Build A Unit!
Unit Planning Pack with Resources
Subject Area/Grade: Life Science, grade 5
Title: Evolution and Genetics
1 Unit Theme:
(to be completed by the unit organizer)
2 Conceptual Lens:
(to be completed by the unit organizer)
3 Identify the Big Ideas:
(Align to Essential Standards)
Change, Constancy and measurement
Unity and Diversity
Structure and function in living things
4 Enduring Understanding
(Generalizations)
Offspring inherit their traits from their parents. These traits can be quite varied from individual to individual within a
population. Some traits give an organism advantage in survival and reproduction.
5 Essential Questions
(Guiding Questions)





Why do offspring resemble their parents?
Why don’t offspring look exactly like their parents?
How do organisms change as they go through life cycles?
How are organisms of the same kind similar, yet different?
How are organisms of the same kind different from each other and how might this help them to survive?
NC Science Essential Standards
5.L.3 Understand why organisms differ from or are similar to their parents based on the characteristics of the
organism.
5.L.3.1 Explain why organisms differ from or are similar to their parents based on the characteristics of the organism.
5.L.3.2 Give examples of likenesses that are inherited and some that are not.
Essential Terminology
trait
population
inherit
community
species
culture
GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS:
How are offspring like their parents? http://www.eduplace.com/science/hmsc/content/organizer/4/org_4a_3_3.pdf
What are inherited and learned behaviors? http://www.eduplace.com/science/hmsc/content/organizer/4/org_4a_4_2.pdf
Adaptations http://www.eduplace.com/science/hmsc/content/organizer/4/org_4b_7.pdf
Science For All Americans
(minimum ADULT content knowledge)
EVOLUTION OF LIFE
The earth's present-day life forms appear to have evolved from common ancestors reaching back to the simplest one-cell
organisms almost four billion years ago. Modern ideas of evolution provide a scientific explanation for three main sets of
observable facts about life on earth: the enormous number of different life forms we see about us, the systematic similarities in
anatomy and molecular chemistry we see within that diversity, and the sequence of changes in fossils found in successive
layers of rock that have been formed over more than a billion years.
Since the beginning of the fossil record, many new life forms have appeared, and most old forms have disappeared. The
many traceable sequences of changing anatomical forms, inferred from ages of rock layers, convince scientists that the
accumulation of differences from one generation to the next has led eventually to species as different from one another as
bacteria are from elephants. The molecular evidence substantiates the anatomical evidence from fossils and provides
additional detail about the sequence in which various lines of descent branched off from one another.
Although details of the history of life on earth are still being pieced together from the combined geological, anatomical, and
molecular evidence, the main features of that history are generally agreed upon. At the very beginning, simple molecules may
have formed complex molecules that eventually formed into cells capable of self-replication. Life on earth has existed for three
billion years. Prior to that, simple molecules may have formed complex organic molecules that eventually formed into cells
capable of self-replication. During the first two billion years of life, only microorganisms existed—some of them apparently
quite similar to bacteria and algae that exist today. With the development of cells with nuclei about a billion years ago, there
was a great increase in the rate of evolution of increasingly complex, multicelled organisms. The rate of evolution of new
species has been uneven since then, perhaps reflecting the varying rates of change in the physical environment.
A central concept of the theory of evolution is natural selection, which arises from three well-established observations: (1)
There is some variation in heritable characteristics within every species of organism, (2) some of these characteristics will
give individuals an advantage over others in surviving to maturity and reproducing, and (3) those individuals will be likely to
have more offspring, which will themselves be more likely than others to survive and reproduce. The likely result is that over
successive generations, the proportion of individuals that have inherited advantage-giving characteristics will tend to increase.
Selectable characteristics can include details of biochemistry, such as the molecular structure of hormones or digestive
enzymes, and anatomical features that are ultimately produced in the development of the organism, such as bone size or fur
length. They can also include more subtle features determined by anatomy, such as acuity of vision or pumping efficiency of
the heart. By biochemical or anatomical means, selectable characteristics may also influence behavior, such as weaving a
certain shape of web, preferring certain characteristics in a mate, or being disposed to care for offspring.
