:
Your assignment consists of three parts:
1. Observations of your animal and its environment in present day conditions (location:
Toronto Zoo).
2. Observations of your animal and its environment in the future (location: 3 million years in
the future!).
3. Evolutionary Article.
PART 1: Observations of Animal at Toronto Zoo
After touring the zoo (as a class of course!), you should be familiar with all of the zoogeographical
pavilions/areas (Eurasia, Indo-Malaya, Australasia, Americas and Africa). You must choose an
animal in one of these regions and make careful observations of both the region and the animal
itself. Refer to the appendix for a list of animals. (Each student will study a different animal, so
you MUST have the teacher’s approval before proceeding to the next step.)
Copy and complete the following tables to organize your observations. Be sure to consider
selective pressures and adaptations that may have affected the organisms in your region, as well
as evidence of convergent evolution.
Zoogeographical Area: _________________________________________________________
Characteristics of Zoogeographical Area
Student Observations
Climate
(temperature, humidity, precipitation, etc.)
Characteristics of Plant Life
(height, leaf size, colour, etc.)
Characteristics of all animal life in this region.
Pick 3 or 4 animals to study in detail.
(diet, anatomical features, size, etc.)
Animal: ______________________________________________________________________
Characteristics of Animal
Student Observations
Physical
(size, feet, location of eyes and ears, body covering,
teeth, tail, etc.)
Behavioural
(lives in isolation or in groups, passive or aggressive,
nocturnal or diurnal, reproductive strategies, etc.)
Ecological Role
(diet, predator or prey, role in food web)
Adaptations
(camouflage, mimicry, structural, physiological, etc.)
Other
Once you review your observations with your editor, you are ready to board the time travel machine
and head to the future! (Please report to your teacher before embarking on your journey )
PART 2: Observations of your animal in the future
Congratulations!!! You have arrived 3 million years in the future. Complete the following:
1. Make observations on the futuristic environment that you encounter. Refer to the
observations that you made at the zoo to guide you in compiling your scientific notes.
Point form notes are acceptable.
2. After taking a number of DNA samples from various animals, you discover a descendant
of the animal you studied at the zoo. Make observations of the animal, referring to the
observations that you made at the zoo to guide you in compiling your scientific notes.
Point form notes are acceptable. Draw a sketch of this new animal.
NOTE: Keep in mind that your observations (animal’s appearance, behaviour and ecological role)
must be based on aspects of natural selection.
Your fun-filled day of exploration has sadly come to an end. It is now time to re-board the time
travel machine and return to present day. Be sure to check in with your editor (teacher) who is
anxious to review your observations before you begin your article!
PART 3: Evolutionary Article
Your article must satisfy the following criteria:
1. 500-750 words in length. (Times New Roman, Font Size 12, Double-spaced)
2. Include all observations recorded at the zoo and in the future.
3. Incorporate at least 3 of the main concepts listed under Background Information and
explain how these concepts relate to your animal’s evolution.
4. Graphics and illustrations should be included.
5. Make sure to cite all external sources used. Refer to the citation guidelines given out at
the beginning of the year.
APPENDIX 1
A list of animals and some hints about the signs.
Name/Type of Animal
Location in the Zoo
Concept Connection
READ THE SIGNS!!
