Evolution/Darwin/Prehistory Study

Below are my plans for our upcoming Evolution/Darwin/Prehistory Study.  Our previous study centered mainly on prehistoric creatures, was geared toward Pre-K through 3rd-ish grade and included a lot of crafts and hands-on activities. 

The kids are older now so we've stepped things up a bit.  This study is geared toward upper elementary/early middle school (of course, kids are all different so YMMV).

My kids are very visual so in addition to the readings, we are using a variety of videos, and internet activities.  Very few crafts are included in this study but if you're kids are interested, most of the ones from my previous study linked above can be adapted for older kids.

The primary resources I'm using are:

The Usborne Internet Linked Encyclopedia of World History (UILEWH)
(I have this version so that's what the page numbers will match up with)

DK Eyewitness Books - Prehistoric Life (DKPL)
This book was a purchase from BJ's a few years back.  It is actually a single volume of four different DK books: Prehistoric Life (2000 version), Early Humans (2005 version), Dinosaur (2008 version) and Prehistoric Life Workbook (2008 version).  The information is very similar to what is in the Usborne Encyclopedia and this could be considered an optional resource.



Darwin and Evolution for Kids (DEK)
Many of the activities and readings are from this book.  I have not included every activity from the book since there were some that we've already done something similar or my kids would be uninterested.




The rest of the books are basically an assortment of what we already owned and what I could find at my local library.  Charlie's Playhouse has a list of suggested readings on evolution that can be used to find other resources.

We will be using quite a few videos from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.  They offersfree DVDs for educators.   Many include interactive features and virtual labs to continue exploring the topics.

As we go through each activity (probably starting next week - 4/11/2016) I will post about our activities and link them back here.

My general plan is to do one section a day, starting with reading from the Usborne and DK encyclopedias.   We will then explore the online activities or watch videos (we often watch videos during lunch).  Then any off-line activities and vocabulary (the kids will keep a notebook with the vocabulary words listed below and any other words they find that they want to include).  We will finish up with them reading from the other book selections.   Some books may need to be read over multiple days but some can be done in an hour or so.

**Please read and check over any links, activities, etc. prior to giving them to your children.
 
Timeline Overview/ Big Bang Theory/Pangea
UILEWH pg 12 – 13, pg 20-23
DKPL pg 10-13
 
The Birth of the Earth

Bang! How We Came to Be
 
 
Changing Planet: Past Present Future DVD
 
 
Continent maps through time periods -
http://geology.com/pangea.htm

Vocabulary: Big Bang Theory, Eon, meteorites, Pangea, plate tectonics, supercontinent
DEK Chapter 1 (pg 1-11)
 
 
Taxonomy activity, classifying lifeforms: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/nature/classifying-life.html
 
Vocabulary: evolution, taxonomy, compromise, fact, theory, belief,
Evolution Overview/Life Begins/Darwin
UILEWH - pg 18-19, 24-25
DKPL pg 14-17
DEK -Chapter 2 (pg 13-31)
 
 
Vocabulary: proteins, bacteria, algea, stromatolites, atmosphere, naturalist
Our Family Tree
 
 
DEK: Backyard naturalist activity (pg 17)
 
 
Vocabulary: theory, geology, extinct, acquired
One Beetle Too Many
 
DEK Chapter 3 (pg 33-59)
 
Voyage of the Beetle Interactive: https://www.beaglestreet.com/blog/voyage-beagle/
 
Mapwork - Trace the journey of the Beetle on a world map
DEK: Tying the Knot activity (pg 43)
 
Vocabulary: species, botanical
Fossils
UILEWH pg 14-17
DKPL pg 68-69
Fossils Tell of Long Ago
 
 
Game that discusses what is needed for fossil formation: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/prehistoric_life/dinosaurs/burying_bodies/
 
Fossil Interactives and Games: http://www.amnh.org/explore/ology/paleontology
 

Road to Fossilization game  - found in the Junior Paleontologists Activity Book put out by the National Park Service:  We played using a die - even roll move 2, odd roll move 1. http://nature.nps.gov/geology/paleontology/Junior_Paleontologist_Reprint_2011_view.pdf
 
Dig that Dinosaur game - from Scholastic Quick and Easy Learning Games - Science
(this book is listed for Grades 1-3 so is on the simpler side.  But we already have it so we'll play it.)