New heritable characteristics can result from new combinations of parents' genes or from mutations of them. Except for
mutation of the DNA in an organism's sex cells, the characteristics that result from occurrences during the organism's lifetime
cannot be biologically passed on to the next generation. Thus, for example, changes in an individual caused by use or disuse of
a structure or function, or by changes in its environment, cannot be promulgated by natural selection.
By its very nature, natural selection is likely to lead to organisms with characteristics that are well adapted to survival in
particular environments. Yet chance alone, especially in small populations, can result in the spread of inherited characteristics
that have no inherent survival or reproductive advantage or disadvantage. Moreover, when an environment changes (in this
sense, other organisms are also part of the environment), the advantage or disadvantage of characteristics can change. So
natural selection does not necessarily result in long-term progress in a set direction. Evolution builds on what already exists,
so the more variety that already exists, the more there can be.
The continuing operation of natural selection on new characteristics and in changing environments, over and over again for
millions of years, has produced a succession of diverse new species. Evolution is not a ladder in which the lower forms are all
replaced by superior forms, with humans finally emerging at the top as the most advanced species. Rather, it is like a bush:
Many branches emerged long ago; some of those branches have died out; some have survived with apparently little or no
change over time; and some have repeatedly branched, sometimes giving rise to more complex organisms.
The modern concept of evolution provides a unifying principle for understanding the history of life on earth, relationships
among all living things, and the dependence of life on the physical environment. While it is still far from clear how evolution
works in every detail, the concept is so well established that it provides a framework for organizing most of biological
knowledge into a coherent picture.
NGSS Framework
Core Idea LS3
How are characteristics of one generation passed to the next?
How can individuals of the same species and even siblings have different characteristics?
Heredity explains why offspring resemble, but are not identical to, their parents and is a unifying biological principle. Heredity refers to
specific mechanisms by which characteristics or traits are passed from one generation to the next via genes. Genes encode the information
for making specific proteins, which are responsible for the specific traits of an individual. Each gene can have several variants, called
alleles, which code for different variants of the trait in question. Genes reside in a cell’s chromosomes, each of which contains many genes.
Every cell of any individual organism contains the identical set of chromosomes. When organisms reproduce, genetic information is
transferred to their offspring. In species that reproduce sexually, each cell contains two variants of each chromosome, one inherited from
each parent. Thus sexual reproduction gives rise to a new combination
of chromosome pairs with variations between parent and offspring. Very rarely, mutations also cause variations, which may be harmful,
neutral, or occasionally advantageous for an individual. Environmental as well as genetic variation and the relative dominance of each of
the genes in a pair play an important role in how traits develop within an individual. Complex relationships between genes and
interactions of genes with the environment determine how an organism will develop and function.
LS3.A: Inheritance of Traits
(draft – K-12 Overview)
How are the characteristics of one generation related to the previous generation?
In all organisms the genetic instructions for forming species characteristics are carried in the chromosomes. Each chromosome consists of
a single very long DNA molecule, and each gene on the chromosome is a particular segment of that DNA. DNA molecules contain four
different kinds of building blocks, called nucleotides, linked together in a sequential chain. The sequence of nucleotides spells out the
information in a gene. Before a cell divides the DNA sequence of its chromosomes is replicated and each daughter cell receives a copy.DNA
is replicated by physical and chemical mechanisms within the cell and controls the expression of proteins: it is transcribed into a
“messenger” RNA, which is translated in turn by the cellular machinery into a protein. In effect, proteins build an organism’s identifiable
traits. When organisms reproduce, genetic information is transferred to their offspring, with half coming from each parent in sexual
reproduction. Inheritance is the key factor in similarity among individuals in a species population.
Grade Band Endpoints for LS3.A
By the end of grade 2. Organisms have characteristics that can be similar or different. Young animals are very much, but not exactly, like
their parents and also resemble other animals of the same kind. Plants also are very much, but not exactly, like their parents and resemble
other plants of the same kind.
By the end of grade 5. Many characteristics of organisms are inherited from their parents. Other characteristics result from individuals’
interactions with the environment, which can range from diet to learning. Many characteristics involve both inheritance and environment.
LS3.B: Variation of Traits (draft – K-12 Overview)
Why do individuals of the same species vary in how they look, function, and behave?
