Week+2

Week 2: What proof do we have of Evolution? How does it work?

//﻿I can explain how new traits might become established in a population, and how species become extinct.//
 * Rundown of the Week **
 * **Monday**: The Great Fossil Find
 * In Class Assignment: Analyze fossil samples to determine the identity of an unknown organism.
 * Homework: None!


 * **Tuesday**: Evidence for Evolution
 * In Class Assignment: Watch and discuss videos about the process of Evolution, then create a PowerPoint detailing several whale fossils and embed on our Whale Evolution Slide Show page.
 * Homework: Answer the analysis questions on the Whale Evolution Slide Show page and include them with your embedded PowerPoint.


 * **Wednesday**: DNA Comparison
 * In Class Assignment: Compare strands of DNA from humans, humanoids, gorillas and chimpanzees and make conclusions about their relatedness.
 * Homework: None!


 * **Thursday**: Monstrous Mutations
 * In Class Assignment: Act out different mutations in a single species to see whether they help or hurt the organism.
 * Homework: None!

__ **Daily Lessons** __

** Monday **: The Great Fossil Find

//**Objective**: Students will begin to explore the I Can... Statement: "////I can explain how new traits might become established in a population, and how species become extinct////," by drawing their own conclusions about how fossils can give scientists clues to the evolution of a species.//


 * Today you will be an archeologist who has uncovered the fossils of an unknown creature. You will try to determine the identity of the creature by making conclusions about its bones and possibly living relatives. This will be an entirely in class activity.

**Tuesday** : Evidence for Evolution

//**Objective**: Students will continue to explore the I Can... Statement: " ////I can explain how new traits might become established in a population, and how species become extinct////," by investigating various species of whale ancestors to form their own opinions about how different traits were established.//


 * Choose a partner and on ONE computer, visit the media type="custom" key="10197075". Please click the "View" button in the middle of the screen and watch the short video. You may use your own set of headphones if your computer does not have speakers.


 * After you have watched the video, click on the "Discussion Questions" tab on the right side of the screen. Along with your partner, choose ONE of these questions to answer, then click the "Discussion" tab at the top of this page and create a new post to answer the question. Please include both of your names in the post. After you have created your discussion post, please evaluate your discussion post individually before moving on to the next task.


 * Next, visit the media type="custom" key="10196899". Again, click "View" in the middle of the screen and watch this short video.


 * Talk about the following question with your partner: "What can we learn from fossil evidence?" When all groups have finished watching the videos, we will discuss this as a class.


 * For your assignment today, you and your partner will be creating a PowerPoint timeline of the Eocene Epoch of several whale fossils that scientists have found. The data you will be using for your slide show can be found here: media type="custom" key="10196807". You will need to include the pictures of all 6 whales in your timeline, as well as the following additional information: (You may find this media type="custom" key="10196893" helpful in finding some of these details!)
 * Year Discovered
 * Country Where Found
 * Geological Age (in mya)
 * Habitat (land, fresh water, shallow sea, open ocean)
 * Skull/Teeth/Ear Structure Types Most like WHALE or LAND MAMMAL? (choose one)
 * Limbs and Tail Description (Did it swim? How?)


 * Use PowerPoint to create a slide show about Whale Evolution. You should have a title page that includes both of your names, and one page for each whale with the information listed above. Please order your slides from oldest to youngest fossils. Save your slide show on your server space when you are finished.


 * After you have created your PowerPoint, please head to media type="custom" key="10197041", the online program we will be using to upload and then share our slide shows. You or your partner will need to create a new account using an email address by clicking the "Sign Up" link in the top right of the screen. You will need a valid email address to sign up, so if neither you or your partner has one, let Ms. Frazer know and she will help you.


 * When you have signed in to your SlideShare account, click the orange "Upload" button at the top of the screen. Then click "Upload Publicly" (the "Privately" option is only for paying users). Select your PowerPoint from your documents and click "Open." It may take a few minutes for your slide show to upload, be patient :). If you would like more information about using SlideShare, you can visit our How-To page for a tutorial.


 * Finally, you will embed your slide show on our Whale Evolution page. Follow the directions there to complete this assignment.

**Wednesday** : DNA Comparison

//**Objective**: Students will continue to explore the I Can... Statement: "////I can explain how new traits might become established in a population, and how species become extinct////," by comparing DNA strands of multiple related organisms to make conclusions about how small mutations might introduce new traits in a population.//


 * Today you will make conclusions about the relatedness of Humans, Hominoids (common ancestor), Gorillas, and Chimpanzees based on a comparison of their DNA. You will get to create strands of DNA using beads and pipe cleaners for each of the organisms, then compare sections that either do or do not match. This will be an entirely in class activity.

**Thursday** : Monstrous Mutations

//**Objective**: Students will continue to explore the I Can... Statement: "////I can explain how new traits might become established in a population, and how species become extinct////," by acting out different types of mutations to infer whether or not they would be beneficial enough to become established in the population, or cause the organism to die before passing on its traits.//


 * Today you will be learning how structural, physiological, and behavioral adaptations can be helpful or hurtful to organisms by obtaining a "mutation" of your own and seeing how it affects your ability to gather food. Please access this media type="custom" key="10200521" that we will review in class. This will be an entirely in class activity.