Human Activities Help Sustain Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in a Changing World
developed by:
Julie Allender (OMSD), Colleen Duncan (Redlands USD), Dr. Vickie Harri (OMSD), Sara Yeh (OMSD)
Lesson 7: Balance of ecosystem with Natural Selection (MS-LS4-6)
MS-LS4-4: Construct an explanation based on evidence that describes how genetic variations of traits in a population increase some individuals’ probability of surviving and reproducing in a specific environment. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on using simple probability statements and proportional reasoning to construct explanations.]
MS-LS4-6: Use mathematical representations to support explanations of how natural selection may lead to increases and decreases of specific traits in populations over time. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on using mathematical models, probability statements, and proportional reasoning to support explanations of trends in changes to populations over time.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include Hardy Weinberg calculations.
MS-LS4-6: Use mathematical representations to support explanations of how natural selection may lead to increases and decreases of specific traits in populations over time. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on using mathematical models, probability statements, and proportional reasoning to support explanations of trends in changes to populations over time.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include Hardy Weinberg calculations.
Main Learning Goal: Students will learn how genetic diversity of kelp forests is influenced by oceanic earthquakes, tsunamis and natural selection.
Focus questions for the lesson:
How is the genetic diversity of a kelp forest affected by oceanic earthquakes and tsunamis? How are kelp forests good examples of natural selection? Ideal student response to the focus questions: Oceanic earthquakes and tsunamis create the necessity for organisms to adapt to extreme natural disasters, which may result in changes in their genetic makeup. When events like tsunamis take place, the organisms most adapted to extreme force will survive to pass on their genes, while the others will not. This will result in changes to the various populations in kelp forests over time. |
Picture of different kelp organisms survival rate