Variation among individuals of the same species can be explained by both genetic and environmental factors. Individuals within a species
have similar but not identical genes. In sexual reproduction, variations in traits between parent and offspring arise from the particular set
of chromosomes (and their respective multiple genes) inherited, with each parent contributing half of each chromosome pair. More
rarely, such variations result from mutations, which are changes in the information that genes carry. Although genes control the general
traits of any given organism, other parts of the DNA and external environmental factors can modify an individual’s specific development,
appearance, behavior, and likelihood of producing offspring. Thus, the set of variations of genes present, together with the interactions of
genes with their environment, determines the distribution of variation of traits in a population.
Grade Band Endpoints for LS3.B
By the end of grade 2. Individuals of the same kind of plant or animal are recognizable as similar but can also vary in many ways.
By the end of grade 5. Offspring acquire a mix of traits from their biological parents. Different organisms vary in how they look and
function because they have different inherited information. In each kind of organism there is variation in the traits themselves, and
different organisms may have different versions of the trait. The environment also affects the traits that an organism develops—
differences in where they grow or in the food they consume may cause organisms that are related to end up looking or behaving
differently.
Core Idea LS4 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
How can there be so many similarities among organisms yet so many different kinds of plants, animals, and microorganisms?
How does biodiversity affect humans?
Biological evolution explains both the unity and the diversity of species and provides a unifying principle for the history and diversity of
life on Earth. Biological evolution is supported by extensive scientific evidence ranging from the fossil record to genetic relationships
among species. Researchers continue to use new and different techniques, including DNA and protein sequence analyses, to test and
further their understanding of evolutionary relationships. Evolution, which is continuous and ongoing, occurs when natural selection acts
on the genetic variation in a population and changes the distribution of traits in that population gradually over multiple generations.
Natural selection can act more rapidly after sudden changes in conditions, which can lead to the extinction of species. Through natural
selection, traits that provide an individual with an advantage to best meet environmental challenges and reproduce are the ones most
likely to be passed on to the next generation. Over multiple generations, this process can lead to the emergence of new species. Evolution
thus explains both the similarities of genetic material across all species and the multitude of species existing in diverse conditions on
Earth—its biodiversity—which humans depend on for natural resources and other benefits to sustain themselves.
LS4.A: EVIDENCE OF COMMON ANCESTRY AND DIVERSITY
What evidence shows that different species are related?
Biological evolution, the process by which all living things have evolved over many generations from shared ancestors, explains both the
unity and the diversity of species. The unity is illustrated by the similarities found between species; which can be explained by the
inheritance of similar characteristics from related ancestors. The diversity of species is also consistent with common ancestry; it is
explained by the branching and diversification of lineages as populations adapted, primarily through natural selection, to local
circumstances. Evidence for common ancestry can be found in the fossil record, from comparative anatomy and embryology, from the
similarities of cellular processes and structures, and from comparisons of DNA sequences between species. The understanding of
evolutionary relationships has recently been greatly accelerated by using new molecular tools to study developmental biology, with
researchers dissecting the genetic basis for some of the changes seen in the fossil record, as well as those that can be inferred to link living
species (e.g., the armadillo) to their ancestors (e.g., glyptodonts, a kind of extinct gigantic armadillo).
LS4.A: Evidence of Common Ancestry and Diversity (draft – K-12 Overview)
What evidence shows that different species are related?
Biological evolution, the process by which all living things have evolved over many generations from shared ancestors, explains both the
unity and the diversity of species. The unity is illustrated by similarities found across all species; it can be explained from the inheritance
of similar characteristics from similar ancestors. The diversity of species is also consistent with common ancestry; it is explained by the
branching and diversification of lineages as populations adapted, primarily through natural selection, to local circumstances. Evidence for
common ancestry can be found in the fossil record, from comparative anatomy, from comparative embryology, and from the similarities
of cellular processes and structures and of DNA across all species. The understanding of evolutionary relationships has recently been
greatly accelerated by molecular biology, especially as applied to developmental biology, with researchers investigating the genetic basis
of some of the changes seen in the fossil
record, as well as those that can be inferred to link living species (e.g., the armadillo) to their ancestors (e.g., glyptodonts, a kind of extinct
gigantic armadillo).