Fish
Cichlids (fish)
Darwin’s Dream Pond
Adaptive Radiation
Aba aba (electric fish)
Anemone Fish
African Pavilion
Australasian Pavilion
Symbiosis
Piranha (fish)
Reptiles
America Pavilion
Komodo Dragon
Australasian Pavilion
Malayan water monitor
Miscellaneous Mammals
Indo Malaya Pavilion
Elephants
Pygmy Hippopotamus
Hippopotamus
Naked Molerats
Meerkat
Gr. Indian Rhinoceros
White Rhinoceros
African Savannah
African Pavilion
African Savannah
African Pavilion
African Pavilion
Indo-Malaya
African Savannah
Adaptation (meet the keeper)
Adaptation
Polar Bear
Primates
Near Americans Pavilion
Behavioural Adaptation (meet the keeper)
Orangutan (great ape)
Indo Malaya Pavilion
Gorilla (great ape)
Mandrill (primate)
Olive Baboons (primate)
Lion-tailed Macaque
Marmoset (primate)
White-headed Saki
Spider Monkey (primate)
Big Cats
African Pavilion
African Pavilion
African Savannah
Indo Malaya Outdoor
American Pavilion
American Pavilion
Americas Outdoor
Adaptation (meet the keeper)
Sexual selection
Cheetah
African Savannah
Adaptation
Lion
Jaguar
African Savannah
Americas Outdoor
Behavioural Adaptation
Adaptation
Clouded Leopard
Snow Leopard
Malayan Woods Pavilion
Eurasia Outdoor
Adaptation
Siberian Tiger
Sumatran Tiger
Euroasia Outdoor
Indo Malaya Outdoor
Top of food chain
Convergent evolution (bee)
Adaptation
Adaptation
Adaptation
Sexual Selection
Assessment and Evaluation
Assessment:
Student Name
Check Point #1
Check Point #2
Observations of
Animal at Toronto Zoo
Observations of
Animal in the Future


Comments:
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
TOTAL = _______
44
Evaluation:
Performance Criteria
Marks
Support for Topic (K/U)
[8 marks]
 provides details to
support ideas
(2)
Student does not
support main ideas.
(4)
Student supports
information with
explanations.
(6)
Student gives
support for
information with good
detail.
(8)
Student enhances all
viewpoints through
detailed and clear
explanations.
Logical Sequence (C)
[8 marks]
 a logical flow is shown
throughout the article
(2)
Student puts
information, with
prompting, into
sequence.
(4)
Student shows
structured approach
to flow of topic.
(6)
Student work is easy
to understand and
written in a clear
sequence.
(8)
Student enhances all
viewpoints through
detailed and clear
explanations.
Grammar (C)
[4 marks]
 finds and fixes
mechanical and
grammatical errors in
final report
(1)
Student leaves
serious errors in
final report.
(2)
Student leaves some
serious errors in final
report.
(3)
Student finds and
fixes most errors in
final report.
(4)
Student leaves no
errors in final report.
Formatting (C)
[4 marks]
 produces report as
specified
(1)
Student produces
report with many
prompts.
(2)
Student produces
report with some
prompts.
(3)
Student produces
report with no
prompts.
(4)
Student exceeds
stated requirements.
Reference Material (C)
[4 marks]
 uses multiple sources
with proper citations
(1)
Student needs help
using materials.
(2)
Student uses
materials, but needs
help with citations.
(3)
Student uses
materials with proper
citations.
(4)
Student refers to
materials throughout
the project, and uses
full citations.
Zoo Observations (T/I)
[4 marks]
 detailed observations are
made
(1)
Observations are
incomplete or lack
detail.
(2)
Observations are
somewhat complete
and attempts at
including detail are
made.
(3)
Observations are
detailed and
complete.
(4)
Observations exceed
expectations.
Future Observations (T/I)
[4 marks]
 detailed observations are
made
(1)
Observations are
incomplete or lack
detail.
(2)
Observations are
somewhat complete
and attempts at
including detail are
made.
(3)
Observations are
detailed and
complete.
(4)
Observations exceed
expectations.
Concept Connections (A)
[8 marks]
 concepts are
incorporated and
connections are
explained appropriately
(2)
Student has
incorporated one
concept in article.
(4)
Student has
incorporated two
concepts in article.
(6)
Student has
incorporated three
concepts in article.
(8)
Student has
incorporated more
than three concepts
in article.
Fails to explain
concept in relation
to animal’s
evolution.
Made attempts to
explain concepts in
relation to animal’s
evolution.
Explains concepts in
relation to animal’s
evolution.
Explains all concepts
in relation to animal’s
evolution in an
exceptional manner.
Comments:
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
Culminating Activity two:
Culminating Task Guidelines: Adapt an Animal
For your culminating task, you will start with a population of at least 100 animals from
ONE species. You can choose any animal you like. Describe your animal’s traits.
Describe the type of environment your animal population lives in and how its traits are
adapted to living in its environment. You will then change the animal’s environment and
describe the animal’s EVOLUTION as it adapts to the new environment over many
generations. You will start your “Evolution” in 2003 and decide how much time has
passed to the end of your “Evolution”.
Required elements: Part 1
1) Create 3 physical and 2 behavioral traits for your animal population.
