Animal Diversity and Evolution (A Comprehensive 10 Week Unit)

AUTHORS: Lynn M. Virkaitis
GRADE LEVEL: 7
SCHOOL ADDRESS: Morrisville-Eaton School Morrisville, NY 13408
PHONE: 684-9121

SUBJECT AREA: Science

PRIOR UNITS: Processes of Life, Classification, and Ecology

CONTENT KNOWLEDGE

DECLARATIVE

Invertebrate phyla names and characteristics

Animal structures and functions

Theories of evolution

Steps for using the internet

Format for citing sources

Components of a descriptive essay

PROCEDURAL

State relationships (reinforcement)

Describe (reinforcement)

Compare and contrast (reinforcement)

Use the internet for research

Cite sources

Write descriptive essays (reinforcement)

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

What are the similarities and differences between the animal phyla?

How has animal diversity changes in the past?

How do changes in the environment effect diversity?

How is animal diversity still changing?

How is man effecting animal diversity?

How might animal diversity change in the future?

CONNECTIONS TO STATE STANDARDS

CONTENT AREA: Science

LEVEL: Intermediate

MST Standard 2 - Students will access, generate, process, and transfer information using appropriate technologies.

Key Idea 1: Information technology is used to retrieve, process, and communicate information and as a tool to enhance learning.

Students will be able to access and search the internet and other electronic media.

Key Idea 2: Knowledge of the impacts and limitations of information systems is essential to its effective and ethical use.

Students will understand the need to question the accuracy of information displayed and the need to cite information correctly.

MST Standard 4 - Students will understand and apply scientific concepts, principles and theories pertaining to the living environment and recognize the historical development of ideas in science.

Key Idea 3: Individual organisms and species change over time.

Students will be able to describe sources of variation in organisms and their structures and relate the variations to survival.

Key Idea 7: Human decisions and activities have had a profound impact on the living environment.

Students will be able to describe how humans and their activities have effected the changes in other species.

MST Standard 7 - Students will apply the knowledge and thinking skills of mathematics, science, and technology to address real-life problems and make informed decisions.

Key Idea 2: Solving interdisciplinary problems involves a variety of skills and strategies, including effective work habits; gathering and processing information; generating and analyzing ideas; realizing ideas; making connections among the common themes of math, science, and technology; and presenting results.

Students will be able to work effectively to gather information, process information, and present the results to the public.

ELA Standard 1 - Students will listen, speak, read, and write for information and understanding.

Students will use written language that follows the accepted conventions of the English language while writing a scientific descriptive paragraph or essay.

INITIATING ACTIVITY - "Missing Links"

Structured time: A brief discussion and notes on the names and basic characteristics of the invertebrate phyla will be given using name posters and preserved samples. A simple explanation of the common ancestor theory and missing links will be given.

Unstructured time: Students will inspect the samples and use their imaginations to design and draw a possible common ancestor with the "appearance" of two or more phyla.

Future Use: This experience provides an introduction to descriptive paragraphs using the characteristics of the phyla after a detailed study has been completed. (See Experience #4)

LEARNING EXPERIENCES

Text: Merrill: Life Science. New York: Glencoe, 1995

Instructional Modifications - The resource room teacher or aide is available to assist those students with learning or emotional disabilities. The media specialist, reading and writing specialists, and computer technician are available to aid all students.

Experience #1 - Invertebrate Phyla

Learning Context - The student will obtain declarative knowledge on invertebrates while improving their skills of describing, comparing and contrasting.

Procedure for each invertebrate phyla:

• Selected short video demonstrations of the animals in their natural environments will be shown. Students will be asked to note the "like and unlike" characteristics of the different species in the phylum. (Sample resources: Science Frontiers: "Creatures of the Deep"; Nova: "Journey to the Edge"; and National Geographics: "Insects of the Rainforest")
• The teacher, using an inquiry note taking technique which has a question framework and content drawn from class discussion, will help organize and enhance the student observations and prior knowledge on phyla characteristics and group differences. (See Appendix A)
• Unstructured class activity: The students will get hands-on experience of phyla examples by making drawings and writing descriptions (color, size, shape, texture, and special structures) of several preserved specimens.