Grade Band Endpoints for LS4.A
By the end of grade 2. Some kinds of plants and animals that once lived on Earth (e.g., dinosaurs) are no longer found anywhere, although
others now living (e.g., lizards) resemble them in some ways.
By the end of grade 5. Fossils provide evidence about the types of organisms (both visible and microscopic) that lived long ago and also
about the nature of their environments. Fossils can be compared with one another and to living organisms according to their similarities
and differences.
LS4.B: NATURAL SELECTION
How does genetic variation among organisms affect survival and reproduction?
Genetic variation in a species results in individuals with a range of traits. In any particular environment individuals with particular traits
may be more likely than others to survive and produce offspring. This process is called natural selection and may lead to the
predominance of certain inherited traits in a population and the suppression of others. Natural selection occurs only if there is variation in
the genetic information within a population that is expressed in traits that lead to differences in survival and reproductive ability among
individuals under specific environmental conditions. If the trait differences do not affect reproductive success, then natural selection will
not favor one trait over others.
LS4.B: Natural Selection (draft – K-12 Overview)
How does genetic variation among organisms affect survival and reproduction?
Genetic variation in a species results in individuals with a range of traits. In any particular environment individuals with particular traits
may be more likely than others to survive and produce offspring. This process is called natural selection and may lead to the
predominance of certain inherited traits in a population and the suppression of others. Natural selection occurs only if there is variation in
the genetic information within a population that is expressed in traits that lead to differences in survival and reproductive ability among
individuals under specific environmental conditions. If the trait differences do not affect reproductive success, then natural selection will
not favor one trait over others.
Grade Band Endpoints for LS4.B
By the end of grade 5. Sometimes the differences in characteristics between individuals of the same species provide advantages in
surviving, finding mates, and reproducing.
Benchmarks for Science Literacy (recommended grade band benchmarks)
Students can begin to look for ways in which organisms in one habitat differ from those in another and consider how some of
those differences are helpful to survival. The focus should be on the consequences of different features of organisms for their
survival and reproduction. The study of fossils that preserve plant and animal structures is one approach to looking at
characteristics of organisms. Evidence for the similarity within diversity of existing organisms can draw upon students'
expanding knowledge of anatomical similarities and differences.
By the end of the 5th grade, students should know that
 Individuals of the same kind differ in their characteristics, and sometimes the differences give individuals an advantage
in surviving and reproducing. 5F/E1
 Fossils can be compared to one another and to living organisms according to their similarities and differences. Some
organisms that lived long ago are similar to existing organisms, but some are quite different. 5F/E2
Unpacked Content (for students)
5.L.3.1
Students know that the life processes and species characteristics that define a population will be transmitted from parent to
offspring. Students also know that these processes and characteristics cover a broad range of structures, functions and
behaviors that can vary substantially from individual to individual.
5.L.3.2
Students know some likenesses between parents and children are inherited. Other likenesses are learned from parents or
within the community (population/culture). Students know that in order for offspring to resemble their parents there must be
a reliable way to transfer genetic information from parent to offspring. Students can be encouraged to keep lists of
characteristics that animals and plants acquire from their parents, things that they don't, and things that the students are not
sure about either way. This is also the time to start building the notion of a population whose members are alike in many ways
but show some variation.
Identify Student Misconceptions
*Construct formative assessment probes – see ‘how to’ on pages 85, 102, and 183 in Science Formative Assessment by Page
Keeley.
Use formative probes: Uncovering Student ideas in Science, Volumes 1-4, by Page Keeley
(I)
Volume 2 Baby Mice p. 129
Formative Assessment Probes (articles, how-to, free-online) by Page Keeley, et al
http://pal.lternet.edu/docs/outreach/educators/education_pedagogy_research/assessment_probes_uncovering_student_ideas.pdf
http://www.ode.state.or.us/teachlearn/subjects/science/resources/msef2010-formative_assessment_probes.pdf
North Carolina Connections: (local and state resources)
Catawba Science Center
CSC also provides a variety of educational and fun programming for school groups, children, families, adults, and other
community groups. 243 3rd Avenue NE (street address), P.O. Box 2431, Hickory, NC 28603, (828) 322-8169
Imagination Station Science Museum
Interactive programs are designed to promote student investigation into various science concepts. 224 East Nash Street,
Wilson, NC 27894 Phone (252) 291-5113.
