AN EVOLUTION CURRICULUM

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AN EVOLUTION CURRICULUM FOR ELEMENTARY
STUDENTS JOSEPH FAIL, JR.Assistant Cindy
Blohm
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Nothing in Biology Makes Sense Except in the
Light of Evolution
-Theodosius Dobzhansky
Do you believe this?
If you do, when should evolution be taught?
How should it be taught?
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What would Darwin do?
http//donsmaps.com/images5/darwin.jpg
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U.S. Beliefs in Evolution
Gallup Poll 1997
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• ELEMENTARY CURRICULUM CONSTRUCTION GUIDE
• Premise ELEMENTARY STUDENTS ARE UNDERTAUGHT.
• Content and Teaching BASIC, HEIRARCHICAL,
  SIMPLE, LOGICAL, INTUITIVE, STORYLIKE, AND
  CONNECTED.
• Format 90 MINUTES, ONCE PER WEEK, 30 WEEKS.

ELEMENTARY CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
Develop and Publish Curriculum Develop and
Publish Primer (100 page teacher text book)
Train Teachers to Implement Curriculum Practice-
Teach with One (4th grade) Class
within the context of

• Curriculum Geography
• Science
• Biology with Evolution
• Earth and Physical Science
• Other Disciplines
• Math, Language, Social Studies

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National and State Standards
National Science Education Standards an
understanding of evolution is necessary in
describing all aspects of changes in the
universe.

• North Carolina Standard Course of Study
• Grade Competency Goal
  (Select Evolution Related)
  Objectives
• 3 1 The learner willbuild an
  understanding 1.02 Observe and describe
  how environmental
• of plant growth and
  adaptations.
  conditions determine how well plants
• 
  
  survive and grow.
• 
  1.05
  Observe and discuss how bees pollinate
• 
  
  flowers.
• 4 1 The learner willbuild an
  understanding 1.02 Observe and record
  how animals of the same
• of animal behavior and
  adaptations. kind differ
  in characteristics and discuss
• 
  
  possible advantages and disadvantages
• 
  
  of this variation.
• 5 1 The learner willbuild an
  understanding 1.05 Determine the
  interaction of organisms
• of the interdependence of plants
  and animals. within an ecosystem
• 
  
  

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Curriculum Units

• I.  Overview of Biological Levels-of-Organizatio
  n
• II.  Chemical Structure and Function
• III.  Energy
• IV. Biology Cells and Organisms
• V.  Biology Information Storage and Transfer
• VI. Ecology
• VII. Evolution 

(HEIRARCHICAL, SIMPLE, LOGICAL, INTUITIVE,
STORYLIKE, AND CONNECTED)
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A Matrix of Evolution
L I F E
T I M E
S P A C E
M A T T E R and E N E
R G Y
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Odums Ecological Organization Spectrum (Abridged)
I. Overview of Biological Levels-of-Organization

• Genes Cells Organisms
  Populations Communities

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• II.  Chemical Structure and Function

• Introduction to Atoms Structure and
  Periodic Table
• Carbon and Covalent Bonds
• Molecules Sugars, Fats, Proteins, Nucleic
  Acids

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Atomic Structure Carbon
Why are there two energy levels?
Carbons atomic number is 6 What is its
atomic weight? What is their significance?
Electron (-)
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Molecular Structure and Covalent Bonds
d
What is a molecule?
How many atoms make up this molecule?
What is a covalent bond?
d-
H20 Water
http//www.school-for-champions.com/science/images
/chembonding_types-water.gif
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Molecular Structure Sugar
O
H
What do the lines between atoms represent?
C
What information can you draw from the short-hand
C6H12O6 ? What information does C6H12O6 leave
out?
Why is sugar the molecule of biological energy
storage? Where do we get the stored energy?
H
Glucose C6H12O6
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Curriculum Units

• I.  Overview of Biological Levels-of-Organizatio
  n
• II.  Chemical Structure and Function
• III.  Energy
• IV. Biology Cells and Organisms
• V.  Biology Information Storage and Transfer
• VI. Ecology
• VII. Evolution 

(HEIRARCHICAL, SIMPLE, LOGICAL, INTUITIVE,
STORYLIKE, AND CONNECTED)
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• III.  Energy

• 1st and 2nd Laws of Thermodynamics
• Photosynthesis and Respiration

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1st Law of ThermodynamicsPhotosynthesis and
Respiration
(Chl)
P

