{"id":506,"date":"2010-06-22T13:54:28","date_gmt":"2010-06-22T17:54:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/wnet\/humanspark\/?p=506"},"modified":"2011-04-04T11:42:00","modified_gmt":"2011-04-04T15:42:00","slug":"life-as-we-know-it-lesson-activities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/wnet\/humanspark\/uncategorized\/life-as-we-know-it-lesson-activities\/506\/","title":{"rendered":"Lesson Activities"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introductory Activity<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Ask students what they know about the history of the theory of evolution. (Most likely answers will be about Charles Darwin; accept all answers.<\/em>)\u00a0 Explain that while Charles Darwin is best known for his work on the theory of evolution by natural selection, scholars and scientists had been devoting thought to the subject for hundreds if not thousands of years.\u00a0 For much of history, many scientists were bound by religious teachings, and so when they did develop theories about origins of life on earth they were in the context of the Bible or other spiritual doctrines, which constrained the way they were able to perceive the natural world.\u00a0 As scientific knowledge increased, and modern understandings of things like the age of the earth and structure of cells, scientists were able to develop more complex theories.<\/li>\n
  2. One of the first scientists to contribute to our modern understanding of life systems was Carolus Linnaeus.\u00a0 Alive in the 18th<\/sup> century, Linnaeus named species using the classification system we use today \u2013 the \u201cbinomial\u201d system, consisting of a genus and species name (like Homo sapiens<\/em>).\u00a0 He also developed the nested hierarchy of Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, and Species for classifying organisms.\u00a0 Linnaeus\u2019s groupings were based on shared physical characteristics, but Darwin would later use these classifications for organisms sharing genetic characteristics and evolutionary lines as well.<\/li>\n
  3. One of the next major theories was put forward at the turn of the 19th<\/sup> century by a scientist named Jean-Baptiste Lamarck.\u00a0 Lamarck believed not only that organisms acquired the characteristics of their ancestors, but that any characteristic an organism acquired during its lifetime it would pass down to its offspring (Mom gets a tattoo on her arm, baby is born with a tattoo on its arm).\u00a0 He also theorized that organisms developed characteristics that were particularly useful to them and lost ones that weren\u2019t (for example, giraffes have long necks from consistently stretching to reach fruit in tall trees).\u00a0 Some of his ideas were eventually incorporated into Darwin\u2019s theory.\u00a0 One of the scientists whose work challenged key elements of Lamarck\u2019s theory was Gregor Mendel, a monk whose experiments breeding pea plants in the 19th<\/sup> century led to important early discoveries about heredity, genetics, and inheritance.\u00a0 He discovered that dominant and recessive genes account for which traits are passed down from generation to generation.<\/li>\n
  4. The most famous name in evolution theory, Charles Darwin, became a household name with the publication of his book On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection<\/em> in 1859.\u00a0 He presented this theory (along with fellow scientist Alfred Russell Wallace, who arrived at an almost-identical theory independently) to the Linnaean Society of London, positing that all species descended over time from a common ancestor, and that organisms with traits favoring survival and reproduction are more likely to have offspring and pass those traits on to future generations.\u00a0 Darwin avoided discussing human evolution in detail in On the Origin of Species<\/em>, giving it only a fleeting mention.\u00a0 While many scientists and individuals embraced these new theories, not everyone was ready to accept the idea that all life on earth, including human beings, may have evolved from a single cell billions of years ago.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Learning Activity 1<\/strong><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Tell students that since almost the beginning of Earth\u2019s history, life has been growing, evolving, and changing in new and different ways.\u00a0 Where did the first life come from?\u00a0 Many scientists believe that the first life on earth developed through a process known as abiogenesis, meaning biological life developing from inorganic matter \u2013 most likely from amino acids that organized themselves into proteins, over 3.5 billion years ago.<\/li>\n
    2. As we can see, a lot has changed on the planet in the nearly 4 billion years since the first single-celled organism emerged.\u00a0 Several factors and natural forces have affected the variety of flora and fauna we see around us today.\u00a0 Tell students that they are going to learn about the evolution of life on earth using an online activity.\u00a0 Direct students to the Deep Time<\/a> interactive.\u00a0 Depending on how many computers are available, students can do the activity individually, in pairs, or in small groups.<\/li>\n
    3. Distribute the \u201cDeep Time Student Organizer<\/a>\u201d to each student in the class.\u00a0 Ask students to click through the interactive, read the accompanying text, and fill in the appropriate information for each section of the organizer.\u00a0 Give students approximately 20 \u2013 30 minutes to complete the activity.\u00a0 When students have completed the activity and organizers, review answers with the class.\u00a0 Ask students if they saw any trends as they moved through the timeline.\u00a0 Were there any correlations between the evolution of plant life and the evolution of animal life?\u00a0 Were there any correlations between the levels of diversity between species and the extinction events?\u00a0 Engage in discussion with students about the amount of time that passes during the milestones on the timeline \u2013 how can 10 million years feel like the blink of an eye?<\/li>\n
    4. Remind students that although we tend to focus on the \u201chuman\u201d part of evolution, life on Earth was around for a very long time before humans arrived.\u00a0 Based on where they ended the timeline in the interactive (mammals, dinosaurs, birds, flowering plants), how do they think life made the jump to humans?\u00a0 (Accept all answers<\/em>).\u00a0 Tell students that in the next activity they are going to learn more about the next stage of evolution of life \u2013 how we got here.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      <\/span><\/p>\n

