SBI3U – Grade 11 Biology U
Evolution: Mini-Assignment Skills of Inquiry/Communication
Teacher’s Notes
Analysing & Evaluating Scientific Papers
Recent Research Development
Lesson Objectives:
1. To provide an opportunity for students to practice reading, comprehending, and evaluating
primary scientific journals (to prepare for the research component of the STSE project within
this unit)
2. To provide an opportunity to examine some recent research development in the field of
evolution
Ministry Expectations:
Overall Expectations:
C2 Investigate evolutionary processes, and analyse scientific evidence that supports the theory of
evolution
C3 demonstrate an understanding of the theory of evolution, the evidence that supports it, and some
of the mechanism by which it occurs
Specific Expectations:
A1.8 synthesize, analyse, interpret, and evaluate qualitative and/or quantitative data to determine
whether the evidence supports or refutes the initial prediction or hypothesis and whether it is
consistent with scientific theory; identify sources of bias and/or error; and suggest improvements to
the inquiry to reduce the likelihood of error
A1.9 analyse the information gathered from research sources for logic, accuracy, reliability,
adequacy, and bias
C2.1 use appropriate terminology related to evolution, including, but not limited to: extinction,
natural selection, phylogeny, speciation, niche, mutation, mimicry, adaptation, and survival of the
fittest
C2.2 use a research process to investigate some key factors that affect the evolutionary process
C3.1 Explain the fundamental theory of evolution, using the evolutionary mechanism of natural
selection to illustrate the process of biological change over time
Student Learning Goals:
After this assignment, students should be able to:
 Identify hypothesis and how the hypothesis is tested
 Understand and explain the scientific method with the concepts of control, replication,
dependent and independent variables and data
 Identify the major contribution(s) of the scientific paper
 Critically evaluate any shortcomings of the paper
 Understand the some advantages or limitations of research
 Summarize and discuss important points of the scientific paper
 Research properly using appropriate sources for their STSE research project
Prior Knowledge:
SBI3U – Grade 11 Biology U
Evolution: Mini-Assignment Skills of Inquiry/Communication
Teacher’s Notes
This activity should be done near the end of the unit. Students should already have the
understanding of:
 Natural selection, selective pressures, mechanisms of evolution, speciation, sexual selection
From other units or courses, students should also have some exposure to what primary research
or scientific journal articles. If students have had limited exposure, please provide the students the
“Supplementary Information on Scientific Papers” handout to ensure the students understand how
the articles are organized and presented.
Assessment Strategies:
Students will be given the worksheets for the weekend (or 2-3 school days) as homework. A
class discussion will follow the next school day. Students are to participate in small group
discussions to ensure that students understood the two papers. Students are to hand in their
worksheet which will be marked. Two rubrics will be given for the written assignment, one for part A
and B. This assignment will be an Assessment of Learning (AoL) to evaluate how well the student
analysed and evaluated the two research articles.
The class discussion to follow will be evaluated but will be assessed as an Assessment for
Learning (AfL) to ensure the students have understood the article. You may choose to evaluate the
discussion by using the students to perform peer-evaluations with a checkbric.
Teacher’s Notes:
Tips:
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The articles selected are noted in the student worksheet and also in the references. The two
articles selected are investigating sexual selection; which looks at a fish model and humans.
o The general answer keys are provided for Part A however, the answers will vary. Due
to the openness of the evaluation and comparison component of Part B, no answer
key is provided.
You may allow a more open-ended assignment and have a collection of articles for students to
choose OR have the students have free-range in choice of the two articles. However, you must
keep in mind that the articles are related to evolution as well as you will have to read all the
articles that the students have chosen to use.
You may also do a class discussion for Part B instead of having a written part if you prefer to
do a class discussion instead and have the student do a reflection after the discussion.
If you determine that the students would likely have issues with reading a scientific journal,
you may want to have a class in which a teacher librarian can provide a lesson OR have a
class dedicated to reading and dissecting an article together first, before giving out the
assignment.
References:
Kekalainen J., Huuskonen H., Tuomaala M., and Koret R. 2010. Both male and female sexual
ornaments reflect offspring performance in fish. Evolution 64-11:3149-3157.
Watkins C.D., DeBruin L.M., Smith F.G., Jones B.C., Vukovic J., and Fraccaro P. 2011. Like father,
like self: emotional closeness to father predicts women’s preferences for self-resemblance in oppositesex faces. Evolution and Human Behaviour 32:70-75.