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Lesson Plan
California Academy of Science

Human Evolution

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
As the great and hilarious Tim Minchin once said, "Science is simply the word we use to describe a method of organizing our curiosity." Science is more than just a guess; it is based on questions, observations, and evidence. High...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Investigating Our Past: Where Did Humans Come From?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Investigate the theories of human evolution. In this research based lesson, learners research and discuss how geographic isolation, interbreeding, generalization, and specialization are factors in the history of humans. Groups work...
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Lesson Plan
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Human Feet Are Strange

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Feet are neat! So, if you've already walked the path of examining animal footprints with your class, put them in the shoes of early humans! A well-designed lesson incorporates video, discussion, and hands-on learning to demonstrate how...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Classroom Cladogram of Vertebrate/Human Evolution

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students build a Colossal Classroom Cladogram of vertebrate evolution. After putting it together, they show the gradual, mosaic accumulation of the traits which we, as humans, possess.
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Lesson Plan
ARKive

Primate Evolution- Family Ties

For Teachers 7th - 12th
If humans evolved from apes, why are there still apes? Using captivating pictures and videos of our primate cousins, young biologists examine evidence to dispel one of the most common misconceptions about human evolution. Depending on...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Roots: The Ancestry of Modern People

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers investigate the models for the origin of modern humans and the conditions that facilitate speciation and evolution. The classification and nomenclature of hominid species is also examined.
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Lesson Plan
Serendip

How Eyes Evolved – Analyzing the Evidence

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Octopodes existed for hundreds of thousands of years before humans, yet our eyes share many similarities. Scholars analyze the evidence to determine if the evolution of eyes best fits a homology or analogy model. They discuss the issue...
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Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Lactase Persistence: Evidence for Selection

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
What's the link between lactase persistence and dairy farming? Biology scholars analyze data to find evidence of the connection, then relate this to human adaptation. Working individually and in small groups, learners view short video...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Real Eve

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students research about human migration during a specific time period. In this physical science lesson, students watch a video about human evolution. They prepare a presentation on human migration and share it with the class.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mystery of the Matching Marks

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students view a Power Point and complete activities related to genetic evidence of human evolution. In this molecular evolution lesson, students view and discuss a provide presentation. They search for the "tell-tale telomere" and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What is the Evidence for Evolution?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers identify one object that would tell the story of their lives. In groups, they determine what can and cannot be told from objects left behind. After watching a video, they compare and contrast chicken bones to human...
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Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Developing an Explanation for Mouse Fur Color

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Whether or not you think mice are nice, you'll love the colorful activity! Scholars examine evidence for evolution in the rock pocket mouse through video, discussion, and collaborative work. Learners watch a video regarding variation in...
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Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Lactose Intolerance: Fact or Fiction

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Around the world, about 2/3 of adult humans are lactose intolerant. Scholars work in small groups to discuss a few statements about lactose intolerance. Then, they watch a video on the topic and readdress each statement. Whole-class...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Did Humans Evolve?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students complete an online activity in which they examine fossils to find possible hominid family trees.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What is evolution and how does it work?

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Students discuss the theory of evolution. For this evolution lesson, students discover Charles Darwin and his ideas of heredity, variation, and selection. This lesson gives information for the students to read. 
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Lesson Plan
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Human Skin Color: Evidence for Selection

For Teachers 10th - 12th Standards
Skin color is controlled by at least six genes. Young scientists learn about skin colors through a documentary. They discuss the topics of pigment, natural selection, and vitamin D absorption. They apply their knowledge to higher order...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Molecular Sequences & Primate Evolution: Amino Acids, Hemoglobins in Evolution

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students compare differences in amino acids in the beta hemoglobin from representative primates, complete a matrix of those differences, and from these data, construct and interpret cladograms as they reflect relationships and timing of...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Origins of Man

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students learn about new technologies being used to update what is known about human evolution and migration. They then compare the new theories to the traditional knowledge.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Evolution of Sea Creatures

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students identify and describe the mechanisms of natural selection. They study Cambrian Period animals and discuss adaptations for their specific environment.Students compare and contrast a modern sea animal with the Cambrian era animal...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Molecular Evidence for Evolutionary Relationship

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students investigate the relationship between humans and yeast. In this evolution lesson, students compare amino acids in a variety of life forms.  Students will watch films on similarities of the genetic code that structures an organism.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Evolution Explorations

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students compare characteristics of animals and human beings. In this biology activity, students observe an animal and record their observations. They infer whether the evolution theory is true or not.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Comparison of Human and Chimpanzee Chromosomes

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students actively engage in the careful analysis of chromosome banding patterns and identify examples of inversion in homologous chromosomes.
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Activity
Discovery Education

The Time of Our Life

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Mammals are some of the newest organisms to appear on Earth. Young scholars complete an activity that results in a timeline showing the appearance of different types of living organisms. Provided with a list that spans from prokaryotes...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Applied Evolution: How Will We Get There from Here?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore the basic process of natural selection and how people can manipulate that process today. The consequences of natural selection on daily life and the implications of evolutionary biology in basic and applied science is...