      Learning Activity 2<\/strong><\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Remind students that when Charles Darwin published his famous work On the Origin of Species<\/em> he barely touched upon the idea of human evolution.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t until his 1871 book The Descent of Man<\/em> that he directly argues human beings, like all other organisms, were descended from a common ancestor.\u00a0 While this theory remains controversial to some, it is widely accepted by most scientists that modern humans descent from primates that first appeared (having evolved from other mammals) approximately 60 million years ago.<\/li>\n
      2. Modern humans belong to the biological family Hominidae, commonly known as the Great Apes.\u00a0 This includes orangutans, gorillas, bonobos, and chimpanzees, and we last shared a common ancestor with these other hominoids approximately 14 million years ago.\u00a0 Scientists think that by looking at these \u201crelatives\u201d today, it can tell us things about how we evolved the way we did.\u00a0 Tell students that you are going to show them a video clip with different scientists explaining different hominoids\u2019 behavior.\u00a0 Ask students, as they watch the clip, to observe which behavioral characteristics are similar to modern human behavior patterns.\u00a0 Play clip \u201cHuman Nature.\u201d\u00a0 Follow up with students by reviewing the focus question.\u00a0 Which characteristics were similar?\u00a0 Which were different?\u00a0 (Similar traits include monkeys\u2019 and chimps\u2019 tendencies to think about where people are looking, their awareness of the minds of others, social scheming and political behavior.\u00a0 The differences in behavior are that humans can apply the awareness of others\u2019 minds more broadly than monkeys and chimps, they are capable of more complicated thought processes, they are more capable of manipulation, and have greater social skills.<\/em>)\u00a0 Ask students, how might these traits have aided humans in the evolutionary process?<\/li>\n
      3. The earliest humans are thought to have branched off from our closest hominoid relative, chimpanzees, between five and seven million years ago.\u00a0 Following that divergence, several species of human ancestors \u2013 now extinct \u2013 populated Africa and parts of Asia and Europe.\u00a0 Like other life on Earth, these species survived and perished based on their skills, characteristics, changing environmental conditions, and competition from other species.\u00a0 Tell students you are going to show them another video clip, this one about our human ancestors. \u00a0Ask students, as they watch the clip, to note the evolution of early humans\u2019 toolmaking skills.\u00a0 Play clip \u201cLinks in the Evolutionary Chain.\u201d\u00a0 When clip is finished, review focus question with students.\u00a0 How and when did early humans first develop the skills to make stone tools?\u00a0 How was this skill beneficial to them?\u00a0 How did this skill evolve over time \u2013 if at all?\u00a0 (As early humans evolved their brains grew larger, and approximately 1.6 million years ago they first started to make stone hand axes.\u00a0 The design of these stone tools did not change for approximately one million years \u2013 no \u201cnatural selection\u201d process applied to the tool, as it was adequate for their needs.<\/em>)\u00a0 Ask students, what might have ultimately encouraged humans to change or adapt their toolmaking skills and abilities?<\/li>\n
      4. Presently, modern humans \u2013 Homo sapiens \u2013 <\/em>are the only species of humans existing on earth.\u00a0 Give students this writing prompt, and 10 \u2013 15 minutes of free writing time: Do you think we have evolved to be the dominant species on the planet?\u00a0 Why or why not?\u00a0 When time is up, ask students to share their responses and discuss with the class.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Culminating Activity<\/strong><\/p>\n

