SEEd - Grade 7
Lesson Plans

Strand 7.4: REPRODUCTION AND INHERITANCE

The great diversity of species on Earth is a result of genetic variation. Genetic traits are passed from parent to offspring. These traits affect the structure and behavior of organisms, which affect the organism's ability to survive and reproduce. Mutations can cause changes in traits that may affect an organism. As technology has developed, humans have been able to change the inherited traits in organisms which may impact society.

Standard 7.4.2

Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about specific animal and plant adaptations and structures that affect the probability of successful reproduction. Examples of adaptations could include nest building to protect young from the cold, herding of animals to protect young from predators, vocalization of animals and colorful plumage to attract mates for breeding, bright flowers attracting butterflies that transfer pollen, flower nectar and odors that attract insects that transfer pollen, and hard shells on nuts that squirrels bury. (LS1.B)

• Making More Yeasty Beasties
  Students will investigate what variables affect the rate of asexual reproduction in yeast.
• Seed Dispersal
  

  By measuring how fast seeds fall, students will calculate how far a single a generation of plants can disperse by wind. Then they can apply these findings to speculate on plant species' movement and survival as a result of biome shifts predicted with climate change.

  Objectives

  1. Students will recognize fruits and seeds on plants and place them into dispersal syndrome categories based on their morphology.
  2. Students will measure the rate of descent of wind-dispersed seeds and use this to calculate dispersal distances.
  3. Students will apply the concept of wind seed dispersal to global climate change induced biome shifts.

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