Teaching About Evolution and the Nature of Science (1998) / Chapter Skim
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Chapter 6: Activities for Teaching About Evolution and the Nature of Science
Chapter 6: Activities for Teaching About Evolution and the Nature of Science
Pages 61-104
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From page 61... ...
This activity provides students with opportunities to learn the abilities and understandings aligned with science as inquiry and the nature of science as (lescribed in the National Science Education Standards.i Designed for grades 5 through 12, hing About Lure of Science .........
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Each of these exercises was derived from already existing activities that were revised to reflect the National Science Education Standards. For each exercise, student outcomes drawn from the Standards are listed to focus attention on the concepts and abilities that students are meant to develop.
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In early grades (K~) stu- ~dents might learn the fundamental concepts associStep with "characteristics of organisms," "life cycles," and "organisms and environments." In midge grades they learn more about "reprocluction and heredity" and "diversity and adaptation of organisms." Such learning experiences, as described in the National Science Education Stanciarcis, set a firm foundation for the study of biological evolution in grades 9-12.
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From page 65... ...
Ideally, evaluations are more than tests. Students should have opportunities to see if their ideas can be applied in new situations and to compare their understanding with scientific explanations of the same phenomena.
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This activity provides students with opportunities to learn the abilities and understandings aligned with science as inquiry and the nature of science as described in the National Science Education Standards. Designed for grades 5 through 12, the activity requires a total of four class periods to complete.
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Many questions involving the meaning of life, ethics, and theology are examples of questions that science cannot answer. Refer to the National Science Education Standards for Science as Inquiry (pages 145-148 for gra(les 5-8 and pages 175-176 for grades 9-12)
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(Evidence refers to observations the group can make about the visible sides of the cube.) Allow the students time to ex Fore the cube and to develop answers to their question.
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From page 69... ...
The students propose their answer to the question and design another experiment to answer the question. Put the cube away without revealing the bottom.
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, this cube may be difficult for students. It may take more than one class period, and you may have to provide resources or help with some information.
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CHAPTER 6 . 71 Activities for Teaching About Evolution and the Nature of Science Cube #1 Bottom
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Teaching, About 72 . Evolution and the Nature of Science ~7 ale 9 Cube #2 4 ALMA Bottom
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CHAPTER 6 7 · 3 Activities for Teaching About Evolution and the Nature of Science _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ~ l ll _________________ Cube #3
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· communicate scientific procedures and explanations. This activity also provides all students opportunities to develop understanclings about inquiry, the nature of science, and biological evolution as described in the National Science Education Standards.
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Review the "History and Nature of Science" and "Science as Inquiry" sections of the National Science Education Standard for further background on scientific investigations. Materials and Equipment None required.
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Following is a discussion from the National Science Education Standards that can serve as the basis for the explanation phase of the activity. Evidence, Models, and Explanation4 Eviclence consists of observations and data on which to base scientific explanations.
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The students should emphasize the role of hypotheses in the development of scientific explanations. Evaluate Have the students consider the folTowing case.
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with permission from BSCS Biology: A Human Approach. 7 Standards-Based Outcomes This activity provicles all students opportunities to clevelop unclerstanclings of biological evolution as clescribecT in the National Science Education Standards.
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From page 79... ...
The use of two designs enables the students to demonstrate the evolution of different color types from the same starting population. Use a paper punch to punch out quarter-inch paper dots from construction paper of six different colors.
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Refer to the learning outcomes and the National Science Education Standard. Expect that students will describe that in a population of organisms, variation exists among characteristics that parents pass on to their offspring.
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Specifically, it enables them to: · formulate descriptions, explanations, predictions, and models using evidence, · think critically and logically to make relationships between evidence and explanations, and · recognize and analyze alternative explanations and predictions. In addition, the activity provides all students opportunities to develop fundamental understandings in the life sciences as described in the National Science Education Standards.
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From page 82... ...
This activity also introduces students to scientif ic evidence, models, and explanations as described For the entire class: in the accompanying excerpt drawn from the National Science Education Standards. frequently include a rich scientific knowledge base, evidence of logic, higher levels of analysis, greater tolerance of criticism and uncertainty, and a clearer demonstration of the relationship between ionic, evidence and current knowledge Materials and Equipment For each student: · Notebook · Pencil Evidence, Models, and Explanations Evidence consists of observations and data on which to base scientific explanations.
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From page 83... ...
Characteristics of Apes and Humans Characteristics Apes Humans Posture Bent over or quadrupedal Upright or bipedal "knuckle-walking" common Leg and arm length Arms longer than legs; arms adapted for swinging, usually among trees Feet Legs usually longer than arms; legs adapted for striding Low arches; opposable big toes, High arches; big toes in line with other toes; capable of grasping adapted for walking Teeth Prominent teeth; large gaps between Reduced teeth; gaps reduced or absent canines and nearby teeth Skull Bent forward from spinal column; rugged Held upright on spinal column; smooth surface surface; prominent brow ridges Face Sloping; jaws jut out; wide nasal opening Vertical profile; distinct chin; narrow nasal opening Brain size Age at puberty Breeding season 280 to 705 cm3 (living species) 400 to 2000 cm3 (fossil to present)
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From page 84... ...