Materials - collection of invertebrate species and metric rulers

Assessment Tools and Techniques

• Text study guides and reinforcement sheets
• Graded set of drawings and descriptions
• Two short content quizzes - 1.) simple invertebrates, and 2.) complex invertebrates

Approximate Time for Each of the Eight Phyla

• Teacher planning and set up: 45 mins.
• Class time: 90 mins.
• Evaluation: 60 mins. For each class of 20.

Experience #2 - Theories of Evolution

Learning Context - The student will obtain declarative knowledge on evolution while improving their analytical skills.

Procedure:

• The teacher will draw on prior knowledge to discuss the major theories and evidence for evolution using an inquiry note taking techniques which has a question framework and content column (Appendix A). Enhancement of knowledge will be done as needed using examples.
• Student activity: The students will be given a print-out of a set of related symbols (interrelated math symbols and geometric shapes). They will be asked to analyze, with a partner, the symbols for developmental relationships will be cut out an transferred to a piece of construction paper. They will be asked to add written explanations to clarify their thought processes. Next, students will be given a set of pictures of the invertebrate phyla. They will be asked to analyze the relationships and to again cut out and paste together a possible evolutionary relationship including written explanations. Each student will explain their theory of the possible evolutionary relationships of the invertebrates.

Materials - Sheets of related symbols and invertebrates, scissors, construction paper, and glue

Assessment Tools and Techniques

• Text study guide and reinforcement sheet on evolution.
• Teacher observations of the analytical process of the activity.
• Grading of final product and presentation.

Approximate Time

• Teacher planning and set up: 15 mins.
• Class time: 60 mins.
• Evaluation: 30 mins. For each class of 20.

Experience #3 - Invertebrate Research Project for a Descriptive Paragraph

Learning Context - The student will obtain procedural knowledge on internet searching and citing sources while applying their knowledge of invertebrate phyla.

Procedure:

• A review summary of the invertebrate phyla will be given during a survey of each student's preference for a research topic. They will fill out a questionaire on favorite phyla, most disliked phyla, and they will be given a chance to pick a particular species for research.
• Assignment Criteria: Each student will be required to find eight descriptive characteristics on the assigned species. Citation information must be recorded on all information. They are requires to find at least one electronic source (CD or internet) and at least one library source. An information summary sheet will be completed at the end of the project as preparation for writing.
• Procedural Instruction: The Library - Media Specialist will give specific instruction on citations and the use of library citation fact sheets using modeling of the most common sources. Instruction of using the internet and internet citation sheets will also be given (A Media -Specialist learning experience - Appendix B). Appropriate starting web sites are: www.ffexpress.com/inverts.htm, www.actwin.com/fish/species/fish.msql, www.cyhaus.com/marine/inverts.htm, www.herper.com/scorpion.html, www,netvet.wustlo.edu/invert.htm, and www.clever.net/kerry/creature/creatur.htm

Materials - Library citation fact sheets for general encyclopedias, special encyclopedias, and electronic sources. (See Appendix C)

Assessment Tools and Techniques

The citation fact sheets and a summary sheet will be evaluated using a simple checklist.

Approximate Time

• Teacher planning and set up: 30 min. for a class of 20 to compile surveys and assign topics
• Class time: 3 x 60 min. for research with the time divide between the library and internet.
• Evaluation: 60 min. for each class of 20

LEARNING EXPERIENCE - Extending and Refining

Experience #4 - Descriptive Paragraphs

Learning Context - the student will obtain procedural knowledge on writing scientific descriptive paragraphs while improving their writing skills.

Procedure:

• The initial activity on the design of a missing link will be returned to the students. The writing teacher will give them instruction on the components of a descriptive paragraph. The students will be asked to write a short descriptive paragraph on their "missing link" (initial experience).
• The graded missing link paragraphs will be returned and mistakes will be used to reinforce the correct components of a descriptive paragraph.
• The students will be assigned to write a descriptive paragraph on their invertebrate research (exp. #3). They will be given examples of strong topic sentences and concluding sentences that will lead the students to make evolutionary connections using the characteristics for evidence. Correct citations will be required using the school's "Works Cited" handout as a model. (See Appendix D)
• Paragraphs will be composed using word processing techniques. Skills on use of tabs and correct spacing will be reinforced.
• Students will be instructed on procedures for importing a picture from the internet into their document.
• Materials - Graded invertebrate research and missing link activity.

