Focus Plan
Texarkana Independent School District
GRADING
PERIOD:
WRITER:
Chemistry – 2nd, Biology – 4th
PLAN CODE:
L. Petty
COURSE/SUBJECT:
11th grade science
GRADE(S):
11th
TIME ALLOTTED
FOR INSTRUCTION:
1-1/2 hours
TITLE:
Let’s Play Sequence
LESSON TOPIC:
How different types of evidence can be used to determine the relationships
between organisms.
TAKS OBJECTIVE:
Objective 3
The student uses critical thinking and scientific problem solving to make
informed decisions.
11.7 The student knows the theory of biological evolution. The student is
expected to:
(a) identify evidence of change in species using fossils, DNA sequences,
anatomical similarities, physiological similarities, and embryology.
11.2 The student uses scientific methods during field and laboratory
investigations. The student is expected to:
(C) organize, analyze, evaluate, make inferences, and predict trends from
data
(D) communicate valid conclusions
FOCUS TEKS AND STUDENT
EXPECTATION:
SUPPORTING TEKS AND
STUDENT EXPECTATIONS:
CONCEPTS
Information
Physiology
Technology
Mutations
Closely related
ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS/GENERALIZATIONS/PRINCIPLES
The student will understand that
New scientific information is being released everyday.
Similar appearance, homologous and analogous structures used to be the main ways
to determine how closely related organisms were.
Technology is currently being used to evaluate relationships using biochemisty, the
similarities in proteins and DNA.
Changes in DNA are called mutations.
The more similar the DNA and proteins are, the fewer the mutations have occurred.
This means the two organisms are closely related.
I.
SEQUENCE OF ACTIVITIES (INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES)
A.
Focus/connections/anticipatory set
Once students are seated, put Transparency Master: Fossil Evidence on the overhead. Go over the
questions with students. Explain that fossil evidence like this, along with the appearance of the organisms,
used to be our main methods of determining the relative age and relationship among organisms. We are now
using biochemical evidence to determine relationships.
B.
Instructional activities
(demonstrations, lectures, examples, hands-on experiences, role play, active learning experience, art,
music, modeling, discussion, reading, listening, viewing, etc.)
1. Lecture
Go over the Pre-lab Discussion information provided in the lab.
C.
Guided activity or strategy
Go through the comparison of the human and the chimpanzee using Figure 2. Show students how to record
the information on Data Table 1.
D.
Accommodations/modifications
Students requiring accommodations may be assigned a peer tutor.
E.
Enrichment
Students requiring enrichment may be assigned as a peer tutor.
II.
STUDENT PERFORMANCE
A.
Description
Complete Lab Worksheet – Let’s Play Sequence
B.
Accommodations/modifications
Students requiring accommodations should be assigned a peer tutor for the procedure part of the activity.
C.
Enrichment
Students requiring enrichment should be assigned to help struggling students, especially in filling in data.
III.
ASSESSMENT OF ACTIVITIES
A.
Description
Grade Lab Worksheet – Let’s Play Sequence
B.
Rubrics/grading criteria
Data Tables and Graphs should be graded at 10 points each. Incorrect or missing information would cause a
point deduction.
Lab questions should be graded at 4 points each.
C.
Accommodations/modifications
Students requiring accommodations may need additional help with questions 6 and 9, which are upper-level
questions. The Bonus question may be optional.
D.
Enrichment
All students requiring enrichment must do all questions on their own.
E.
Sample discussion questions
1. What are amino acids? The building blocks of proteins.
2. Where does the pattern for amino acids come from? The pattern of the DNA.
3. Using biochemical evidence, how can scientists determine how closely related organisms are? The more
similar the proteins/DNA, the more similar the organisms.
4. What causes a difference in DNA? Mutations
5. What can cause mutations? Chemicals, errors in DNA replication, x-rays, radiation from the sun, etc.
IV.
TAKS PREPARATION
A.
Transition to TAKS context
Use the following information to answer questions 1-4.
A. cys
B. cys
C. cys
try
val
try
try
his
ala
val
met
val
val
cys
his
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1. How many differences occur between organisms A and B?
(a) 4
(b) 5
(c) 9
(d) 10
2. Which two organisms are the most closely related?
(a) A and B
(b) B and C
(c) A and C
(d) they are all equally related
3. Which two organisms would probably look the most alike?
(a) A and B
(b) B and C
(c) A and C
(d) none of the organisms would look alike
4. Which two organisms would probably have similar proteins?
(a) A and B
(b) B and C
(c) A and C
(d) none of them would have similar proteins
ala
ala
his
cys
cys
cys
cys
pro
pro
met
ala
met
B.
Sample TAKS questions
Spring 2003
1. The table shows a comparison of some amino acids found in cytochrome c. The two organisms in the
table that are most closely related are _____.
(a) Q and T
(b) R and S
(c) Q and R
(d) Q and S
Spring 2004
2. The table shows an amino acid comparison of cytochrome c, a protein involved in cellular respiration in
aerobic organisms. The two organisms in the table that are least genetically related are the __________.
(a) silkworm moth and the fruit fly
(b) silkworm moth and the screwworm fly
(c) fruit fly and the screwworm fly
(d) fruit fly and the hornworm moth
V.
KEY VOCABULARY
Amino Acid
Analogous
DNA
Evolution
Fossil
VI.
RESOURCES
A.
Textbook
None needed.
Homologous
Mutation
Protein
Sedimentary rock
B.
Supplementary materials/equipment
Transparency Master – Fossil Evidence
Instructor’s Copy – Transparency Master Fossil Evidence
Lab Worksheet – Let’s Play Sequence
Instructor’s Copy – Let’s Play Sequence
C.
VII.
Technology
FOLLOW UP ACTIVITIES
(reteaching, cross-curricular support, technology activities, next lesson in sequence, etc.)
A. Reteaching
Go over lab questions.
B. Next lesson in sequence
Biology and Chemistry – Objective 7B – natural selection
Geology – radioactive dating or other fossil evidence
VIII.
TEACHER NOTES
Before lab:
1. Make a copy of the Transparency Master – Fossil Evidence
2. Run off a copy of the lab for each student.
During lab:
3. The only problem students may have during the lab is confusion on where to fill in data. There are a lot of figures,
data tables and graphs. Spot check to make sure students are filling in each correctly.