On a sheet of notebook paper, they should make a diagram of their hypotheses by drawing lines from Point A to each of the three organisms (G = gorilla, C = chimpanzee, H = human, A = common ancestor)
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Why or why not; Hybridization data for human DNA Human DNA compared to: Number of matches Unmatched bases Chimpanzee DNA Gorilla DNA Data for common ancestor DNA Common ancestor DNA compared to: Number of matches Unmatched bases Human DNA Chimpanzee DNA Gorilla DNA
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Human DNA and chimpanzee DNA have similar patterns when compared to the common ancestor DNA.
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From page 87... ...
Standards-Based Outcomes This activity provides all students an opportunity to develop the abilities of scientific inquiry and understanding of the nature of science as described in the National Science Education Standards. Specifically, it enables them to: · propose explanations and make predictions based on evidence, · recognize anct analyze alternative explanations , ..
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From page 88... ...
To answer the questions posed by the set of fossil footprints, the students, like scientists, constructed reasonable explanations based solely on their logical interpretation of the available evidence. They recognized an(1 analyzed alternative explanations by weighing the evidence and examining the logic to (lecide which explanations seemed most reasonable.
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CHAPTER 6 . 89 Activities for Teaching About Evolution and the Nature of Science Footprint Puzzle
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The investigation requires two class periods and is appropriate for grades 5 through 12. The activity is adapted with permission from the Earth Science Curriculum Project.~3 StancIards-Based Outcomes This activity provides all students with an opportunity to develop understandings of the earth systems as described in the National Science Education Standards.
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CHAPTER 6 91 Activities for Teaching About Evolution and the Nature of Science Approximate Ages of Events in Years Before the Present 1. Oldest known rocks and fossils, 3.8 billion years ago.
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From page 92... ...
Note that time spans between significant "firsts" become shorter and shorter as you move closer and closer to "today." Compare and discuss expanded scales used to show more detail in the recent past. Discuss the role of scale in helping visualize and better understand the extremely long time span of the geologic time scale and the connections to biological evolution.
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From page 93... ...
Designed for grades 9 through 12, the activity requires a total of three class periods. StandarcIs-Based Outcomes The activity provides all students with opportunities to develop understandings of the history and nature of science as described in the National Science Education Standards.
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· Can scientific explanations change?
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The essays should incorporate the concepts of adaptation, natural selection, and (descent from common ancestors.
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the observation of facts. Snakes have adopted the habit of crawling on the ground and hiding in the grass; so that their Doily, as a result of continually repeated efforts at elongation for the purpose of passing through narrow spaces, has acquired a considerable length, quite out of proportion to its size.
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CHAPTER 6 . 97 Activities for Teaching About Evolution and the Nature of Science On the Tendency of Varieties to De.pad Indefinitely from the Original Type Alfred Russel Wallace (1858)
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From page 98... ...
In the case of the misseltoe, which (lraws its nourishment from certain trees, which has seeds that must be transported by certain birds, and which has flowers with separate sexes absolutely requiring the agency of certain insects to bring pollen from one flower to the other, it is equally preposterous to account for the structure of this parasite with its relations to several distinct organic beings, by the effects of external conditions, or of habit, or of the volition of the plant itself. The author of the 'vestiges of Creation' would, I presume, say that, after a certain unknown number of generations, some bird had given birth to a woodpecker, and some plant to the misseltoe, and that these had been produced perfect as we (Continued on page 99)
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From page 99... ...
Yet these relations are of the highest importance, for they determine the present welfare, and, as I believe, the future success and modification of every inhabitant of this world. Still less do we know of the mutual relations of the innumerable inhabitants of the world during the many past geological epochs in its history.
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From page 100... ...
The activity is based on an original activity from the Earth Science CurricuJum Project. It is used with permission.~4 Standards-Based Outcomes This activity provides all students an opportunity to develop understandings about scientific inquiry and biological evolution as described in the National Science Education Standards.
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Explain Ask the students to explain the relationship between population growth and biological evolution in populations of microorganisms, plants, and animals. Through questions and discussion, help them develop the connections stated in the learning outcome for the activity.
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From page 102... ...
Students' answers to these questions will vary, depending on their background and information. The outcome, however, should be an intense discussion of some vital problems and should provide opportunities to introduce the fundamental concepts from the National Science Education Standards.
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From page 103... ...
8. See Chapter 2 of this document for more discussion on genetic variation and natural selection, and pages 158 and 185 of the National Science Education Standards.
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