Assessment Tools and Techniques

ANALYTICAL RUBRIC: Descriptive Invertebrate Paragraph Activity

Approximate Time

• Teacher planning and set up: The time required to evaluate the student's
• Research (approximately 60 min. for each class of 20)
• Class time: 2 x 60 min.
• Evaluation: 60 min. for each class of 20

Experience #5 - Vertebrate Classes

Learning Context - The student will obtain declarative knowledge of vertebrate structures and characteristics while improving their comparing and contrasting skills.

Procedure for each vertebrate class

• Selected short video demonstrations of the vertebrate classes in their natural environments will be shown at the beginning of the class. Students will be asked to note the special characteristics of the class. (Sample resources: NOVA: "the Crocodiles", Nat. Geo.: "Animals of Australia", and Nat. Geo: "The Shark Special").
• The teacher using an inquiry note taking technique which has a question framework and content drawn from class discussion, will help organize and enhance the student observations and prior knowledge on class characteristics and species differences. Preserved examples will be use for comparisons.

Unstructured Small Group Activities:

1. Frog dissections to demonstrate and reinforce similarities between amphibian and mammalian anatomy. This will be coordinated with a computer writing project on frogs designed by the writing teacher to allow for dissection to be conducted with smaller groups. A Internet interactive frog dissection will be offered to students reluctant to do dissections. (http://curry.edschool.Virginia.EDU/go/frog/)
2. A poster/presentation project will be assigned. It will require that each group design and present information on a mammal order that demonstrates the "likes and differences" of the assigned order. Basic information will be handed out, and supplemented with internet and library research.

Special Materials - Preserved specimens and dissections equipment.

Assessment Tools and Techniques

• Text study guide and reinforcement sheet on vertebrate classes.
• Teacher evaluation of the frog dissections and frog poems.
• Poster project/presentation evaluation with a criteria check list and peer evaluation of group skills.
• Two short quizzes on cold blooded vertebrates and the mammals

Approximate Time

• Teacher planning and set up of the group activities: 60 minutes total.
• Class time: 10 x 60 min. total
• Evaluation

Declarative tools: 60 min. for each class of 20

Projects: 60 min. for each class of 20

CULMINATING PERFORMANCE

(1/3 of Final Exam Grade)

Title: Web of Endangered Species

Grade: 7

Curriculum Areas: Science. Language Arts, and Technology

Learning Context: The students will address real life problem solving by gathering the information to shoe man's effect on the environment and will process the information to educate the public via the Internet.

Description of Task: Many of the vertebrate species that were present before the white man colonized America are now extinct and many are endangered and will soon be extinct. The 7^th grade has been asked to give other middle school students information about the endangered species of North America. This information will be put on the Morrisville-Eaton web site (www.mecs.moric.org starting Aug. 1999). It needs to be accurate and properly cited to be valid. The students will need to search the internet and library resources for information. the page should include a few pictures and a descriptive essay that includes a description of the species, the behavior characteristics, and the biome and habitat where the species can be found. The students will state how humans are involved in the animal's endangerment and what is currently being done to try and save it. As a conclusion to the essay students will give recommendations for saving this species for the future.

Suggested starting web site is: http://www.fws.gov/r9endspp/vertdata.html

Time Line:

• 4 - 60 min. class periods for research (plus study hall time)
• 1 - 60 min. class period for slash diagrams (a writing organization tool)
• 3 - 60 min. class periods for rough draft (word processing) and corrections

Analytical Rubric: Culminating Performance Research

A Holistic Rubric - Web Page Design for an Endangered Species

Exemplary/Excellent (100 to 90) - Web Page Appropriate

• Web page is attractive and has pictures as well as text. Links are made to electronic cites.
• Introductory paragraph has a creative hook, defines "endangered species", states the topics of body paragraphs, and has a strong topic statement.
• Body paragraphs give evidence of comprehensive information on species descriptions, behaviors, habitat, and the reasons for endangerment.
• Concluding paragraph restates the topic statement and current methods for saving the species and proposes additional methods for preservation.
• Citations given and correctly cited.
• Has only minor grammatical and mechanical errors which will be corrected.

Acceptable/Needs Some Corrections (89 - 80)

• Web page has only text. Links are made to electronic cites.
• Introductory paragraph has the components of the excellent category, but is not creative.
• Body paragraphs give some evidence needed for an excellent, but could be more comprehensive.
• Concluding paragraph is correct, but does not propose new methods of preservation.
• Citations are there, but not correctly cited.
• Has grammatical and mechanical errors which need to be corrected.