Vocabulary: fossil, strata, sedimentary, barnacle, variation,
DEK: Chapter 4 (pg 61-77)
 
The Origin of Species DVD
Vocabulary: ornithologist,
DEK: Chapter 5 (pg 79- 89)
Billions of Years
 
 
The Making of the Fittest DVD
 
 
Vocabulary: Transmutation, competition, natural selection, adapt/ adaptation, traits
DEK: Chapter 6 (pg 91-107) Charles Darwin
 
 
DEK: The Benefits of Beauty Activity (pg 106)

Vocabulary: camouflage, sexual selection,  Igneous, radioactivity
DEK: Chapter 7 (pg 109-127)
Evolution Revolution
 
 
Look at DNA online/under microscope
Extract DNA from fruit activity
 
Vocabulary: genetics, genes, DNA, mutations, genome
DEK: Chapter 8 (pg 129-) Charles Darwin
 
DEK: Future Evolution activity pg 140
 
Vocabulary: biogeography, marsupials, convergent evolution, adaptive radiation, dominant, recessive, pollinators, co-evolution
Vendian/Cambrian
UILEWH - pg 26-27
DKPL - pg 20-21
 
 
Cambrian Creature Interactive (include info on other eras too): http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article/3_0_0/cambrian_01
 
Hallucigenia, trilobites (crafts available with previous Prehistory study) 
Charlie’s Playhouse Timeline & Critter Cards
 
Vocabulary: Burgess Shale
Ordovician/Silurian
UILEWH-pg 28-31
DKPL - pg 22-25
 
 
 
Charlie’s Playhouse Timeline & Critter Cards
 
Vocabulary: echinoderms, predator, prey,
Devonian
UILEWH- pg 32-35
DKPL - pg 26-29
 
 
Cooksonia (activity available in previous study)
 Charlies Playhouse Timeline & Critter Cards

Vocabulary: spores, seeds, ozone, amphibian
Carboniferous
UILEWH-pg 36-37
DKPL - pg 30-31
 
 
Charlie’s Playhouse Timeline & Critter Cards
 
Vocabulary:
Permian
UILEWH - pg 38-41
DKPL pg 32-37
 
 
Vocabulary: reptile, ectothermic, vertebrates,
Mesozoic – Triassic/Jurassic/Cretaceous
UILEWH - pg 42-55
DKPL - pg 38-47
MSB Dinosaur Detectives
 
 
Dinosaur games and interactives: http://www.amnh.org/explore/ology/paleontology
 
Visit Dinosaur exhibit at our local museum. 
 
Vocabulary:
First Birds/Mass Extinction
UILEWH - pg 56-59
DKPL -pg 48-49
 
The Day the Mesozoic Died video
 
 
Vocabulary: archaeopteryx, extinction,
Mammals
UILEWH - pg 60-75
DKPL pg 50-59
 
Evolution Constant Change and Common Threads DVD interactive elements
 
 
Vocabulary: mammal, monotreme, marsupial
Ice Age
UILEWH - pg 76-77, 88-89
DKPL pg 60-65
Horrible Histories Who Are You Calling a Woolly Mammoth?
 
 
 
 
Vocabulary:
Apes/Monkeys/Humans
UILEWH - pg 80-85
DKPL - pg 144-151
 
Human Evolution videos and information: http://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/how-we-became-human.html
Becoming Human Interactive Documentary: http://www.becominghuman.org/node/interactive-documentary

Vocabulary:
Human Evolution
UILEWH - pg 86-91
DKPL pg 152-159
 
Explore your inner animal interactive: http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/click-learn-collection  
Your Inner Fish DVD
 
 
Vocabulary:
 
Modern Humans
UILEWH - pg 92-99
DKPL pg 160-167
 
 
Vocabulary:
 
Field Trip to Museum of Natural History in NYC
Complete DK Workbook

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