List Prices $156.58 SAVE MORE THAN 40% OFF LIST PRICES – a savings of $68! Includes everything you need to teach a complete biological evolution unit! This unit covers all of NGSS-MS-LS4: Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity.
This is an ENGAGING, RIGOROUS, and THOROUGH unit covering:
- Geologic Time, Fossils, and the Law of Superposition (MS-LS4-1)
- Evidence of Evolution (MS-LS4-2 and MS-LS4-3)
- Natural Selection (MS-LS4-4 and MS-LS4-6)
- Artificial Selection (MS-LS4-5)
These are high-quality, high-impact lessons!
All of the work has been done for you – from start to finish!
This Comprehensive Evolution Unit Includes the Following Resources:
- Unit Plans: Know exactly what to cover and in what order!
- Notes Presentations (6)*: Includes separate notes on geologic time, fossils, artificial selection, natural selection, evidence of evolution, and cladograms. Each presentation comes in PPT and Google Slides, each with a corresponding Cloze worksheet for students to complete as they take notes.
- Informational Texts (6)*: No textbook required! Each engaging text teaches students about one of the topics, including key vocabulary, middle school-appropriate explanations, specific examples, and real-world connections.
- Geologic Time Poster Project: Students create a TO SCALE 1-meter long geologic time poster of Earth’s History of Life! Then, using their project as a reference, they complete a worksheet with analysis questions.
- No Prep Superposition Activity: Students learn about representative fossils from each era of Earth’s history and then place their pictures in the appropriate layer on a blank template of Earth’s layers.
- Law of Superposition CER & Data Analysis Stations*: RIGOROUS! Spark some critical thinking with claims, evidence, and reasoning practice! Review and reinforce fossils and the law of superposition with 12 CER task cards.
- Peppered Moths Online Simulation*: Students pretend to be birds eating peppered moths in both light and dark forests! Kids will see for themselves how populations change over time due to natural selection.
- Natural Selection Graphing Activity*: Students learn about a real-life situation where scientists tracked natural selection in lizards over many generations. Kids will generate graphs from data to see for themselves how populations change over time due to natural selection.
- Natural Selection Lab: Flexible supplies make this lab easy on you! Students model how different beak types match different food types.
- Natural Selection Group Discussion Activity: Provide different groups with different discussion prompts as a follow-up to the natural selection lab.
- Pros and Cons of Genetic Engineering Activity*: Real-world connection for artificial selection! Students read about genetic engineering at a basic, easy-to-understand level. Then, they’ll complete a graphic organizer and follow-up questions.
- Artificial Selection Research Project*: Rigorous! Students research one example of how humans have altered the heredity of traits in organisms through artificial selection and create a presentation.
- Natural & Artificial Selection CER Stations: Spark some critical thinking! Students visit 8 stations to learn about real-life examples of artificial or natural selection to make claims from evidence. Rigorous!
- Homologous Structures Coloring*: Color code the bones in the forelimbs of different vertebrates and compare the similarities and differences.
- Top 10 Vestigial Structures Article and Questions*: Fun “Top 10 List” format! Read about interesting vestigial structures in humans and answer reading comprehension questions.
- Embryology Cards Activity: Students try to match cards of embryos in early development to their species. It’s a challenging but fun way to see how closely vertebrate embryos resemble each other!
- DNA Evidence of Evolution Activity*: Students count differences in DNA sequences to figure out how closely species are related. Great for students with very little – if any – background in DNA and protein synthesis!
- Evidence of Evolution CER Activity*: Rigorous! Students read a short text and analyze a diagram to make a CLAIM from EVIDENCE. Includes 7 total claims to make from evidence.
- Worksheets*: Not your typical worksheets! My worksheets are rigorous and provide meaningful practice and reinforcement of the material. No fluff!
- Quizzes: Get multiple-choice check-in quizzes for every included topic.
- Unit Test: Two unit tests are provided.
- Grab-And-Go Sub Plans*: Stay on topic even during your absence with a content-based sub plan in your back pocket! Students read about Mary Leakey, a world-renowned fossil hunter, and Charles Darwin.
*Skip the line at the copier! The starred resources provide BOTH print and digital Google-based options to assign.
Teacher Notes:
- This biological evolution unit thoroughly covers EVERY NGSS LS-4 standard, including MS-LS4-1, MS-LS4-2, MS-LS4-3, MS-LS4-4, MS-LS4-5, and MS-LS4-6.
- Answer keys are always provided.
- Please note: These resources are NOT editable.
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