        1. Tell students that there is more to the process of evolution than just natural selection.\u00a0 There are several trends and phenomena that contribute to the evolution of life on Earth, some of which they have already encountered in the earlier lesson activities.\u00a0 Explain that in addition to natural selection, you\u2019ll be discussion genetic drift, speciation, biodiversity, and extinction.<\/p>\n

        2. Review definitions of the terms listed below.\u00a0 You can project these on a screen for the class, or print them for each student.<\/p>\n

        a. Genetic Drift<\/span>: the change in frequency of a particular gene variant (trait) in a population due to completely random sampling.\u00a0 Genetic drift can cause two separate populations that began with the same genetic structure to completely diverge.\u00a0 The effect of genetic drift is larger in small populations and smaller in large populations.<\/p>\n

        b. Speciation<\/span>: the process by which new species arise.\u00a0 There are four types of natural speciation: allopatric (population splits into two geographically isolated groups), peripatric (peripheral groups are prevented from interacting with the main population), paripatric (partial separation of two diverging populations), sympatric (species diverge while inhabiting the same place).\u00a0 Natural or man-made barriers creating isolated population groups lead to reproductive isolation.<\/p>\n

        c. Biodiversity\/Genetic diversity<\/span>: the degree of variation of life forms within an ecosystem or on a whole planet.\u00a0 Genetic diversity is crucial to a species survival and ability to adapt.\u00a0 Slight gene variations are necessary to produce changes in organisms that will enable them to adapt.\u00a0 This is crucial to a species\u2019 ability to evolve.\u00a0 Similarly, an ecosystem or planet with a great level of biodiversity has the potential for a greater number of species to survive through environmental changes.<\/p>\n

        d. Extinction<\/span>: the end of an organism, group of organisms, or species.\u00a0 A species becomes extinct when it is no longer able to reproduce or survive due to changing conditions or competition with superior organisms.\u00a0 A typical species becomes extinct within ten million years of its first appearance, and it is estimated that 99.9% of all species that have ever existed are now extinct.<\/p>\n

        e. Natural selection<\/span>: the process by which genes and traits that aid survival and reproduction are passed down through generations.\u00a0 Popularly known as \u201csurvival of the fittest,\u201d where \u201cfitness\u201d is the potential for survival.\u00a0 Individuals with greater fitness are more likely to contribute offspring to the next generation.<\/p>\n

        3. Post the following questions on chart paper around the room:<\/p>\n

        a. Genetic Drift: When a new population is established by a very small number of individuals from a larger population there tends to be a lack of genetic variation.\u00a0 This is called the Founder Effect.\u00a0 What are some of the disadvantages to this lack of variation?<\/p>\n

        b. Speciation: It is speculated that the Homo heidelbergensis<\/em> population split \u2013 some moving to Europe and evolving into Neanderthals, others remaining in Africa to become Homo sapiens<\/em>.\u00a0 What type of speciation is this, and what effect did it have on the human population?<\/p>\n

        c. Biodiversity: During the Cretaceous period, biodiversity levels were high.\u00a0 Mammals, dinosaurs, birds, marine creatures, and plant life flourished all over the planet.\u00a0 Then, a massive meteor impact 65 million years ago wiped out 60 \u2013 80% of all species on the planet.\u00a0 Why did some survive and not others?<\/p>\n

        d. Extinction: The most recent large scale extinction event, the Holocene, includes many plants and animals but most notably large mammals and rainforest species.\u00a0 Many believe that humans are largely responsible for these extinctions.\u00a0 Do you feel that humans have contributed to extinctions over the past 10,000 years?\u00a0 Why or why not?<\/p>\n

        e. Natural selection: Survival isn\u2019t always based on physical fitness, but on the way our brains work.\u00a0 Things like social skills, language, and technological capability may have been what allowed us to dominate over our ancestors.\u00a0 What skills do we have that our earlier or primate ancestors didn\u2019t, and why might they have been passed down to younger generations?<\/p>\n

        Divide class into groups for the Gallery Walk activity (about 4 -5 students to a group, more if the class is larger).\u00a0 Assign one group to each of the five questions.\u00a0 Give the class 5 \u2013 7 minutes to work in their groups and discuss their answers.\u00a0 One member of the group should write the answer on the flip chart page.\u00a0 Rotate the groups every 5 \u2013 7 minutes until each group has had a change to discuss and write answers for each question.\u00a0 The activity should take approximately 25 \u2013 35 minutes.<\/p>\n

        4.\u00a0 When the students have completed the activity, review the questions with the class and ask each group to report out on at least one answer.\u00a0 Encourage discussion among the students.<\/p>\n

        Proceed to Video Segments<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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