Lesson Plan for the Week of April 28, 2014

Monday:  Introduction to fossils.  Students will research five types of fossils and how they are formed.
Students will complete sketch of natural selection and work with a partner on the packet "Comparing Vertebrate Skeletons."

Tuesday:  Following a discussion of how scientists determine the age of fossils through relative and absolute dating, students will complete the PL221 math assignment "Radioactive Decay and Half-Life."

Wednesday:  Video/Report:  Bill Nye:  Greatest Discoveries in Evolution

Thursday:  Students will use a Geologic time scale to answer questions about the history of life on Earth. (include extinctions)

Friday:  Lab: outdoor plant diversity or indoor "Darwin's Finches"

Lesson Plan for the Week of April 21, 2014

Monday:  Students will be given a grade check for the 1st three weeks of the nine weeks.  (Any student who needs to complete the frog dissection should do so today after school, or Tuesday or Wednesday before school, after school, or during SSR. Frogs will be disposed of after that time.)
Students will revisit their study site in the nature center and make observations over changes since their last visit.

Tuesday:  Students will view a Hank Green video over evolution (MBC).  After a discussion of Darwin's theory of evolution, students will hear about the evolution of the speckled moth before and after the industrial revolution.  Students will be provided an outline of a butterfly.  They will need to color the butterfly to blend in to the classroom environment.

Homework:  Students will color an outline of a butterfly to bring to class tomorrow.  Students should NOT cut out the butterfly until they get to class.

Wednesday:  Activity:  Butterfly Hunt.
Students will investigate one animal for a variation that has allowed them to survive in their environment.  Students will then sketch the four steps of natural selection using their chosen animal (Textbook, page 442.)

Thursday:  Due:  Sketch of Natural Selection.
Biological evidence of evolution will be discussed.  Students will view and compare the embryological development of several vertebrates, included humans.  Students will then complete the packet "Comparing Vertebrates."

Friday:  Due:  "Comparing Vertebrates"
Students will take a mental field trip of Indiana during the Ordovician time period.  Students will then begin the lab "Fossil Find."

Lesson Plan for the Week of April 14, 2014

Monday:  Introduction to dissection:  Students will view a Power Point presentation over the rules and expectations of frog dissection.  Students who have not completed frog plates will continue to color.
(All frog plates must be completed before students begin frog dissection.)

Tuesday:  Lab:  Frog Dissection Day 1 - Students will identify external features of the frog and begin skinning the frog.

Wednesday:  Lab:  Frog Dissection Day 2 - Students will locate and identify 8 muscles.

Thursday:  Lab: Frog Dissection Day 3 - Students will locate and identify organs of the mouth and digestive system.

Friday:  Lab: Frog Dissection Day 4 - Students will locate and identify organs of the circulatory, respiratory, and urogenital systems.