Lesson: Rock Pocket Mice

Class and Grade: Biology, 9th Grade ELL

Teacher Readiness

Next Generation Science Standards:

HS-LS4-4: Construct an explanation based on evidence for how natural selection leads to adaptation of
populations.

HS-LS4-3: Apply concepts of statistics and probability to support explanations that organisms with an
advantageous heritable trait tend to increase in proportion to organisms lacking this trait.

Student Learning Objective(s):

Students will simulate trapping of rock pocket mice over time to explore the connection between
changes in the environment and prevalence of a light or dark fur colour trait over time.

Students will explain how they determined the trapping sequence by using concepts of microevolution
and natural selection to support their chosen sequence

Material:

Students:

• Rock Pocket Mice Activity Sheet

• Rock Pocket Mice Trapping Simulation Cards

• Pen and Paper

Teacher:

• White Board

• Power Point
• Volcano Video
• Microevolution Video
• Kahoot Quiz

Prior Knowledge

(Know) Students know that the variety of traits in and between species are due to genetic mutations.

(Can Do) Students can identify adaptations as traits that are beneficial to members of a population.

(Still Learning) Students are still learning how these traits persist in a species due to natural selection.

Questions (to ask students to promote higher order thinking)

1. If the environment changes, are previous adaptations still beneficial?

2. If humans can put on clothes to camouflage themselves, what can other animals do?
Differentiation – Planned Support

Whole Class Differentiation

For whole class support, I will be utilizing several videos and simulations to help better clarify the
concepts covered in the lesson. The students in this class are English Language Learners (ELL) and their
familiarity with the vocabulary relating to some of the concepts may be lacking, so these additional
supports and examples may be beneficial to help them better grasp the subject.

Small Group Differentiation

Students will work in small groups to determine the correct trap order using the class discussions,
videos, and simulations. This will give students a chance to talk through the concepts with their peers
while also allowing for informal assessment of knowledge and opportunity for clarification of
misconceptions.

Individual Students Differentiation

For students still struggling with English comprehension, during small group work, I will circulate through
the classroom and give individual support and instruction as needed, including use of modeling when
necessary.

Academic Language

Language Function

The language function students will use is analyze. Students will analyze the data from the Rock Pocket
Mice simulation to determine the order of the traps using the concepts of microevolution.

Vocabulary

The vocabulary students will learn for this lesson are: microevolution, basalt, adaptation, mutation

Discourse

For this lesson, students will need to be able to listen, discuss, analyze, and write. They will need to
listen to my lesson and videos, discuss key concepts with their elbow partner, analyze the trap
simulation data and write responses to the worksheet questions.

Syntax

Students will order the cards and justify their order using concepts of microevolution.

How will you support students so they can understand and use the language associated with the

language function and other demands in meeting the learning objectives of the lesson?

For our students who struggle with language function I will ask questions to help promote the higher
order thinking associated with being able to analyze data.

STUDENT READINESS

Engagement Strategy (Hook)

“Today we’re going to continue exploring microevolution, which is evolutionary change within a species
or small group of organisms, especially over a short period of time. One of the ways microevolution is
apparent within a species is through camouflage”

Slide 2=> “Camouflage is a way to remain hidden in your surroundings. When hunters go hunting, many
times they want to remain hidden from their prey. Humans can wear many different types of clothing to
camouflage themselves.”

Slide 3=> “However, not every type of camouflage works in every environment.”

Slide 4=> “For a camouflage to be effective, it needs to match its environment.”

Slide 5=> “Now, humans are unique amongst animals. We can simply put on clothing and change what
is on the outside. Other animals can’t do that. For these animals to be camouflaged, their bodies must
act as that camouflage. Can anyone spot the snake in this picture?” Wait for responses. Click to reveal
location. “The snake in this picture is camouflaged.”

Lesson Activities:

· Instruction/teach

Slide 6=> “Previously you explored the way in which peppered moths with different colourings were
camouflaged as their environment changed. Today we are going to explore the microevolution of a
different species, the Rock Pocket Mouse.”

Slide 7=> “Rock pocket mice are found in the southwestern United States and Northern Mexico, which is
a desert environment.” “How are some ways we could describe a desert?” wait for responses, record
on board.

Slide 8=> “There is something unique about the area of desert where these mice are found. Over a
thousand years ago there was volcanic activity in the area which left behind a type of rock called basalt.”
“To help familiarize you with basalt, we’re going to watch a short YouTube video about volcanoes.”

Play video

“So basalt is a dark rock formed from cooled lava. Today we’re going to explore how this change in the
desert environment, the introduction of dark basalt rock, impacted the rock pocket mice.”

Handout activity.

Slide 9=> Go through instructions, read verbatim. Go through each key term as a group. Read definition
and ask group which term it belongs to. Use this time to make sure all students are aware of the
definitions and terms.

Slide 10=> “What we are going to do next is a simulation of traps set to catch rock pocket mice in two
different locations. Location A and location B. For each trap there are four cards representing 4
trappings at each location.”

Read instructions for activity verbatim, then check for understanding by asking students what they will
be doing.
Check in with Mr. Butters on how to best implement activity timing.

Call attention back. “What order do we believe trap A should be in?” Call on students, and guide to
appropriate order. Write order on board. “What order do we believe trap B should be in?” Call on
students, and guide to appropriate order. Write order on board.

Slide 11 => Instruct students to tun over sheet. Read instructions verbatim, use images on slide to
model how students will construct graphs. Allow students time to make graphs in groups.

Call attention back. “To better understand how the colour distribution of the rock pocket mice came to
be we are going to watch a short video called “Making of the Fittest. There are questions we will be
answering about the video using a kahoot quiz as well.”

*Check with Mr. Butters on how best to implement the video and quiz

After video and quiz open simulation link.

“As we learned in the video, the colour differences between rock pocket mice was due to a random
mutation, however the prevalence, or how often it occurs in the population is due to natural selection,
which is NOT a random process.”

Run simulation. Before each selection do a thumbs up, thumbs down check for which colour mice they
think are better adapted for the environment. (Dark fur – thumbs up, light fur – thumbs down.) When
the different environments are selected, ask students what they observe. Ask why rock pocket mice with
different coloured fur are more likely to survive in each environment.

Application and Closure Strategy:

Slide 12=> “Before we begin wrapping up for the day, please reset your traps by putting them in the
order on the screen.”

Give students just a few moments to do this, then call back.

Slide 13=> “Using what we learned in our discussions, the simulations, and the videos, answer the three
questions listed under number 7 on the back of your sheet. Use a piece of loose leaf paper, and write in
complete sentences.

· Formal Assessment

Collect students’ worksheets and answers.

· Closure

• “Thank you all for participating today! Before you go we’re going to review some of the big ideas from
today.”

Slide 14 => Read slide 14 verbatim

If time remains, ask students if they have any questions.