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Science lesson plan · 3rd grade (Year 4 in England) · 30 minutes

How the environment can change an organism's traits

Cells, genetics and evolution

CCSS NGSS.3-LS3-2England: KS2 Y6 Evolution and inheritance

Objective and success criteria

Students will: How the environment can change an organism's traits.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Inherited and environmental characteristics

Leads to: the next skill in this area.

Materials: Microscope images or slides, Cell diagrams, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 4 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Inherited and environmental characteristics). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Is this characteristic inherited or environmental: the language you speak? (inherited (from parents) / environmental (from life)) → environmental (from life)Prompt: Were you born with it, or did it happen during life?
  2. Identical twins have the same genes. One becomes much stronger. Why? (The environment, such as exercise, made a difference. / Strength is never affected by exercise. / They are not really twins. / Their genes changed into different ones.) → The environment, such as exercise, made a difference.Prompt: What can be different if their genes are the same?
  3. Inheritance: which statement is true? (Children are always exact copies of one parent. / If a parent loses a finger, its babies are born without that finger. / Some characteristics depend on both genes and environment. / The language you speak is inherited.) → Some characteristics depend on both genes and environment.Prompt: Which things can be passed on in genes?

Hook · 3 min

  • Show a microscope image of cells and ask what students think they are looking at.
  • Share the objective: How the environment can change an organism's traits. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 7 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: Flamingos are born grey. Why do adult flamingos turn pink?
  • Step 1: The flamingo's diet, part of its environment, gives it its pink colour.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: Pink colours in the shrimps and algae they eat build up in their feathers.
  • Answer: Pink colours in the shrimps and algae they eat build up in their feathers.
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 6 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. Identical twins grow up in different countries. One becomes much more muscular. What best explains this? (Muscles are inherited only. / They have different parents. / One of them grew an extra bone. / Different exercise and diet changed their bodies.) → Different exercise and diet changed their bodies.Prompt: Identical twins share the same inherited information.
  2. Is this trait mostly inherited, or affected by the environment: a dog's breed? (mostly inherited / affected by the environment) → mostly inheritedPrompt: Was the living thing born with it, or did it come from how it lives?

You do: independent practice · 7 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 3 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Identical twins grow up in different countries. One becomes much more muscular. What best explains this? (One of them grew an extra bone. / Different exercise and diet changed their bodies. / Muscles are inherited only. / They have different parents.) → Different exercise and diet changed their bodies.Prompt: Identical twins share the same inherited information.
  2. Is this trait mostly inherited, or affected by the environment: a pet's weight after overeating? (mostly inherited / affected by the environment) → affected by the environmentPrompt: Was the living thing born with it, or did it come from how it lives?

Watch out for

  • Everyday meanings of words getting in the way of the science meaning: define key words explicitly.
  • Remembering facts without the reason: ask "why?" and "what is the evidence?"

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Inherited and environmental characteristics.
  • Use concrete materials: microscope images or slides.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/science/grade-3.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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How the environment can change an organism's traits

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    Identical twins grow up in different countries. One becomes much more muscular. What best explains this?

    • A. Different exercise and diet changed their bodies.
    • B. They have different parents.
    • C. One of them grew an extra bone.
    • D. Muscles are inherited only.

  2. Question 2

    Traits and the environment: which statement is true?

    • A. A plant kept in the dark will pass paleness on to its seeds.
    • B. Identical twins always have exactly the same weight.
    • C. The environment cannot change any trait.
    • D. Some turtle eggs hatch as males or females depending on how warm the sand is.

  3. Question 3

    Is this trait mostly inherited, or affected by the environment: a plant leaning towards a window?

    • A. mostly inherited
    • B. affected by the environment

  4. Question 4

    Is this trait mostly inherited, or affected by the environment: the number of legs an insect has?

    • A. mostly inherited
    • B. affected by the environment

  5. Question 5

    Is this trait mostly inherited, or affected by the environment: the shape of a sunflower's leaves?

    • A. mostly inherited
    • B. affected by the environment

  6. Question 6

    The same type of hydrangea plant has blue flowers in one garden and pink in another. What could cause this?

    • A. the gardener's favourite colour
    • B. the day of the week
    • C. differences in the soil
    • D. the plants are different species

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Answer key: How the environment can change an organism's traits

  1. 1. A. Different exercise and diet changed their bodies.

  2. 2. D. Some turtle eggs hatch as males or females depending on how warm the sand is.

  3. 3. B. affected by the environment

  4. 4. A. mostly inherited

  5. 5. A. mostly inherited

  6. 6. C. differences in the soil