1. How Do You Have Such a Long Neck?
This is an introduction to animal adaptations and natural selection. You will read about giraffes and how their long necks help them survive in their ecosystem.
SUBSTITUTION
Technology acts a direct substitute,
with no functional improvement
Login to Ms. Chene’s BlackBoard site. Click Science, then 7th Science.
Click the link to the article in NEWSELA .
Click “It’s my first time here.”
Here you will begin your sign up for NEWSELA.
DO NOT sign up with a google account!
Complete the information with your alias student name, username, and password.
At the top right of the page, click “Binder”, then “Assignments”
At the bottom of the page, click the article “How did the giraffe get its neck?”
Read the article
After reading the article, take the quiz. You will be given immediate feedback with a score.
At the end, we will discuss the article as a class.
This task uses:
Learning Objective(s):
I can describe changes that can occur in various ecosystems and relate the changes to the ability of an organism.
I can illustrate how variations in individual organisms within a population determine the success of the population
TEACHER NOTES:
Teacher’s name/ LeeAnna Chene
School: F. K. White Middle School
GLE(s): LS32- Describe changes that can occur in various ecosystems and relate the changes to the ability of an organism.
LS33- Illustrate how variations in individual organisms within a population determine the success of the population.
Grade Level/Subject: 7th Science
Special Directions/Considerations: If the students already have an account for NEWSELA, students can skip steps 2-4 and go directly to the article un their “Binder”. The free version will not allow you to see your students’ scores, but the students will be able to see their scores immediately. You will have to decide how you plan to assess their understanding of the article. Another feature in NEWSELA is you can assign the article individually to each student based on the reading level.
Activity Evaluation: Informal class discussion.
Prerequisites for students:

2. Natural Selection Explained!
You will watch a video and answer questions on Edpuzzle on Natural Selection.
AUGMENTATION
Technology acts as a direct tool
for substitution with some
functional improvement.
In the “Science” folder of Ms. Chene’s Blackboard site, click the link to Edpuzzle.
Click “Student”, then “Sign up”.
Here you will begin your sign up for EDpuzzle.
DO NOT sign up with a google account.
Complete the information with your alias student name, username, and password.
DO NOT type your address.
Click “join”.
Scroll down to the video “Natural Selection Explained!”
Click “Start”.
During the video, the video will pause for you to answer questions. If you are unsure of the answer, you can replay the section.
This task uses:
Learning Objective(s):
I can describe changes that can occur in various ecosystems and relate the changes to the ability of an organism.
I can illustrate how variations in individual organisms within a population determine the success of the population
TEACHER NOTES:
Teacher’s name/ LeeAnna Chene
School: F. K. White Middle School
GLE(s): LS32- Describe changes that can occur in various ecosystems and relate the changes to the ability of an organism.
LS33- Illustrate how variations in individual organisms within a population determine the success of the population.
Grade Level/Subject: 7th Science
Special Directions/Considerations: If the students already have an account for EDpuzzle, students can skip steps 2-3 and go directly to the video in the class. With Edpuzzle, you can view students’ progress in a video and their answers.
Activity Evaluation: Formal evaluation through scores on Edpuzzle.
Prerequisites for students:

3. Natural Selection InvestigationM
Natural Selection Investigation
In this investigation, you will simulate the impact of natural selection on a population of mussels.
MODIFICATION
Technology allows for
significant task redesign.
Read the introduction of “Survival of the Sweetest”.
Read the Purpose of Part 1 on pg.2.
Follow the procedures of Part 1 on pg. 3.
As you are following the procedures with the activity, you are to record your answers on Google Sheets. On Blackboard, in the Science folder, click the link to Symbaloo.
Once on Symbaloo, click the Google Sheets icon labeled “Natural Selection Activity”.
Click the tab at the bottom of the spreadsheet with your group number.
You will record your results there.
Click “Insert”, “Chart”, then choose the line graph.
Discuss the data on the line graph with your group.
Once you have completed the investigation, you will record your results for your group on your group’s row in the “Class Discussion Natural Selection” Google Sheet. Once all groups have entered their data, we will have a group discussion.
In Symbaloo, Click TodaysMeet’s “Natural Selection Conclusion”. Here you will give an explanation of your findings and conclusion of the activity. Be sure to write your conclusion in 140 characters or less.
This task uses:
Learning Objective(s):
I can illustrate how variations in individual organisms within a population determine the success of the population.
I can identify and describe the effects of limiting factors on a given population.
I can evaluate the carrying capacity of an ecosystem.
TEACHER NOTES:
Teacher’s name/ LeeAnna Chene
School: F. K. White Middle School
GLE(s): LS33- Illustrate how variations in individual organisms within a population determine the success of the population.
LS37- Identify and describe the effects of limiting factors on a given population.
LS38- Evaluate the carrying capacity of an ecosystem.
Grade Level/Subject: 7th Science
Special Directions/Considerations: Symbaloo is a tool teachers can use to put all links in one place for easy access for students. The google sheets are shared and available for students to edit, so it’s important for students to make sure they are placing their data in the correct tab on the “Natural Selection Activity” and the correct row on “Class Discussion Natural Selection”.
Activity Evaluation: Completed charts and graphs, as well as the group responses on TodaysMeet.
Prerequisites for students:

4. Survival of the Sweetest
In this investigation, you will simulate the effects of a predator on the diversity of a community.
REDEFINITION
Technology allows for the
creation of new tasks that were
previously not conceivable.
Read the Purpose of Survival of the Sweetest, Part 2 on pg.2.
Follow the procedures of Part 2 beginning on pg 4.
As you are following the procedures with the activity, record your answers on the data sheet provided.
Once you have completed the activity, you are to record your answers on Google Sheets. On Blackboard, in the Science folder, click the link to Symbaloo.
You may take video clips and pictures with your iPad during your investigation to use as part of your final product.
Once on Symbaloo, click the Google Sheets icon labeled “Survival of the Sweetest Final”.
Click the tab at the bottom of the spreadsheet with your group number.
You will record your results of each FINAL generation there.
Click “Insert”, “Chart”, then choose the line graph.
Discuss the data on the line graph with your group.
You will then use iMovie, MovieMaker, or Pinnacle Studio to articulate your findings and conclusion of the investigation. You must include your line graph.
Upload your completed video to the Discussion Board link in BlackBoard.
On BlackBoard, you are to compare your video with other group videos from different class periods, and respond with questions or comments pertaining to their results.
This task uses:
Learning Objective(s):
I can illustrate how variations in individual organisms within a population determine the success of the population.
I can identify and describe the effects of limiting factors on a given population.
I can evaluate the carrying capacity of an ecosystem.
TEACHER NOTES:
Teacher’s name/ LeeAnna Chene
School: F. K. White Middle School
GLE(s): LS33- Illustrate how variations in individual organisms within a population determine the success of the population.
LS37- Identify and describe the effects of limiting factors on a given population.
LS38- Evaluate the carrying capacity of an ecosystem.
Grade Level/Subject: 7th Science
Special Directions/Considerations: Be sure the students understand they are to record only their FINAL generations on the Google Sheets. They can also change the colors of the lines in the graph to match the colors of the species by clicking the “Customization” tab then scrolling down to “Series” during Step #9. After making the changes, they may click “Insert”.
Activity Evaluation: Completed Google Sheet and graph, Completed video of the conclusion to their findings, Responses to other groups from other classes.
Prerequisites for students:

5. IMPACT SAMR Cover Sheet
Teacher: LeeAnna Chene
7th grade Science GLEs: LS32-Describe changes that can occur in various ecosystems and relate the changes to the ability of an organism.
LS33- Illustrate how variations in individual organisms within a population determine the success of the population.
LS37- Identify and describe the effects of limiting factors on a given population.
LS38- Evaluate the carrying capacity of an ecosystem.
Task Overview
Learning Objective(s)
Suggested Technology
In this investigation, students will simulate the effects of a predator on the diversity of a community.
Illustrate how variations in individual organisms within a population determine the success of the population.
Identify and describe the effects of limiting factors on a given population.
Evaluate the carrying capacity of an ecosystem.
In this investigation, students will simulate the impact of natural selection on a population of mussels.
Students will watch a video and answer questions on EDpuzzle on Natural Selection.
Describe changes that can occur in various ecosystems and relate the changes to the ability of an organism.
I can illustrate how variations in individual organisms within a population determine the success of the population
This is an introduction to animal adaptations and natural selection. You will read about giraffes and how their long necks help them survive in their ecosystem.
REDEFINITION
Technology allows for the creation of new tasks that were previously not conceivable.
transformation
MODIFICATION
Technology allows for significant task redesign..
AUGMENTATION
Technology acts as a direct tool for substitution with some functional improvement.
enhancement
SUBSTITUTION
Technology acts as a direct tool for substitution with no real change.