• 6 CO2 6 H20 C6H12O6 6 O2

R
Plants trap light. How do they store the
energy of light?
How does the stored light energy get to you?
How does this formula represent the 1st law of
Thermodynamics?
(Teacher Note What do students need to know to
answer these questions?)
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2nd Law of ThermodynamicsFor every energy
transfer, 90 of the energy is lost as waste heat
www.mcys.gov.sg/web/Faces/Faces40/p2.html
Why do we get hungry so often?
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• IV. Biology Cells and Organisms

• Cells Structure and Function
• Organisms Five Kingdoms

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Cells Structure and Function
Animal
Plant
Cell Wall
Chloroplast
Nucleus
Vacuole
Mitochondrion
Cell Membrane
What do these cells do?
What are the functions of each organelle?
http//www.biolessons.com/lessonplans/cellularbiol
ogy/plant_animal_cell/animal_cell.jpg
http//www.geocities.com/pieroscience/plant_cell.g
if
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Organisms Five Kingdoms
Animal Plant Fungi
What are similarities among organisms of the same
kingdom? What are differences between
kingdoms?
Protista

• Prokaryote
• (Monera)

http//universe-review.ca/I10-01-FiveKingdom.jpg
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Some Characteristics of the Five Kingdoms
Kingdom Nucleus? Cell Number Cell
Wall? Energy Source
Heterotrophic Autotrophic Heterotrophic
Autotrophic Heterotrophic Autotrophic Heterot
rophic
Prokaryotes (Monera) Protista Fungi Plantae
Animalia
No Yes Yes Yes Yes
Single Single (Gen) Multicellular Multicellu
lar Multicellular
Yes No/Yes Yes Yes No
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Curriculum Units

• I.  Overview of Biological Levels-of-Organizatio
  n
• II.  Chemical Structure and Function
• III.  Energy
• IV. Biology Cells and Organisms
• V.  Biology Information Storage and Transfer
• VI. Ecology
• VII. Evolution 

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V.  Biology Information Storage and Transfer

• DNA Structure and Function Replication,
  Transcription, and Translation
• Meiosis and Gene Recombination
• Mendelian Genetics Phenotypes and Genotypes
• Monohybrid Cross
• Dihybrid Cross

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Molecular Structure DNA

• What do the lines forming each angle represent?

www.emc.maricopa.edu
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Transcription and Translation (An Illustration
of the Mechanistic Nature of Biology)
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Transcription, Translation, and Energy
Transcription
Translation
Are transcription and translation necessary for
respiration?
Is respiration necessary for transcription and
translation?
Conclusion . . . ?
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DNA Structure and Function

• How does this molecule relate to what we look
  like?

. . . and what we do?
How does this molecule relate to future
generations?
www.emc.maricopa.edu
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Mendelian Genetics Monohybrid Cross
Distinguish between phenotypes and genotypes.

• How does pink happen?

If the F2 generation were 3 Red1 White, what
could you say about inheritance?
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Curriculum Units

• I.  Overview of Biological Levels-of-Organizatio
  n
• II.  Chemical Structure and Function
• III.  Energy
• IV. Biology Cells and Organisms
• V.  Biology Information Storage and Transfer
• VI. Ecology
• VII. Evolution 

(HEIRARCHICAL, SIMPLE, LOGICAL, INTUITIVE,
STORYLIKE, AND CONNECTED)
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VI. Ecology

• Light The Energetic Basis of Life
• Electromagnetic Spectrum
• Englemanns Experiment
• Nutrient Cycles Role of Plants, Fungi, and
  Bacteria
• Organisms and Environment Interactions
• Population Exponential Growth and
  Carrying Capacity
• Human Population Growth Curve
• Time Daily, Seasonal, Successional

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Light The Energetic Basis of Life Englemanns
Experiment
How does this diagram illustrate what plants do
with light?
Why are plants green?
High Energy
Low Energy
How does this experiment illustrate how
ecosystems work? . . . how Earth works?
http//3e.plantphys.net/images/ch07/wt0701d.jpg
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Exponential Population Growth
What could prevent a population from unlimited
growth?
Why does a K1 and K2 exist?
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VII. Evolution 

• Introduction The Mechanism of Evolution by
  Natural Selection
• DNA and Mutation Review
• Relationship of DNA to Evolution
• Population Exponential Growth and Carrying
  Capacity - Review
• Environment, Variation, Selection, and
  Adaptation
• The Geography of Speciation
• Co-evolution vs. Competition
• Common Origin, Speciation and Diversity
• Human Evolution
• Pollution, Evolution, and the Future Global
  Warming and Other Stories 