2) Identify 3 environmental factors in the animal’s environment.
3) Create a “Phenotype Frequency” table that describes the diversity of each trait in your
animal population.
4) Graph each trait in a “Frequency Distribution” graph. Are the distributions “normal” or
“skewed”?
5) A 2 paragraph description of the animal population and its niche, and how it uses its
traits to survive in its environment.
Words to use in Part 1 paragraphs: Population, Traits, Environment, Niche, Adaptation,
Frequency.
Required elements: Part 2
1)
Change at least one of the environmental factors from part 1.
2)
Describe how the environmental changes lead to “Natural Selection”.
3)
Use the “Natural Selection” to create a new “Phenotype Frequency” table for the
changes in part 2. These are changes over ONE or TWO generations at most.
4)
Graph each trait in a “Frequency Distribution” graph.
5)
Compare the graphs in part 1 to the new graphs in part 2. Was the “Natural
Selection” you used to change the trait frequencies “Directional”, “Stabilizing”, or
“Disruptive”?
Required elements: Part 3
1) Determine if your “Natural Selection” leads to “Speciation” (Your animal population
changes to a new species).
2) Determine how much Geologic Time has passed since 2003.
3) Describe the evidence that a scientist could find to study the changes in your animal
population and its environment from 2003 to the end of your Evolution.
Conclusion:
Summarize the changes you made to the environment, the “Natural Selection”, the
changes in the animals traits, and the amount of geologic time needed for speciation in a
short two paragraph conclusion.
Words to use in your conclusion: Natural Selection, Microevolution, Macroevolution,
Geologic Time, Speciation.
TOTAL = _______
44
Evaluation:
Performance Criteria
Marks
Support for Topic (K/U)
[8 marks]
 provides details of traits,
both physical and
behavioural
(2)
Student does not
provide details
(4)
Student provides
some details
(6)
Student provides
good detail
(8)
Student provides
very detailed and
clear explanations.
Use of vocabulary and
terminology (C)
[8 marks]
includes vocabulary words
and uses them in an
appropriate manner
Grammar (C)
[4 marks]
 finds and fixes
mechanical and
grammatical errors in
final report
(2)
uses vocabulary
and terminology of
the discipline with
limited effectiveness
(4)
uses vocabulary and
terminology of the
discipline with some
effectiveness
(1)
Student leaves
serious errors in
final report.
(2)
Student leaves some
serious errors in final
report.
(6)
uses vocabulary and
terminology of the
discipline with
considerable
effectiveness
(3)
Student finds and
fixes most errors in
final report.
(8)
uses vocabulary and
terminology of the
discipline with high
degree of
effectiveness
(4)
Student leaves no
errors in final report.
Expression and
organization of
information (C)
[8 marks]
 clearly labeled graphs,
and tables
Use of Initiating and
planning skills and
strategies (T/I)
[4 marks]
 explaining environmental
factors and changes
(2)
graphs and tables
are not clearly
labeled and are
inaccurate
(4)
graphs and tables
have some errors
and are somewhat
labeled
(6)
graphs and tables
are mostly labeled
and accurate
(8)
graphs and tables
are clearly labeled
and accurate
(1)
uses initiating and
planning skills with
limited effectiveness
(2)
uses initiating and
planning skills with
some effectiveness
(3)
uses initiating and
planning skills with
considerable
effectiveness
(4)
uses initiating and
planning skills with
high degree of
effectiveness
Use of critical/creative
thinking processes,
skills, and strategies (T/I)
[4 marks]
 description of evidence
that support evolution
(1)
student describes
one piece of
evidence
(2)
student describes
two pieces of
evidence
(3)
student describes
three pieces of
evidence
(4)
student describes
more than three
pieces of evidence
Concept Connections (A)
[8 marks]
 concepts are
incorporated and
connections are
explained appropriately
(2)
Fails to explain
concept in relation
to animal’s
evolution.
(4)
Made attempts to
explain concepts in
relation to animal’s
evolution.
(6)
Explains concepts in
relation to animal’s
evolution.
(8)
Explains all concepts
in relation to animal’s
evolution in an
exceptional manner.
