Introduction
Darwin's Theory of Evolution is very controversial and has been the subject of much debate for many years. There are many people who believe it should not be taught in school, and others who believe science cannot be taught without it.
In this activity, you will create an informative presentation exploring the theory of evolution and even answering some of your own questions about the topic. Please enter this project with an open mind. You do not need to believe in the Theory of Evolution; you simply need to understand its processes.
Task
Your final project will be to create a 5-minute presentation that you will share with the class about the Theory of Evolution. Your presentation should be informative and visually appealing at the same time.
Process
You may work with a partner or on your own. Please do the following steps in order.Step 1: Take the Evolution Quiz. For each statement, decide whether you personally believe the statement to be true or false. This step should be completed before our first class.Step 2: As a class, we will brainstorm a list of things you know about the Theory of Evolution.Step 3: With a partner, brainstorm a list of questions you may have about the Theory of Evolution. These questions could be things you do not know, or things about which you are confused.Step 4: Using the list of approved websites below, research the Theory of Evolution. Your research should try to find evidence to support what you know and to answer some of the questions you generated. Step 5: Decide which information should be included in your presentation. Use the grading rubric on the evaluation page to help you design your presentation.(NOTE: This project will not be graded, but the grading rubric will help you design a good presentation.)ResourcesThe Evolution of Flight in BirdsWhat is Evolution?Evolution 101How the turtle's shell developed: An article about scientists making a new discovery to explain the evolution of the turtleBecoming Human: This site requires you to download a videoIn addition to these websites, you are strongly encouraged to use the library resources. Books on evolution will have a catalog number around 576.
Evaluation
Your presentation should include:
- The theory of evolution explained in the context of natural selection.
- A description of how adaptations and natural selection leads to the development of a new species.
- At least three common questions students have about evolution.
- At least three misconceptions about evolution. You must explain why each misconception is false.
Be creative (pictures, color, etc) in supporting your argument.
You will need to present your information to your classmates in five minutes or less.
You CANNOT copy and paste information from other sources to create your presentation. It MUST be in your own words.
This project will be worth 20 points and you will be graded according to the following rubric:
| Criterion | 2 points | 1 point | 0 points |
| Presentation | Student participated in presentation and was able to address questions posed. | Student participated in presentation but was not able to address questions posed. | Student did not participate in presentation. |
| Presentation Design | The pages are attractive, appropriate, and not distracting. | The pages are busy or boring or somewhat distracting. | The pages are unattractive of distracting. |
| Presentation Format | Text is easy to read. No typos. | Text is difficult to read. Too much information given and/or poor font choice. Some typos. | Text is difficult to read. Many typos. |
| Presentation Content | Text is in own words and interesting. | Text is mostly in own words. Shows some unique ideas. | Text is copied from website and/or is incomplete or inaccurate. |
| Presentation Graphics | Photos, icons, and clip art are used creatively. | Photos, icons, and clip art are present; most are appropriate. | There are no photos, icons, or clip art, or they are not appropriate. |
| Cooperation | Partners got along well and shared responsibilities equally. | Partners had some unresolvable disagreements and/or did not share responsibilities. | Partners did not get along and did not share responsibilities. |
| Evolution | Evolution is explained well adn creatively and appropriately. | Evolution is explained. It is somehwat difficult to understand and/or contains minor errors. | Evolution is not explained and/or there are major errors in the explanation. |
| Misconceptions 1 | Contains three or more misconcpetions. Each is answered clearly. | Missing one misconception and/or at least one misconception is not answered. | Missing two or more misconceptions and/or no misconceptions are answered. |
| Misconceptions 2 | Answered clearly from a scientific viewpoint. | Answered from a scientific viewpoint, but missing some information. | Not answered, not a scientific viewpoint, and/or missing a lot of information. |
| Overall | Includes title and student names | Includes title or student names. | Missing title and student names. |
| Resources | Includes works cited | Missing works cited |
Conclusion
Now that you have an understanding of evolution, take another look at your Evolution quiz. How have your views changed?
Credits
Evolution Pre-Quiz was adapted from: http://www.biologycorner.com/quests/evolquest/evoquiz.html
Teacher Page
This project was designed for a homeschool cooperative class. It was designed to be completed in approximately four sessions, each session a week apart. If using this in a traditional classroom, you may need to adapt your timetable.