Almost Acceptable/Needs Correcting (79 - 65)

• Web page has only text or links are missing.
• Introductory paragraph is missing one component of the acceptable standard.
• Body paragraphs are there, but some of the facts are in an inappropriate paragraph.
• Concluding paragraph does not restate the topics, or does not have sufficient methods for saving the species.
• Citations need correcting.
• Many grammatical and mechanical errors.

Unacceptable/Corrections Must be Made (Less than a 65)

• Web page has only text and links are missing.
• Introduction is missing more than one component of an acceptable standard.
• One or more of the body paragraphs are missing.
• Concluding paragraph does not restate the topic and is missing sufficient information.
• Citations are missing.
• Many grammatical and mechanical errors.

APPENDIX A - S.O.S. NOTETAKING

Appendix B

Information Access in the Library for Electronic Resources

Prepared by Beth Geatrakas

Morrisville-Eaton Middle High School Media Specialist

Learning Context

To succeed with this learning experience, a student must know how to:

1. Determine his or her information needs.
2. Identify the resources which will contain this information, using both hard copy and electronic resources
3. Locate the various resources within the library and on the computer
4. Access the information within these resources
5. Evaluate the validity and applicability of the information found.
6. Use the accessed information to create a meaningful finished product

Procedure

The students are introduced to the various resources available to them by the teacher. While the hard copy material (books from the circulating and reference collections, newspaper and magazine paper indexes, and magazines and newspapers) are shared, the emphasis of instruction is placed on the electronic resources. These resources include the search engines and browsers which allows access to the internet, electronic encyclopedias, and commercial electronic databases available in the library. Special instructional time is given to the following:

1. Web browsers such as Netscape Communicator and Microsoft Explorer - the purpose of these browsers is explained to students, so that they understand the browser is what allows them access to the World Wide Web.
2. Search engines such as Yahoo, Webcrawler, Dogpile, Altavista - the students are introduced to the idea of using a search engine to search an internet index, allowing sites relevant to their search topics to be located. Careful differentiation should be made, so that students understand the difference between using a search term and using a URL.
3. Internet site evaluation - This is very strongly emphasized, as the Internet is completely unregulated, and just about any material can be found. The students are instructed to consider the sites they access in the following ways:

1. Credentials of the author
2. Reputation of the institutional affiliation
3. Copyright or last update of the site

1. Electronic encyclopedias

Specific URL's should also be located and bookmarked for students, provideing a starting point for them to research their animals. Further searching on the Internet can be pursued after they have accessed some of the bookmarked sites.

Instructional/Environmental Modifications

There are several modifications which need to be made in order to successfully accomplish this learning experience. While some of the instruction can be accomplished in a large group setting (the broad concepts of the browsers, the search engines, and Internet site evaluations), some of the instruction is much more effective when done in small groups, or even one-on-one. The internet lends itself very nicely to individual instruction at the computer, where the teacher is able not only to show the student the intricacies and quirks of each database interface, but also to help the student to customize the search for their own animal, as each one tends to differ slightly in its approach.

Materials and Supplies

Students will require citation sheets which have been customized to the various kinds of resources which they will be using. These sheets are extremely useful for allowing the students to collect all the facts they need from the source, as well as the data they will need to cite the source, something they must do in order to use the information they found in that source. The rule in this project is: "If you can't cite it, you can't use it", and the teacher always looks for proof of citation when looking at facts.

Assessment Tools and Techniques

The following techniques should be used to monitor progress:

A regularly scheduled interview with each student should be conducted. This need not be more than 5 to 10 minutes, allowing the student and teacher to touch base and ascertain that the student is on the right track, finding relevant and useful information. If this is the case, the student can be instructed to continue with his research. If not, the teacher has the opportunity to redirect the student and help them begin to find good material.

The following tools should be used:

A checklist should be used by the student from the beginning of the project, helping the student to stay on task and on schedule. Once a student begins to fall behind, it is very difficult for him to catch up.

Time Required

Planning should begin a weeks before the project actually starts, as there are quite a few faculty members who are involved in the project and must coordinate their efforts. This particulate learning experience, within the learning unit, must be an integral part of the unit, as the entire finished product is dependent on the quality of the research.