North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
Special Event: Darwin Day
Spend an afternoon learning about famed naturalist Charles Darwin, take a closer look at his theories and meet some of the
scientists who are continuing his work.
11 West Jones St. Raleigh, NC 27601 919-733-7450
North Carolina Museum of Life and Science
Experience how inquiry-based teaching energizes your students and encourages science discovery. 433 West Murray Avenue
(street address), P.O. Box 15190, Durham, NC 27704, (919) 220-5429
SciWorks, the Science Center and Environmental Park of Forsyth County
Enjoy interactive, hands-on special exhibits and programs in spacious exhibit halls. 400 West Hanes Mill Rd., Winston-Salem,
(336) 767-6730
North Carolina NASA Educator Resource Center
J. Murrey Atkins Library UNC Charlotte 9201 University City Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28223 704-687-2559
Annotated TEACHING Resources
Heredity PowerPoint
A basic introduction to heredity.
http://jc-schools.net/write/sci/Heredity_files/frame.htm
What makes you you?
An interactivity from Ology that introduces students to where traits come from.
http://www.amnh.org/ology/genetics#features/youYou/youyou.php?TB_iframe=true&height=350&width=600
Ology for Genetics
A page full of activities for students that help to teach basic concepts of heredity.
http://www.amnh.org/ology/index.php?channel=genetics
Human Genetics
A collection of resources for teacher use.
http://www.genetics.edu.au/health-professionals-1/schools/hgps
Learn.Genetics
The genetic science learning center at the University of Utah.
http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/
Introduction to Heredity Unit
Five easy to implement classroom activities that teach the basics of heritable traits.
http://teach.genetics.utah.edu/content/heredity/
Evolution Readiness
Students learn Darwin's model of natural selection using computer-based models depicting interacting organisms and their
environments. Curricular activities involve formative assessment, labs, and multimedia materials.
http://www.concord.org/projects/evolution-readiness#participants
Understanding Evolution
Provides teachers with the basic conceptual knowledge students develop about evolution and genetics in grades 3-5.
Includes a search engine for classroom activities.
http://www.evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/teach/35lounge.php
Smart Exchange
http://exchange.smarttech.com/search.html
A directory of Smart Board lessons that teachers can download and use.
Teachers Domain
http://www.teachersdomain.org/
Free digital media for educational use.
Heredity and Adaptation for Teachers
A professional development resource for elementary school teachers.
http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/tdpd.sci.elssc3/
NSTA’s Evolution Resources
A variety of resources for teachers and students, provided by the national Science Teachers Association.
http://www.nsta.org/publications/evolution.aspx
Quick-Write Prompts
1. Which of your physical traits seem to be the most and the least accounted for by your parent’s traits? Describe your traits.
Compare and contrast them with those of your parents. Finally, explain which ones you think are most and least accounted for by
your ancestry.
2. Imagine that you have an identical twin. What would be some advantages and disadvantages of having an identical twin?
3. Look at a series of family pictures with parents and children. Describe how the children are similar to their parents and similar to
one another.
4. Research hereditary diseases on the internet. Write a brief description of one disease that is caused by heredity.
5. Some birds can fly for a long time without stopping. Is this a trait that birds can inherit from their parents? Can you think of any
other traits of particular breeds of birds that might be passed from parents to offspring? Describe one such trait as well as how it
might help a bird to survive.
READING & VIDEO Resources
Whats the Big idea About Genetics
http://www.amnh.org/ology/index.php?channel=genetics#features/bigideas_genetics/index.php?TB_iframe=true&height=500&width=6
00
Tour of the Basics: What is Heredity? & What is a Trait?
http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/begin/tour/
Heredity (scholastic video-advanced students)
http://studyjams.scholastic.com/studyjams/jams/science/human-body/heredity.htm
Bill Nye on Inheritance
http://www.neok12.com/php/watch.php?v=zX537c467973705973775d59&t=Genetics