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Evolution by Natural Selection Facts and
Inferences
Fact 1 Potential Exponential Increase of
Populations Observation
Inference 1 Struggle for Existence Among
Individuals Malthus
Inference 2 Differential Survival i.e. Natural
Selection Darwin Wallace
Fact 2 Populations Are Steady State Observation
Fact 4 Uniqueness of Individuals Observation
Farmers
Inference 3 Through Many Generations i.e.
Evolution Darwin Wallace
Fact 5 Heritability of Much Individual
Variation Observation Farmers
Fact 3 Limitation of Resources Malthus
Observation
Mayr 1977
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(Review) DNA Molecule Hard Inheritance
Fact 4 Uniqueness of Individuals Observation
Farmers

Fact 5 Heritability of Much Individual
Variation Observation Farmers

• In what way is DNA the basis for variation?

www.emc.maricopa.edu
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(Review) Mutation Sickle-Cell Anemia
Sickle cells hold less oxygen than normal
cells. How could such a harmful mutation persist
in a population?
Fact 5 Heritability of Much Individual
Variation Observation Farmers
How does this example illustrate Fact 5?
http//evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/images/ev
o/
http//www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/exhibitions/genes/
images/
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(Review) Inheritance Sickle-Cell
Genotype
Phenotype
no yes yes yes (but lethal)
Malaria resistance?
Fact 5 Heritability of Much Individual
Variation Observation Farmers
How does the sickle-cell trait persist? (Teacher
Note What does a student need to know to answer
this question?)
http//www.io.com/tcm/images/TWDEFF2.GIF
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Geography and Genetic VariationSickle-Cell
Disease and Malaria
How would deforestation affect the prevalence of
the sickle cell trait?
Inference 2 Differential Survival i.e. Natural
Selection Darwin Wallace
http//bill.srnr.arizona.edu/classes/182/GeneFreqs
/Sickle-Malaria.htm
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VII. Evolution 

• Introduction The Mechanism of Evolution by
  Natural Selection
• DNA and Mutation Review
• Relationship of DNA to Evolution
• Population Exponential Growth and Carrying
  Capacity - Review
• Environment, Variation, Selection, and
  Adaptation
• The Geography of Speciation
• Co-evolution vs. Competition
• Common Origin, Speciation and Diversity
• Human Evolution
• Pollution, Evolution, and the Future Global
  Warming and Other Stories 

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Exponential Population Growth
Fact 1 Potential Exponential Increase of
Populations Observation
Fact 3 Limitation of Resources Malthus
Observation
Inference 2 Differential Survival i.e. Natural
Selection Darwin Wallace
What could prevent a population from undergoing
unlimited growth?
How does K affect populations?
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Evolution by Natural Selection Facts and
Inferences
Fact 1 Potential Exponential Increase of
Populations Observation
Inference 1 Struggle for Existence Among
Individuals Malthus
Inference 2 Differential Survival i.e. Natural
Selection Darwin Wallace
Fact 2 Populations Are Steady State Observation
Fact 4 Uniqueness of Individuals Observation
Farmers
Inference 3 Through Many Generations i.e.
Evolution Darwin Wallace
Fact 5 Heritability of Much Individual
Variation Observation Farmers
Fact 3 Limitation of Resources Malthus
Observation
Mayr 1977
42
VII. Evolution 

• Introduction The Mechanism of Evolution by
  Natural Selection
• DNA and Mutation Review
• Relationship of DNA to Evolution
• Population Exponential Growth and Carrying
  Capacity - Review
• Environment, Variation, Selection, and
  Adaptation
• The Geography of Speciation
• Co-evolution vs. Competition
• Common Origin, Speciation and Diversity
• Human Evolution
• Pollution, Evolution, and the Future Global
  Warming and Other Stories 

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Variation and Selection Lederberg Experiment
Can you explain this experiment?
How is the one colony able to survive the toxic
environment?
How and when did the adaptation arise?
Fact 4 Uniqueness of Individuals Observation
Farmers
Inference 2 Differential Survival i.e. Natural
Selection Darwin Wallace
Fact 5 Heritability of Much Individual
Variation Observation Farmers
Volpe 1985
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Geography and Variation Galapagos Turtles
How / Why do you think the turtle subspecies
arose in the different volcanic craters spread
out across the island?
Could these varieties become separate species?
How or how not?
(Teacher Note What does a student need to know
to answer these questions?)
Fact 5 Heritability of Much Individual
Variation Observation Farmers
Inference 3 Through Many Generations i.e.
Evolution Darwin Wallace
Volpe 1985
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VII. Evolution 