Comments:
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
Culminating Activity three:
Promoting Evolution Awareness through Your Own Website
Work in groups of two to create a webpage about evolution to share with other students
in Grade 11 in the school, using www.webstarts.com . You will need to include the
following contents:
Evolution theories by early philosophers and scientists
Darwin and his theory of natural selection
Mechanism for evolution
Mutation and Selection
Natural and artificial selection
Factors that affect the evolutionary process
Updated research supporting and confirming the processes of evolution.
Part One: Research
Using the above, research all required information pertaining to the concept. Look for
facts, dates, history, locations, scientific discoveries, opposition to evolution due to
religious believes, etc. Make sure that for every important point of the concept (your
discretion) you find high quality pictures, diagrams, video clips, etc. Remember that most
people are attracted to colorful visual stimuli.
Part Two: Organization of material
Once you have gather all necessary information, select the most important points and
summarize your research in the way you would present it to an audience. As a guideline,
you can follow the order as you would in a PowerPoint presentation. As you organize all
your data tie it with your fantastic pictures, diagrams, video clips, etc.
Hint: Remember, you are trying to create awareness that evolution exists and therefore
you need to consider people’s religious believes. So do not appear preachy or insulting.
This is not the way people will listen to you, let alone learn from you. You must use tact
to get the attention of all your audience.
Part three: Create your website
Get a computer with internet access and log on to www.webstarts.com. There, you will
need to sign up in order to use your free website. Once you have access come up with a
very instructive, attractive, and cool name for your website. It must be original so take
time to think about your www.coolname.com. Follow their easy to use instructions on
how to enter all your data and how to paste all your pictures, and videos, etc. Make it as
attractive as possible. Include a questionnaire for every topic in your webpage. Make
the questionnaire interactive and fun. Again, be creative.
After you are done with your website, follow the instruction to make your domain ready in
minutes. How do you know you are ready? If you feel darn proud about your work,
you’re ready!
Part Four: Present it in class
Start with a small introduction on the importance of knowing about evolution, and how
and why it has been difficult to create awareness about it (again, be sensitive to the
believes of others). Tell your audience the reason you chose this assignment and why
you felt it was important for you to create awareness.
Use Google or yahoo to find your domain. You need to show how your website can be
found through these search engines. Once you find your domain log on and demonstrate
how you can use this website, its important components, how to enter comments about
your website, how to debate, etc. Make sure that you are promoting awareness about
evolution at the same time you are showcasing your website. Oral presentation should
be no more than 20 minutes.
Evaluation:
Website Project CheckBric
Student Name: __________________________
Task: Creating Awareness on Evolution Via your Own Website
Total Mark: ___/ 240 = ___%
Due date: November 17, 2011.
Follow the list below and check the first space as you complete your work. I will mark you based
on your effort and quality of your assignment on the space to the right.
A
Knowledge
__
__
__
__
__
__ Mentioned important facts on evolution.
__ Depth of material on the subject is instructive.
__ Information is related to all processes of evolution.
__ Mentioned and applied information from the course.
__ Information is very interesting and useful to all audiences.
B
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
Communication
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
C
__
__
__
__
Showed effort and dedication.
Spelling and grammar were adequately used.
References are well documented in your website.
Written information is interesting and convincing.
Pictures are interesting, attractive and colorful.
Diagrams are interesting, attractive and colorful.
Videos are interesting, attractive and creative.
Oral presentation was rehearsed.
website presentation has the Wow factor.
Thinking
__
__
__
__
D
__
__
__
__
__
__
10 Excellent
7 Good
5 Satisfactory
3 limited
0 Not included
10 Excellent
7 Good
5 Satisfactory
3 limited
0 Not included
10 Excellent
7 Good
5 Satisfactory
3 limited
0 Not included
Analysis of research is very thorough.
Information makes audience reflect on the importance of evolution.
Information is presented in a way that creates awareness despite people’s misconceptions.
Organization of content links concepts appropriately.
Application
__
__
__
__
__
__
10 Excellent
Website effectively promotes awareness on the importance of evolution.
7 Good
Website content shows a great deal of historical events with dates.
5 Satisfactory
Questionnaires have been used to test knowledge of evolution in website.
3 limited
A section for comments and debates has been added to the website.
0 Not included
Name of the domain is very creative.
Domain can be easily found in popular search engines such as Google and yahoo