1' The Essential Question

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1. The Essential Question
Suppose that the upper and lower peninsulas of
Michigan were connected until recently, when a
disconnection caused by natural geological
processes began preventing UP and LP animals from
mating together. The white-tailed deer population
that lives in Michigan can no longer live
together and mate.

• How might the Michigan white-tailed deer evolve
  over time if the deer in the UP and LP cannot
  mate?

Graphic
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Lesson designed by Chris LeButt/ Huron Valley
Schools/ Oakland University
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2. The Task

• Geographic separation can lead to changes
  between populations over time. Study this idea at
  the PBS evolution website.
• Click on Explore What Darwin Called The
  Mystery of Mysteries.
• Determine how and why a population can change
  over time. Apply this idea to the Michigan
  white-tailed deer in order to think about how it
  might change in the future.

.
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3. The Student Activity
In order to see how the pollen-peepers described
change over time. Click on Explore the
Pollen-Peepers new home. Next, click on each of
the four homes for the pollen-peepers. While
looking at each home, click on the right arrow
button to see how the circumstances change of
time. Use the chart below to note the how the
bird is adapted to its environment over time.
(Include info about adaptations to competition,
habitat, food, and predators.)
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4A. Assessment

• Now that you have seen how the environment and
  natural selection affect the birds Darwin
  studied, write a paper describing how the
  Michigan white-tailed deer might evolve in the
  future and why. Consider that the deer in the UP
  and LP are separated geographically. Tell how
  Darwins study influenced your prediction. The
  paper should be at least one page in length.     

How will I be graded on my essay?
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4B. Checklist
___ Accurate description of how Darwins
pollen-peepers adapted to their environment. ___
Accurate description of how natural selection
works is given. ___ Rational prediction of how
the environments of the UP and LP are and might
be in the future. ___ Rational prediction of what
types of traits the environments of the UP and LP
might select for. ___ Rational prediction of
how the deer will adapt to meet the selection
of the environments.
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5. Enrichment / Differentiation
For an additionally challenging task, hypothesize
how white-tailed deer might have come to have the
traits it currently possesses. This hypothesis
should take into consideration the past
environmental factors in Michigan.
Michigan in the Past
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6. Standards Benchmarks

• Science/Strand III/Content Standard 4/High
  School/Benchmark 2
• Explain how a new species or variety may
  originate through the evolutionary process of
  natural selection.
• English/ Strand I/Content Standard 1/ High
  School Benchmark 1
• Use reading for multiple purposes, such as
  enjoyment, learning complex procedures,
  completing technical tasks, making workplace
  decisions, evaluating and analyzing information,
  and pursuing in-depth studies.
• English Strand IX/ Standard 11/ Benchmark 3
• Synthesize and evaluate information to draw
  conclusions and implications based on their
  investigation of an issue or problem.
• Social Studies/ Strand II/ Standard 4/ Benchmark
  2
• Explain how major world regions are changing.

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7. Teacher Tips

• Teaching the Theory of Evolution Can Be a Touchy
  Task
• In the weeks before teaching about evolution
  ideas, stress that you will be teaching about a
  theory. The students can choose to accept it or
  not. You will present the information, but will
  not try to change their beliefs.
• Students are usually interested in your personal
  opinion on the validity of evolution. By
  remaining neutral, students seem to be more
  engaged by the ideas and materials. They look for
  hints about your beliefs, as many students are
  highly interested in what the teacher thinks.

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8. Bibliography

• Citations for URLs
• - PBS evolution website
• http//www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/darwin/origin/i
  ndex.html
• - Michigan in the Past
• http//forestry.msu.edu/uptreeid/History/IceAge.h
  tm

• Citations for Graphics
• White-tailed fawn on page one
• http//www.pics4learning.com
• - Deer on second page
• AcclaimImages.com

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