Can you classify the zoo?

1. Can you classify the zoo? A study in the classification of organisms and their evolutionary relationships. Prepared by: Margaret Milligan July 13, 2005 General Ecology

2. Information • Grade level: AP Biology (11th or 12th grade) • Time Required: Minimum of Ten Days • 55 minute class periods • Materials: • Student handouts • Teacher handouts • Biology 6th Edition, Campbell

3. Standards National Standards • The great diversity of organisms is the result of more than 3.5 billion years of evolution that has filled every available niche with life forms. • The millions of different species of plants, animals, and microorganisms that live on earth today are related by descent from common ancestors. • Biological classifications are based on how organisms are related. Organisms are classified into a hierarchy of groups and subgroups based on similarities which reflect their evolutionary relationships. Species is the most fundamental unit of classification. State Standards (9th Grade Biology from SCoPE) • Classify major groups of organisms through the kingdom level (III.2.HS.1). • Gather and synthesize information about evolution from books and other sources of information (I.1.HS.4)

4. Pre-Zoo Activity – Day One & Two • Day One: An introduction to five-kingdom system and characteristics of each kingdom. • Day Two: Students will continue studying characteristics of each kingdom and look at other types of classification schemes.

5. Pre-Zoo Activity Day Three & Four • Day Three: Students will be introduced to cladograms and work on an activity to create their own cladogram using hardware. • Day Four: Students will continue to work on their cladogram and prepare for the zoo.

6. Zoo Activity – Day Five • Students will collect data for 8 to 10 different animals found at the zoo. • Students are required to take pictures or find pictures of each of the animals on their data sheet. • Any missing research can be done as homework.

7. Post-zoo Activity – Day Six through Eight • Day Six – Today is a library research day to find structural differences between each of their zoo organisms. • Day Seven and Eight – Students will have two class periods to create their cladogram poster and write their paper.

8. Post-Zoo Activity – Day Nine &Ten • Day Nine – Students will peer evaluate their posters. Students will compare posters and discuss similarities and differences. • Day Ten – Testing day, begin next unit on Prokaryotic diversity.

9. The 5 E’s • Engage: Welcome to the Kingdom, The Missing Link • Explore: Welcome to the Kingdom, The Missing Link, I’m at the Zoo, What do I do? • Explain: Welcome to the Kingdom, The Missing Link, I’m at the Zoo, What do I do? • Elaborate: The Missing Link, I’m at the Zoo, What do I do? • Evaluate: Welcome to the Kingdom, The Missing Link, I’m at the Zoo, What do I do? Formal Assessments

10. References Text • Campbell, Biology, 6th Edition • Gould, Stephen J., The Structure of Evolutionary Theory • Berra, Tim. Evolution and the Myth of Creationism: A Basic Guide to the Facts in the Evolution Debate • Eldredge, Niles. The Triumph of Evolution and the Failure of Creationism. • Patterson, Colin. Evolution, 2nd Edition • Zimmer, Carl. Evolution: The Triumph of an Idea Internet • PBS Online http://www.pbs.org • National Science Education Standards http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/nses/html/ • SCoPE http://www.michigan.gov/scope • Detroit Zoo http://www.detroitzoo.org

11. Handouts All handouts can be found at http://www.msu.edu/~milliga9 Click on the Master’s tab on the left.