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Science lesson plan · 3rd grade (Year 4 in England) · 45 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 · 5 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 plant growing pale in the shade? (inherited (from parents) / environmental (from life)) → environmental (from life)Prompt: Were you born with it, or did it happen during life?
  2. A plant grown in a dark cupboard is tall, thin and pale. Its seeds are planted in sunlight. The new plants are… (pale, because they inherit it / white, because their parent was in the dark / unable to grow / normal and green, because the pale look was caused by the environment) → normal and green, because the pale look was caused by the environmentPrompt: Is being pale passed on in the seeds?
  3. Inheritance: which statement is true? (If a parent loses a finger, its babies are born without that finger. / A scar is an environmental characteristic. / The language you speak is inherited. / Children are always exact copies of one parent.) → A scar is an environmental characteristic.Prompt: Which things can be passed on in genes?

Hook · 5 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 · 10 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 · 10 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. Two identical seedlings are grown: one in a sunny spot, one in deep shade. The shaded one is tall, thin and pale. Why? (Lack of light changed how it grew. / Shade makes plants healthier. / It was a different kind of plant. / It inherited different genes.) → Lack of light changed how it grew.Prompt: The seedlings started the same. What was different?
  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?

You do: independent practice · 10 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 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 5 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Is this trait mostly inherited, or affected by the environment: a plant leaning towards a window? (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?
  2. Flamingos are born grey. Why do adult flamingos turn pink? (They paint themselves. / They get sunburnt. / Pink colours in the shrimps and algae they eat build up in their feathers. / Their parents were painted pink.) → Pink colours in the shrimps and algae they eat build up in their feathers.Prompt: What do flamingos eat?

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/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Two identical seedlings are grown: one in a sunny spot, one in deep shade. The shaded one is tall, thin and pale. Why?

    • A. It inherited different genes.
    • B. Shade makes plants healthier.
    • C. It was a different kind of plant.
    • D. Lack of light changed how it grew.

  2. Question 2

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

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

  3. Question 3

    Traits and the environment: which statement is true?

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

  4. Question 4

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

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

  5. Question 5

    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.

  6. Question 6

    Is this trait mostly inherited, or affected by the environment: how well you can ride a bike?

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

  7. Question 7

    Is this trait mostly inherited, or affected by the environment: a pet's weight after overeating?

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

  8. Question 8

    Flamingos are born grey. Why do adult flamingos turn pink?

    • A. They paint themselves.
    • B. Their parents were painted pink.
    • C. They get sunburnt.
    • D. Pink colours in the shrimps and algae they eat build up in their feathers.

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

  1. 1. D. Lack of light changed how it grew.

  2. 2. B. affected by the environment

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

  4. 4. D. differences in the soil

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

  6. 6. B. affected by the environment

  7. 7. B. affected by the environment

  8. 8. D. Pink colours in the shrimps and algae they eat build up in their feathers.