Sample Lesson 2

Are All Radish Rootlets and Snail Shells the Same? What's the Evidence?

Variation occurs naturally within plant and animal populations. Variation is the raw material for natural selection. 

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Big Idea

Two photos - one of germinating radish seeds at various stages and one of a snail shell.

Activity

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Students observe and describe one trait in a population of plants (radishes) and one in a population of animals (snails). They consider how all populations of living things have variation in their traits, in preparation for thinking about why that might matter when environmental changes occur.

Materials to Have Ready

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Icon of a small group of people

For each student

  • Notebook pages 4-7

For each small group

  • A set of germinating radish seeds planted 5 days before

  • A set of snail shells

Materials to Download

“The curriculum made a lot of sense to me. It’s really well thought out, and it’s so much fun to teach!”

- S.H., 3rd Grade Teacher