Active learning ideas
Variation and evolution explore why living things are different and how these differences lead to the development of new species. Students distinguish between genetic variation (caused by mutations and sexual reproduction) and environmental variation. This leads into Charles Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection, often summarised as 'survival of the fittest'.
Activity 01
Students use different tools (tweezers, spoons, clips) to pick up different 'seeds' (beads, rice). They see which 'beaks' are best adapted to specific food sources and how that affects survival and reproduction.
What causes variation within a population?
Activity 02
Set up stations with images of fossils, pentadactyl limbs, and data on antibiotic resistance. Students move around to explain how each piece of evidence supports the theory of natural selection.
How does natural selection lead to evolution?
Activity 03
Divide the class to represent the theories of Darwin (natural selection) and Lamarck (inheritance of acquired characteristics). They must use the example of a giraffe's neck to argue which theory better explains the evidence.
How does antibiotic resistance demonstrate evolution in action?
Templates
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A few notes on teaching this unit
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
Individuals evolve during their own lifetime.
Students often think a giraffe 'stretches' its neck and passes it on. Simulations of bird beaks help them see that evolution happens to populations over generations, not to individuals during their lives.
Evolution is 'just a theory' and therefore not proven.
In science, a 'theory' is a well-substantiated explanation. Peer discussion about the peer-review process and the sheer volume of fossil and DNA evidence helps students understand the scientific weight of evolution.
Methods used in this brief
Reproduction and the Genome
An overview of sexual and asexual reproduction, meiosis, and the structure of DNA. Students will understand the concept of the genome and its importance in medicine.
8 methodologies
Genetic Inheritance
Students learn to use Punnett squares to predict the outcomes of genetic crosses. The topic covers dominant and recessive alleles, and the inheritance of sex and genetic disorders.
8 methodologies