Context:
This assignment was completed during the Fall of 2007 under the advisement of Jeff Goodman for Science Instruction in the Elementary School (GS 4401). This project consisted of the discussion of the children's literature text, Look What Feet Can Do, by D.M. Souza. The discussion was in small groups with my colleagues who had chosen other texts to talk about organisms and evolutionary development.
Impact:
By studying children's literature, the student will be able to understanding evolutionary concepts. Students will understand that animals do not choose to mutate their genes, but that mutations occur at random. This text is a fun way to show that many different mutations of the same body part (feet) have occurred in different animals. Students will begin to think about mutations as a form of adaptation to the environment and a survival of the species process.
Alignment
Standard 3: Elementary teachers have a broad knowledge and understanding of the major concepts in science.
Indicator 1: Teachers have knowledge of basic life science concepts including:
* Characteristics of living things
* Diversity of organisms and their environments
* Life cycles, mutations, and adaptations
* Structure and function of plants, animals, and their parts
* Growth and development of organisms
* Health and human biology
* Relationship between humans, organisms, and the environment (ecology)
This activity focuses on the study of animals and the adaptations to their characteristics that their species has made as a result of their environments, meeting the above indicator.
Indicator 4: Teachers have knowledge of controversial issues and how they impact learning, including evolution and genetics.
Teaching evolution and genetics can be controversial and difficult; however, presenting this concept as animals that are born with random mutations that benefit their species and eventually perpetuates through the species is an effective and appropriate way to address this issue.
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