1

LESSON PLAN
Lesson Title: Who Wants to Live a Million Years?
Subject: Evolution
Time: 45 Minutes

State Core Curriculum/Student Achievement Standard(s:)

o SC.11.1.3. Explain how organisms are related by descent from common ancestors.
o SC.11.1.2. Demonstrate an understanding that organisms ensure species continuity
by passing genetic information from parent to offspring.

Lesson Objective(s): (What students will accomplish by the end of a single lesson; needs to
align with core curriculum/student achievement standard)
o After completing a computer simulation, students will understand how genetic
variations in a population can create adaptations in individuals that can lead to
either the success or downfall of a population, and demonstrate competency by
completing a worksheet with at least 85% accuracy.

Instructional Materials: Materials needed for the lesson (textbook, construction paper,
scissors, PowerPoint, guided note templates)
o Mobile lab (laptop for each student)
o Who Wants to Live a Million Years worksheet

Resources: Activity instructions, question/answer sheet, lab equipment

o Who Wants to Live a Million Years?
http://www.sciencechannel.com/games-and-interactives/charles-darwingame/

INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN

Sequence of Instructional Procedures/Activities/Events (provide description and

indicate approximate time for each):
o Connections to previous learning, definitions of terms reviewed
Bell Ringer: What is an animal that you can think of that has lived on
Earth for the longest period of time? What do you think has helped these
animals survive so long?
o Presentation of New Information or Modeling: (term definitions, concepts,
processes and/or approaches)
Tell students that we are going to be applying some of the ideas they
came up with in the bell ringer to a computer simulation. They will be
given an organism and the choice of some genetic variations. Over a
period of time they will try to make adaptations to help their organisms

survive through natural disasters and predators. The goal is to find the
right combination of adaptations to help their organisms survive for a
million years.
o Guided Practice: (teacher directed, scaffolding, check for student understanding
including any questions to ask or anticipate from students)
Using the projector, guide students to the correct website using the
address listed on their worksheet
Instruct students to complete the Learn About Natural Selection
section of the website before moving on to the game
This includes Natural Selection, Darwins Bio, and Quiz
sections
o Independent Student Practice: (e.g., teacher monitored, check for student
understanding including any questions to ask or anticipate from students)
Students should work through all sections of the simulation, making sure
to fill out their worksheets as they go along.
Complete the Natural Selection, Darwins Bio, and quiz
sections of the simulation before moving on to the Survival
Game
o Record all answers on the worksheet
Students should complete at least three attempts at The Survival
Game, making sure to carefully note initial and additional
adaptations for each attempt
o Culminating or Closing Procedure/Activity/Event: (e.g., review terms, concepts,
and/or learning process; establish connections to the next lesson; check for
student understanding including any questions to ask or anticipate from
students)
Find out which students were able to survive a million years at least once.
Have them describe the adaptations and lifesavers they used

Pedagogical Strategy (or Strategies): (direct instruction, cooperative learning groups,

partner work)
o Direct Instruction: walking students through an introduction to the simulation
o Individual Work: Students should work by themselves to complete both the
simulation game and their individual worksheets

Differentiated Instruction: (Accommodations for such groups as English Language

Learners, hearing impaired, learning disabled, physically disabled, and/or
gifted/accelerated learners.
o Hearing impaired: headphones will be provided so that students can work with
their preferred volume level

o Gifted/accelerated: have these students complete more than three simulations,

using different adaptations each time. Have them describe how they think some
adaptations may affect other adaptation, whether beneficially or detrimentally.
o ELL: provide a sheet with common terms and definitions used when describing
the process of natural selection

Student Assessment/Rubrics: What will you use to determine if students have met the
objective(s) for this lesson? (Include pre- and post-assessment plansformal and/or
informal, summative and/or formative, etc.).
o Pre-assessment:
Formal: Bell Ringer
o Formative:
Informal: As students complete the simulation, walk around the room
and periodically check in with students. Make sure they are following
directions correctly. Ask which adaptations they have used and which
ones they find to have been the most beneficial.
o Summative:
Formal: completion of Who Wants to Live a Million Years worksheet

Name: _______________________________________________

Period: ________________

Who Wants to Live a Million Years?

http://www.sciencechannel.com/games-and-interactives/charles-darwin-game/

Natural Selection: Part One

1. Every species exhibits ___________________.
2. List at least two variations between the finches pictured. _________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
3. What causes the finches to have these different traits? __________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
Natural Selection: Part Two
1. Many _______________ are passed from parents to their _____________________.
2. Offspring get (all or some) traits from each parent. (circle the correct answer)
Natural Selection: Part 3
1. Organisms with the most beneficial traits will prosper. This is known as _____________ ____
_____ _________________________.
2. Organisms that survive will only pass on their beneficial traits if they do what? _______________
_________________________________________________________________________________

Darwins Bio:
1. The boat that Darwin sailed on when he visited the Galapagos Islands was called:
________________________________
2. Where was Charles Darwin born?
_______________________________________________________
3. What was the name of the book that Charles Darwin wrote?
_________________________________

Quiz:
1. _____

5. _____

9. _____

2. _____

6. _____

10. _____

3. _____

7. _____

Final score _______/10

4. _____

8. _____

Now its time to play the Survival Game

Its important to read the comments and suggestions from Mr. Darwin. The species has a wide
variety of traits. Click on the hint button on the lower right hand side of the screen to find out
about these traits as well as their pros and cons.
Trait

Pros

Cons

Thin
Bulky
Furry
Hairless
Long neck
Short legs
Long legs
Stripes

Your goal is to try to get your species to survive for 1 million years through environmental pressures
such as temperature changes, predators, and diseases. As you play the game, keep track of what
traits you started with as well as what pressures you encounter.
To begin, you will choose three organisms. You can access more mutations (variations due to
chance changes in the genes). What does Charles say about diversity? You will have two life
preservers/mutations to introduce new traits into your population. Read carefully and choose
wisely. Make note of any life preservers used.
Make a table of three attempts to make it to a million years. Record your initial traits, additional
mutations, and pressures that you experience during the game.

Attempt #

Initial Traits

Additional Mutations

Pressures

(Lifesaver)

If you make it to 1 million years, what enabled you to accomplish this? _______________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
If you didnt make it, what could you have done differently? ________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________