Wyland Oyama

11/18/2015
Microteach 3
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Content Topic: Natural Selection
Target Grade Level: 7th
Specific Subject: Life Science
Objectives:
SC.7.L.15.2: Explore the scientific theory of evolution by recognizing and explaining ways in
which genetic variation and environmental factors contribute to evolution by natural selection
and diversity of organisms.
a)
b)
c)
d)

Students will be able to identify genetic variation between organisms

Students will be able to predict the survival of species in relation to its environment
Students will be able to explain the impact an environment has on an organism
Students will be able to infer adaptations in organisms that have allowed them to survive
an environment

SC.7.L.15.3: Explore the scientific theory of evolution by relating how the inability of a species
to adapt within a changing environment may contribute to the extinction of that species.
a) Students will be able to deduce which organisms will survive an environment based on its
appearance
b) Students will assess the impact natural selection has on both predator and prey
Materials: (per group of two students)

One sheet of white computer paper

One ziplock bag of 50 white hole-punched circles
One ziplock bag of 50 yellow hole-punched circles
One pair of tweezers

Procedure:
1) Set up (1 minute)
Prepare this youtube video before the class starts (https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=vnktXHBvE8s). The screen can be down, but put the projector on hold so as not to
distract from the activity and questions.

Welcome the class. Reiterate that yesterday we started talking about Darwin and his
theory of evolution. Tell the students that we will be continuing that discussion today.
Inform the students they will be working with their shoulder-mates on the bell ringer
activity (if there is an odd number, assign one group to be a group of three)
Ask one person from each group to come to the front and grab a sheet of white
computer paper, a bag of 50 white hole-punched circles, a bag of 50 yellow holepunched circles, and a pair of tweezers.
Ask the students to place 20 white hole-punched circles and 20 yellow hole-punched
circles on top of the white paper.
2) Bell Ringer Activity Explanation (1 minute)
Explain the rules of the activity: One student turns around/closes their eyes so they
are not looking at the white sheet of paper or the circles. The other student in the
group jumbles the dots on the paper, putting them in any random order or location. If
necessary, have the students swirl the circles on their white sheet of paper to
thoroughly mix them. Ideally, none of the individual circles should overlap each other
(one person in the three person group will be the observer)
The student with their eyes closed then has 20 seconds to use the tweezers to take as
many of the circles off as they can. (groups of three can alternate clockwise with the
responsibilities. Therefore, there will be one observer, one mixer, and one gatherer)
After the circles have been removed, ask the students to count the remaining circles
of the two separate colors. They are then to place double the number of circles in each
color onto the white sheet of paper. (e.g.- 7 yellow, 15 white become 14 yellow, 30
white)
Responsibilities switch between partners and the activity starts again with the
students in their new roles (groups of three can add an observer role and alternate
clockwise with the responsibilities. Therefore, there will be one observer, one mixer,
and one gatherer; all roles change after the circles have been doubled)
Students should go through three rounds of role rotation before finishing the exercise
3) Bell Ringer Activity (Performance) (2 minutes)
Allow the students to perform the Bell Ringer Activity
Inform the students that, after they are done with the activity, they should tally up the
total number of white circles and yellow circles and write them down on their white
sheet of computer paper. The student groups will show the teacher they are completed
with the activity by having the circles put in their respective bags and a tally will be
written on their white sheet.
4) Bell Ringer Discussion (5 minutes)
Ask students to share their findings with the class to assess what color circles were
more likely to be targeted. Write those amounts on the board so they are visible to the
entire class.
Promote student led inquiry and discovery by asking questions:

 Why was that particular color targeted? (blending into the white sheet of
paper)
What would have happened if we changed the color of paper to yellow after
the third rotation? (yellow colors would have been chosen)
What then would have happened to the number of white circles? (it would
have gone down)
What affect did doubling the colors have on the final tally? (the ones that were
left became more and more of the population)
Lets say you were a bird of prey and all of the circles where yellow and white
chickens. Now you could only eat the yellow chickens because you couldnt
see the white ones. What would happen? (you would eat all of the yellow
chickens)
What then would happen to you? (you would die because there would be no
yellow chickens left)
What would have happened if we changed the color of paper to blue/
something not yellow or white? (answers may vary)
Inform the class that the activity was a resemblance of how natural selection works in
nature. Natural selection promotes certain organisms, ones who are better fit to
survive their environment, to reproduce and pass those traits on to their offspring.
5) Natural Selection Video (3 minutes)
Take the projector off of hold
Inform the students that there are four key conditions needed to make natural
selection possible. Specifically say Im going to ask you how these four conditions
apply to our Bell Ringer Activity so make sure you think about that as you watch this
video clip.
Play the video for the students
6) Application of 4 Conditions to the Bell Ringer Activity (2 minutes)
Through random calling on students, ask these questions in order (randomize student
response for each question):
1- How would you rephrase Darwins first condition in your own words? (answers
may vary)
2- How did the first condition apply to the Bell Ringer Activity? (there were yellow
and white circles in the population)
3- How would you rephrase Darwins second condition in your own words?
(answers may vary)
4- How did the second condition apply to the Bell Ringer Activity? (we doubled the
number of each color of circle, representing passing of traits from parents to
offspring)
5- How would you rephrase Darwins third condition in your own words? (answers
may vary)
6- How did the third condition apply to the Bell Ringer Activity? (the white circles
blended in to the white background/environment)

