California Academy of Science
Human Evolution
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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Charles Darwin
Students research Charles Darwin and the process he used to develop his theory of evolution. They keep a journal about the skill of observation and make a newspaper of their learning.
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Evolution of Life
Learners explore the evolution of life. They read sections of their text and make a foldable of the key vocabulary terms. They identify two types of butterflies and represent their similarities and differences on a Venn diagram. They...
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A Journey with a Scientist
Students work in groups as they read chapters of Charles Darwin's, Voyage of the Beagle. They take notes on the chapter and in their group make a timeline of the chapter. They tape the timelines together in order to depict the entire...
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Darwin's Obituary
Students read and analyze an obituary written for Charles Darwin. They make a list of facts about Darwin they learned from the obituary. Students compare Lamarack's theory to Darwin's.
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Using Living Organisms to Explain Evolution
Students investigate evolution in its most fundamental form: the observation of living organisms. By comparing variations that exist among living animals, students formulate their own hypotheses and conclusions about the evolution of...
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Darwin, Politics, and Religion
Learners gain an understanding of the Darwinian theory of evolution, examine how Darwin's theory has been adopted by ruling elites in order to justify their position in power, compare religious and historical responses to Darwin's...
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Darwin's Finches
Seventh graders engage in a study of the Theory Of Evolution with the use of Darwin's finches as examples while making a connection to adaptive radiation. They use class discussion in order to further the lesson and focus upon...
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What is the Evidence for Evolution?
Students 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 bones. To...
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Who Was Charles Darwin?
Students research the life of Charles Darwin and his voyage on the Beagle.
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Who Was Charles Darwin?
Students complete two activities to study Charles Darwin's Theory of Natural Selection. They read Darwin's journal from the voyage of the Beagle and look at the scientific ideas that influenced the development of his theory.
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Fantastic Fossil
Learners discuss the discovery of a transitional animal, Tiktaalik, and its impact on the theory of evolution. They research theories of evolution and creationism.
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How Life on Earth Began
Seventh graders investigate the concept of evolution and how it was a mechanism for the foundation of life on Earth. They conduct research and attempt to make cognitive connections with the evidence to agree with the presupposition of...
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A Model for Natural Selection- Spaghetti Worms
Does the early bird really get the worm? If so, which color of worm does it prefer? In an exciting and easy week-long field investigation, young field biologists set up a one square meter feeding area for birds. If you have a webcam,...
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Critical Analysis of Evolution
Tenth graders discuss anomalies in nature and science. They discuss times that anomalies led to the collection of data that explained the phenomena and contributed to changing scientific understandings. Students work in groups to...
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Is Evolution Just Monkey Business?
Learners examine the presentation of the theory of evolution in the science classroom. They define and discuss aspects of evolution, evaluate the presentation of evolutionary theory, and write a persuasive essay.
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The "Science" of Racism
How can we keep racism out of our society? Analyze the factors that lead to racism today and research previous scientific findings that impacted social policy. Your high school students identify ways to prevent past mistakes from...
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Artificial Selection
The second lesson in the series begins with a starter activity discussing wild versus domesticated animals. Then, scholars play a card game, with optional variations, to emphasize artificial selection. Next, they attend a field trip to a...
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Introduction to Biology
Students examine the principles of natural selection and explain how it is the basis of the theory of evolution. In this natural selection lesson students research the web on the theory of evolution.
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Physiological Adaptations
Students investigate the concepts of genetics and how it is tied to the variations found within different species and how it is tied to adaptations. They review the theory of evolution and factors found to help create variation. The...
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Who was Charles Darwin?
High schoolers trace major developments in the history of evolutionary science. They
discuss the connections between major events in world history and major events in the development of evolutionary thought by creating timelines.
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Wild Kingdom
Students research and discuss the natural habitats and various evolutionary theories of giraffes and other animals imported into ancient Rome.
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Dogs & Darwin
Ninth graders construct and conduct a laboratory experiment illustrating the transfer of mutations. They compare and contrast natural selection in organisms with long and short reproductive cycles.
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Robert Boyle and Religion
Young scholars discuss past cultures and the history of ideas in seventeenth century science. They answer a list of questions and prepare for a debate on the subjects of science and religion and views on how the universe was created.