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Science lesson plan · 6th grade (Year 7 in England) · 30 minutes

Evolution and fossil evidence

Cells, genetics and evolution

CCSS NGSS.MS-LS4-1CCSS NGSS.MS-LS4-2CCSS NGSS.3-LS4-1England: KS2 Y6 Evolution and inheritanceEngland: KS3 Biology: Genetics and evolution

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Evolution and fossil evidence.

  • 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: Natural selection and resistance

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: a cat's fur pattern? (inherited (from parents) / environmental (from life)) → inherited (from parents)Prompt: Were you born with it, or did it happen during life?
  2. Why do puppies look like their parents but not exactly the same? (They copy their parents on purpose. / They get a mix of characteristics from both parents. / All dogs are identical. / They eat the same food.) → They get a mix of characteristics from both parents.Prompt: Each parent passes on half of the genes.
  3. Inheritance: which statement is true? (Characteristics are passed on in genes. / Children are always exact copies of one parent. / If a parent loses a finger, its babies are born without that finger. / The language you speak is inherited.) → Characteristics are passed on in genes.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: Evolution and fossil evidence. 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: Mary Anning was famous for…
  • Step 1: Mary Anning's fossil finds helped show that species can become extinct.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: finding important fossils, such as ichthyosaurs
  • Answer: finding important fossils, such as ichthyosaurs
  • 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. Who is famous for the theory of evolution by natural selection? (Marie Curie / Charles Darwin / Albert Einstein / Isaac Newton) → Charles DarwinPrompt: He studied finches and tortoises on the Galápagos Islands.
  2. Evolution: which statement is true? (Evolution happens over many generations. / Individual animals evolve during their own lifetime. / Humans evolved from modern chimpanzees. / Dinosaurs and early humans lived at the same time.) → Evolution happens over many generations.Prompt: Evolution is about populations over many generations.

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. Evolution: which statement is true? (Individual animals evolve during their own lifetime. / Variation between individuals is needed for natural selection. / Humans evolved from modern chimpanzees. / Dinosaurs and early humans lived at the same time.) → Variation between individuals is needed for natural selection.Prompt: Evolution is about populations over many generations.
  2. Evolution: which statement is NOT true? (Individual animals evolve during their own lifetime. / Evolution happens over many generations. / Species can become extinct. / Fossils are evidence for evolution.) → Individual animals evolve during their own lifetime.Prompt: Watch out for a common misunderstanding about apes.

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

  • Move on to: Natural selection and resistance.
  • 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-6.

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

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Evolution and fossil evidence

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    Evolution: which statement is true?

    • A. Humans evolved from modern chimpanzees.
    • B. Dinosaurs and early humans lived at the same time.
    • C. Variation between individuals is needed for natural selection.
    • D. Individual animals evolve during their own lifetime.

  2. Question 2

    Who is famous for the theory of evolution by natural selection?

    • A. Isaac Newton
    • B. Charles Darwin
    • C. Albert Einstein
    • D. Marie Curie

  3. Question 3

    Evolution: which statement is NOT true?

    • A. Fossils are evidence for evolution.
    • B. Birds are descended from dinosaurs.
    • C. Humans evolved from modern chimpanzees.
    • D. Evolution happens over many generations.

  4. Question 4

    Finches on different islands have different beak shapes. The best explanation is…

    • A. Beaks suited to each island's food helped birds survive and breed.
    • B. Beak shape is random and has no effect.
    • C. The birds chose their beak shape.
    • D. Each bird stretched its beak to reach food.

  5. Question 5

    Mary Anning was famous for…

    • A. discovering electricity
    • B. landing on the Moon
    • C. finding important fossils, such as ichthyosaurs
    • D. inventing the telescope

  6. Question 6

    What do fossils tell us about living things?

    • A. Living things have changed over very long periods of time.
    • B. Fossils are only made of plastic.
    • C. Living things have never changed.
    • D. Dinosaurs lived at the same time as the first humans.

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Answer key: Evolution and fossil evidence

  1. 1. C. Variation between individuals is needed for natural selection.

  2. 2. B. Charles Darwin

  3. 3. C. Humans evolved from modern chimpanzees.

  4. 4. A. Beaks suited to each island's food helped birds survive and breed.

  5. 5. C. finding important fossils, such as ichthyosaurs

  6. 6. A. Living things have changed over very long periods of time.