Lesson+14

Grade Level:  10 Unit: Biology

Assignment type: Evolution and taxonomy study aid

Lesson objectives (include 2 or 3): Student will understand  Student will be able to  Time required to complete this lesson:  30 minutes to 1 hour.
 * The probable evolutionary relationships between living organisms.
 * How comparative morphology of organisms is used in classification (taxonomy) and in determining evolutionary relationships.
 *  Interpret a phylogenetic tree to find evolutionary relationships.
 *  Use online flash cards to understand the characteristic morphologies of all of the major groups of living organisms.

Title of lesson:  The Phylogeny and Taxonomy of Life.

Resources/materials needed:  The Phylogeny of Life tree diagram and Taxonomy flash cards at this site.

Description of lesson (if you were to describe to a parent what was happening in the classroom for this lesson, what would you say in a few paragraphs).  The tree diagram and flash cards for this lesson are meant mainly to be study aids supplementing similar material in the lectures and for use in studying for quizzes and exams. The tree diagram is probably oversimplified and perhaps inaccurate owing to imperfect understanding of some evolutionary relationships, but it should provide students a general understanding of evolutionary paths. The flash cards operate on the honor system in that students should have an answer in mind before they press the Give Answer button and score themselves accordingly if the answer they were thinking was right or wrong. All of the answers on the cards are the names of particular phyla or classes of organisms, most of which are listed on the tree diagram.

Assignment (homework or in-class: this is how the learner will practice the learning that has just occurred):  Study the phylogenetic tree diagram and then quiz themselves with the flash cards.

Technology used:  The phylogenetic tree diagram created with Mind42 and the online flash cards created with Flashcard db.

The technology used in this lesson changes the teaching / learning in this way:  Both the phylogenetic tree and the flash cards are easily accessible from any online-capable device and can be accessed anytime at this site.