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Adaptation and the Found Object Feeders

Length: 6 Blocks

The Metropolitan Nashville Arts Commission engaged two internationally-known artists, Thornton Dial and Lonnie Holley, to create site-specific public art works for the newly revitalized Edmondson Park (overseen by the Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency). This project honors William Edmondson, a native of Davidson County and a self-taught sculptor. Edmondson was the first African American artist to have a solo exhibition at the New York Museum of Modern Art (1937). Like Edmondson, Thornton Dial and Lonnie Holley are self-taught artists.

In this Science Lesson, students will,

  • identify adaptations 
  • classify those adaptations as behavioral, anatomical or physiological
  • describe how those adaptations contribute to the survival of that organism
PDF icon Full Lesson Plan
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Standards & Objectives

Learning objectives: 

Clear Learning Targets:

  • Given written descriptions of an organism’s natural history, I can identify adaptations, classify those adaptations as behavioral, anatomical or physiological and describe how those adaptations contribute to the survival of that organism.
  • I can use the design cycle to create a bird feeder that caters to the functional, structural and behavioral adaptations of an assigned group of birds from Davidson County, TN.
  • I can discuss the themes of “struggle” and “adaptation” within the context of science, and the life of artist Lonnie Holley.

Task Objectives (steps to reach mastery of clear learning targets):
Summative I:

  • “What is Adaptation?” Guided Investigation
  • Adaptation Card Cooperative Activity
  • African Article Annotation
  • Environmental Disturbance Poster
  • Organism Adaptability Argument

Summative II:

  • Project Research Session (Library)
  • Design cycle posters
  • Poster Gallery Walk
  • Feeder building
Essential and guiding questions: 

Questioning: Planning to Illuminate Student Thinking:
Assessing questions:

  • What is one adaptation of __________ (from cards)? What type of adaptation is it? How does this adaptation help the organism survive its environment?
  • What are the feeding needs of __________ (bird)? How will the bird interact with the feeder to get food? How will you test the feeder? How are we selecting for certain birds with our feeder?

Advancing questions:

  • Are all members of a population successful in adapting and surviving? Give a situation in which some members of a species are better at adapting than others. Why is this? Where does this advantage come from?

Lesson Variations

Blooms taxonomy level: 
Applying
Differentiation suggestions: 

Scaffolding opportunities (to address learning challenges):

  • Adaptation Card Activity:
    • Students will work in cooperative groups.
    • Each student will be given an opportunity to respond to a description.
    • Group members can discuss and strengthen responses so all students understand the activity.
    • Descriptions will be read out loud in cooperative groups.
    • Classifications, evidence and conclusions will be placed into charts.
  • Students will have access to highlighters to isolate key information.
  • Students will write reflections to isolate strengths and weaknesses with material.
  • The teacher will facilitate discussions and cooperative grouping to guide students with questions
  • and feedback.
  • Students are heterogeneously grouped.
  • Students will receive feedback on writing and will have opportunities to correct answers.
  • Students will receive feedback on model plans from the teacher and the group.
  • Students will have opportunities to view other student plans to help with their own.

Opportunities to Differentiate Learning (explain how you address particular student needs by differentiating process, content, or product):

  • Student writing and models will be graded on a rubric which will be handed out in advance. The teacher may plan to differentiate this rubric, based on student abilities.
  • Students will receive feedback on writing and will have opportunities to correct answers.
  • Students will work in groups and the teacher may choose to group students based on ability levels.
  • Students will receive feedback on model plans from the teacher and the group.

Helpful Hints

Materials and Resources:
Internet Resources: