Students’ backgrounds and readiness:
I am expecting students to be able to relate the concepts of genetics to evolution. Having this unit follow the genetics unit will definitely help because I can refer back to DNA and genes to help them understand its role within evolution. The students will be encouraged to refer back to their inputs in their notebooks during certain activities in this unit. Students will also have opportunities to use their preexisting knowledge about biology and connect it to evolution and ask questions. In the anatomy section they will relate it back to the systems of the human body.
- Student needs: There are several Spanish-speaking students in the class but none are ELLs. Small groups, checking for understanding, scaffolding, and other literacy strategies will be used to help all students learn the content. There are quite a few students in each class that need some one-on-one help and others that need to be kept away from each other because they are easily distracted.
- Research- and evidence-based best practice ideas: Explain how research and best practice ideas have informed your plan.
For this unit, I have been designing the activities and worksheets myself for the most part. I have limited the use of online materials without adapting them. I have found a resource that will be used in one of the culminating assessments for the unit. It is a BBC website that students can use to do some research.
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