7- How would you rephrase Darwins fourth condition in your own words? (answers
may vary)
8- How did the fourth condition apply to the Bell Ringer Activity? (there were more
white circles at the end because they were the most successful at survival)
7) Wrap-Up (1 minute)
Tell the class, You all did excellent work today. Very thought provoking
conversations and discoveries. We went over natural selection and the four conditions
that cause natural selection to happen. Tomorrow we will be going over some other
methods that allow evolution to take place like migration and genetic drift. See you
all tomorrow.
Assessment:
SC.7.L.15.2:
a) On a test, students will compare side by side photos of peppered moths (one dark/one
light): Q: What difference between these two moths of the same species has allowed them
to adapt to contrasting environments? A: Color
b) On a test, students will receive a picture of two mice in the sand (one brown/one tan): Q:
Which mouse do you believe is better suited to survive in its environment and why? A:
Tan, it is able to hide in the environment more effectively. Q: Which mouse would more
likely diminish in population over time and why? A: Brown, it is easier to be spotted by
predators.
c) Q: How does the environment affect an animals ability to survive? A: An animal must be
suited to the climate, be able to access food, or be able to hide from predators in order to
survive its environment. Q: Why do you think a cactus has a waxy coating, considering it
thrives in hot deserts with not much rainfall? A: To prevent water loss
d) Students will be given a picture of a humming bird: Q: Name one adaptation you see in
this animal and explain why you think developed it. A: may vary (small size to move
easily, thin beak to get to nectar, wings to fly away from predators)
SC.7.L.15.3:
a) On a test, students will receive a picture of two mice in the sand (one brown/one tan): Q:
Which mouse would more likely diminish in population over time and why? A: Brown, it
is easier to be spotted by predators.
On a test, students will receive a picture of beetles on a brown log (brown and green
beetles): Q: Which beetle has more chance of survival based off of its environment? A:
brown
b) Q: What do you think might happen to a species that outnumbers its food source? A: It
eats all of its food a may die Q: What will happen over time to a predator species that has
a large variety of food sources to choose from? Why? A: It will continue to reproduce and
balance what foods it decides to eat based off of what is in the environment

Resources:

http://www.cpalms.org/Public/PreviewStandard/Preview/1807
http://evolutionforprimarykids.co.uk/lesson-plans/lesson-plan-3/
http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article/evo_25
http://www.globalchange.umich.edu/globalchange1/current/lectures/selection/selection.html
http://anthro.palomar.edu/evolve/evolve_2.htm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnktXHBvE8s

Why was that particular color targeted? (blending into the white sheet of paper)
What would have happened if we changed the color of paper to yellow after the third
rotation? (yellow colors would have been chosen)
What then would have happened to the number of white circles? (it would have gone
down)

What affect did doubling the colors have on the final tally? (the ones that were left
became more and more of the population)
Lets say you were a bird of prey and all of the circles where yellow and white
chickens. Now you could only eat the yellow chickens because you couldnt see the
white ones. What would happen? (you would eat all of the yellow chickens)
What then would happen to you? (you would die because there would be no yellow
chickens left)
What would have happened if we changed the color of paper to blue/ something not
yellow or white? (answers may vary)
Natural selection promotes certain organisms, ones who are better fit to survive their
environment, to reproduce and pass those traits on to their offspring.

How would you rephrase Darwins first condition in your own words? (answers may
vary)
How did the first condition apply to the Bell Ringer Activity? (there were yellow and
white circles in the population)
How would you rephrase Darwins second condition in your own words? (answers
may vary)
How did the second condition apply to the Bell Ringer Activity? (we doubled the
number of each color of circle, representing passing of traits from parents to
offspring)
How would you rephrase Darwins third condition in your own words? (answers may
vary)
How did the third condition apply to the Bell Ringer Activity? (the white circles
blended in to the white background/environment)
How would you rephrase Darwins fourth condition in your own words? (answers
may vary)
How did the fourth condition apply to the Bell Ringer Activity? (there were more
white circles at the end because they were the most successful at survival)