The implementation of this experience will require about one three days of classroom time. Instruction requires one half of an instructional period. This leaves approximately two and a half days for intense research, with plenty of individual instruction time, divided between the library and the computer lab. Each student should be able to get a good start on finding some valuable information.

Assessment of this experience is observational in nature, and is ongoing from the time the large group instruction has been completed and the students are allowed to begin their individual research.

Reflection

More opportunity to work with students on individual research techniques would be beneficial, it would seem. At times, a blanket approach is all there is time for, and with such varying research topics, this approach is not entirely satisfactory. The learning standards met in this experience are more universal in nature than many of the standards, in that they are found in all the subject areas in one form or another. Research and investigative skills are needed in any field, both in the academic world and in the work place and the skills these students are learning will serve them not only in other subjects, satisfying other learning standards, but also as they leave school and become contributing members of our culture. This experience, I believe, reflects the vary best current scholarship in the information field, as it teaches not only research skills for the present need, but also helps to create individuals who understand the mechanics of research, enabling them to become lifelong information seekers and users. This is a skill they will continue to need in an ever-increasingly information directed-world.

APPENDIX C

Library Citation and Note Sheet

Citation Information/Internet

Notes from this source

APPENDIX D - MECS SCIENCE 7 WORK CITED STYLE SHEET

• List ALL the material that contributed information and ideas to your text. If you borrow ANYTHING that is not common knowledge you must identify your sources. When in doubt, document, i.e., list your sources.
• Unless otherwise directed, MIX ALL SOURCES TOGETHER IN ONE ALPHABETIZED "WORKS CITED" LIST. Alphabetize by author's last name. These examples are arranged differently only for easy reference.

Editor as Author

Wenner, Jann S., ed. 20 Years of the Rolling Stone: What

A Long, Strange Trip It's Been. New York: Straight

Arrow, 1987.

A Single work from an Anthology

Levine, Carol, ed. "Postscript: Should Animal

Experimentation be Permitted?" Taking Sides: Clashing

Views on Controversial Bioethical Issues, 5^th ed. Guilford:

Dushkin, 1993.

Signed Articles (w/an author)

Spaeth, Sigmund. "Electronic music." Merit Students Enclyclopedia. 1980 ed.

McLellan, David S. "Cold War." The New Grolier Multi-Media Encyclopedia. Release 6. CD-ROM. 1993.

Unsigned Articles (w/o an author)

"Electron gun." Collier's Encyclopedia. 1987 ed.

United States Dept. of State. "Industrial Outlook for Petroleum and Natural Gas." 1992;. National Trade Data Bank. CD-ROM. US Dept. of Commerce. Dec. 1993.

Flynn, James. "Deranged Performer Terrifies Guests in Local Hotel." Daily Thunderbolt [San Francisco, CA] 30 1994. Newsbank Newsfile. CD-ROM. Newbank Inc., 1996.

Russo, Michelle Cash. "Recovering from Bibliographic Instruction Blahs." RQ: Reference Quarterly 32 (1992): 178 - 83. Infotrac: Magazine Index Plus. 11 Nov 1997. http://www.hoover.iacnet.com/~lib/over/aca_over.html.

Lanken, Dane. "When the Earth Moves." Canadian Geographic Mrach-April 1996: 66-73. SIRS Researcher on the Web. 15 June 1997. http://researcher.sirs.com/cgi-bin/artselect?6EA063A.

Glicken, Morley D. "A Five-Step Plan to Renew Your Creativity." Good Morning America 12 June 1994. America On Line. 10 Nov. 1997. http://www.aol.com.

Walker, Janice. MLA-Style Citations of Electronic Sources. 24 Aug. 1998. http://www.cas.usf.edu/english/walker/mla.html.

Danford, tom. "Effect of Semestering on Middle School Math." E-Mail to [recipient's name]. 24 Feb. 1995.

Sources & Acknowledgements:

Gibaldi, Joseph. The MLA handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 4^th ed. New York: MLA, 1995. Modern Language Association. "Documenting Sources from the Owrld Wide Web." MLA On The Web. 20 August 1998. http://www.mla.org. Prepared for MECS by Mrs. Dinneen and Mrs. Geatrakas, Library Media Specialists with Mr. Dunn English Department Class Revised 5/