Blog Post Week 9

 






1. This week in lab, we started by reviewing the NGSS and the performance expectations, crosscutting concepts, science and engineering practices, and disciplinary core ideas. We specifically looked at these concepts for biological evolution. We then started talking about natural selection and I was able to review what this is. I learned that natural selection is the differential survival and reproduction of individuals due to differences in phenotypes. We were able to learn more about this through a natural selection bean lab. We did a simulation where different types of utensils represented predators and beans represented the prey. We developed two hypothesis with one being if you use a fork you will get the most beans and if you have a knife you will get the least beans. We also learned that there are predominant traits caused by natural selection. 

4. I can use what I have learned in lab to my teaching in the future when teaching about natural selection. I would like to use the bean lab that we did in lab to teach students about natural selection. I think this would help students better understand natural selection with it being more hands on and I found it fun as well. It was also helpful to review the NGSS which I will use in my future teaching. 

5. Would it also be possible to do this lab as a whole class?
What are examples I can use as real life natural selection?
What if natural selection did not exist?
How can I teach this to students through an activity?


























Comments

  1. Ali CraigMarch 26, 2023 at 4:38 PM

    Hi Abby! Great post, I really like your description of natural selection and how it relates to biological evolution. I also think that this lab activity would be useful to include in an elementary lesson on natural selection. A common example of natural selection I found was that giraffes long necks evolved so they could reach the leaves they needed for nourishment at the top of trees. Apparently giraffes ancestors were very similar to present day deer.

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  2. Emily StultzMarch 26, 2023 at 9:06 PM

    Hi Abby!
    I liked the questions you asked about if you could do this as a whole class and I totally think you could. Like grouping up students into different prey and having them join the winning prey every round if their team lost. I think its a fun activity for elementary students to use as a way to learn natural selection! Great post!

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  3. Ellen Howard Science Methods BlogMarch 30, 2023 at 1:15 PM

    Hi Abby! I also had the same questions of you and I think these are what our future students might be asking as well. I also enjoyed the activity and thought it did a great job at explaining natural selection. Great job!

    ReplyDelete

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