• Introduction The Mechanism of Evolution by
  Natural Selection
• DNA and Mutation Review
• Relationship of DNA to Evolution
• Population Exponential Growth and Carrying
  Capacity - Review
• Environment, Variation, Selection, and
  Adaptation
• The Geography of Speciation
• Co-evolution vs. Competition
• Common Origin, Speciation and Diversity
• Human Evolution
• Pollution, Evolution, and the Future Global
  Warming and Other Stories 

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Competition and Co-evolution
The graphs show the populations of 2 species of
Paramecium (Protista) alone and together. What
explanations can you give to explain why the
alone populations level off?
How do the graphs illustrate the effects of
competition?
http//www.microscope-microscope.org/
Allee et al. 1949
How does this photograph illustrate co-evolution?
What is the energy source that drives these
organisms co-evolution?
Are there evolutionary consequences of being too
attractive . . . or not attractive enough?
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Common Origin Galapagos Finches
What abiotic or biotic factors have influenced
the evolution of beak size and shape?
How do the facts and inferences of evolution by
natural selection shape this story?
How does common origin relate to Homo sapiens?
Inference 3 Through Many Generations i.e.
Evolution Darwin Wallace
Volpe 1985
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Evolution by Natural Selection Facts and
Inferences
Fact 1 Potential Exponential Increase of
Populations Observation
Inference 1 Struggle for Existence Among
Individuals Malthus
Inference 2 Differential Survival i.e. Natural
Selection Darwin Wallace
Fact 2 Populations Are Steady State Observation
Fact 4 Uniqueness of Individuals Observation
Farmers
Inference 3 Through Many Generations i.e.
Evolution Darwin Wallace
Fact 5 Heritability of Much Individual
Variation Observation Farmers
Fact 3 Limitation of Resources Malthus
Observation
Mayr 1977
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HIV in Humans(Could HIV be a factor in human
evolution, i.e. a cause for change in gene
frequency?)
What is a virus?
What makes HIV different from a cell?
How could we stop HIV from making copies of
itself?
(Teacher Note What does a student need to know
to answer these questions?)
http//oddisgood.com/art/
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Evolution by Natural Selection Facts and
Inferences
Mayr 1977
Fact 6? Changes in Environment
Is there a piece of the puzzle missing?
Is this important? Where would it come into play?
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Pollution, Variation, and Adaptation The
Peppered Moth
What is the relationship between natural
selection and the environment?
How do humans affect evolution by natural
selection?
Inference 2 Differential Survival i.e. Natural
Selection Darwin Wallace
Fact 5 Heritability of Much Individual
Variation Observation Farmers
http//www.micro.utexas.edu/courses/levin/bio304/p
opgen/moths.gif
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Pollution and Heritability Developmental
Deformities
Volpe 1985
What would make these mutations heritable?
What might cause these variations in phenotype?
Volpe 1985
Do these phenomena fit in the process of
evolution by natural selection? Why or why not?
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Human Imprints and Global CO2 Levels
What is the change in CO2 in the last 50 years?
How might increased CO2 levels affect life
processes?
http//www.shrani.si/pics/slika2rkv62.jpg
What biological variations might be selected for
or against with increased CO2 levels?
How might changes in CO2 levels affect
evolutionary events?
http//www.2think.org/keeling_curve.shtml
Do these phenomena fit in the process of
evolution by natural selection? Why or why not?
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Ecosystem EarthWhere have we been? Where are
we going?
http//fti.neep.wisc.edu/neep602/LEC1/10075945.jpg
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To Dos (Ideas)

• This outline on NESCent Web Site
• Curriculum paper American Biology Teacher (In
  prep)
• Primer 100 pages, Teacher and student
  guide
• How to publish?
• Teacher Workshop How to arrange?
• Classroom to Experiment with? (Durham
  Elementary
• Science Director No)
• Ideas?

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• Heredity 
• I am the family face
• Flesh perishes, I live on,
• Projecting trait and trace
• Through time to times anon,
• And leaping from place to place
• Over oblivion. 
• The years-heired feature that can
• In curve and voice and eye
• Despise the human span
• Of durance that is I
• The eternal thing in man,
• That heeds no call to die. 
• Thomas Hardy, in Moments of Vision

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