Bring Science Alive! 8th Grade Integrated U9 Performance Assessment

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THE EVOLUTION OF LIFE PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT

Science and neering Prac Engi tice s

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In this Performance Assessment, you will act as an evolutionary biologist studying whales and dolphins. You will obtain and analyze data about the anatomy of whales, whale development, where whales live, and the fossil ancestors of whales. Then, you will use the data to make an argument about why whales have lungs, like land mammals, and determine what is the closest living relative to the whale.

Performance Assessment Requirements To develop your argument you should: • visit the four different stations about whales and answer the questions at each station.

• fill out the comparison chart on Handout E. • put the data together to form an argument about why whales have lungs.

• use a diagram to determine the closest living relative to the whale. _____ Step 1: Gather Data Gather data and answer all the questions at each station.

Station 1: Genetic Changes in Populations Draw a set of pie charts showing the proportion of dolphins with each type of tooth in each population after five generations.

Population A

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Population B

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Draw a set of pie charts showing the proportion of dolphins with each type of tooth in each population after ten generations.

Population A

Population B

Refer to your charts as support for an explanation of how natural selection may lead to changes in tooth shape in the populations over time.

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Write an explanation based on evidence that describes how genetic variations of traits in these populations would increase some individuals’ probability of surviving and reproducing in each distinct environment.

Based on what you’ve learned, why are there so many different kinds of Cetaceans living now?

How do differences evolve between populations?

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Station 2: Whale-Like Fossils Did you find any patterns in the fossils? Explain what patterns you found using evidence from the fossils.

What similarities are there between a Pakicetus and a modern whale? What differences are there?

Using the information from the fossils, how would you explain the evolutionary history of the whale?

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Station 3: Embryonic Development What similarities are there in the embryonic development of the different organisms? What differences are there?

Which embryos are most similar to one another? Why do you think this is?

There are two buds that form on the whale embryo during development (circled in red on Handout C) that go away in later development. What do you think they are, and why do you think the whale has them in development?

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Do you see the same buds on the fish embryo?

What other organisms have these same buds in development?

Using evidence from the embryos, how would you explain the similarities and differences between different embryos?

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Station 4: Modern Day Anatomy Hint: On Handout D, the bone in green is the humerus, the bones in red are the radius and ulna, and the bones in blue are the carpals, metacarpals, and phalanges.

What similarities are there in the forearm anatomy of the different organisms? What differences are there?

How does the whale forearm compare to the fish forearm? How is it similar and how is it different?

What is necessary to occur during human development to have individual fingers?

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How can a mutation affect the development of the human fingers?

Do you think this mutation is beneficial, neutral, or harmful for a human?

Scientists believe that whale ancestors had individual toes and not fins, but they lived near water.

Using what you learned about mutations, develop an argument for how mutations could result in webbed toes or fins that you now see on whales.

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_____ Step 2: Compare Organisms If you haven’t already, finish filling out your comparison chart on Handout E.

_____ Step 3: Prepare an Argument Using the data you acquired for each station, develop an argument supported by evidence for why whales have lungs and other land mammal features, even though they live in water and look like large fish or sharks.

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_____ Step 4: Making Conclusions Use the diagram to explain which animal alive today is the closest living relative to the whale.

Explain how you reached the conclusion you did. You can also use evidence from the stations to support your argument.

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Performance Assessment Rubric Use the rubric to evaluate your work on this Performance Assessment.

Achievement Levels Dimension Science and Engineering Practices Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions Apply scientific ideas to construct an explanation for realworld phenomena, examples, or events.

Analyzing and Interpreting Data

Proficient (2 points)

Emergent (1 point)

Not Present (0 points)

Student analyzes the data at every station, answers the questions, including developing models of how changes have occurred in the whale population over time, and then constructs a reasonable explanation based on evidence for why whales have lungs and other land mammal features.

Student does not fully answer the questions at each station or is not able to develop a reasonable explanation for why whales have lungs and other land dwelling mammalian features.

Student does not attempt to answer questions at the stations or does not attempt to develop an argument supported by evidence for why whales have lungs.

Score

Analyze displays of data to identify linear and nonlinear relationships.

Developing and Using Models Develop and use a model to describe phenomena.

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Achievement Levels Dimension Crosscutting Concepts Cause and Effect Phenomena may have more than one cause, and some cause and effect relationships in systems can only be described using probability.

Structure and Function Complex and microscopic structures and systems can be visualized, modeled, and used to describe how their function depends on the shapes, composition, and relationships among its parts, therefore complex natural structures/systems can be analyzed to determine how they function.

Proficient (2 points)

Emergent (1 point)

Not Present (0 points)

Students identify patterns in structures, including fossilized structure and structures seen during embryonic development. They predict the cause and effect relationship between a structure that helps in survival and the increase in that trait in the population over time.

Students miss some patterns in the embryological or fossilized structures data, or they are unable to predict how certain traits will increase over time depending on how beneficial the trait is to the survival of the organisms in the population.

Students do not attempt to find patterns in the data or do not attempt to explain how traits will increase in a population depending on how beneficial they are to the survival of the organisms in the population.

Score

Patterns Patterns can be used to identify cause and effect relationships.

Graphs, charts, and images can be used to identify patterns in data.

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Achievement Levels Dimension Disciplinary Core Ideas LS4.B: Natural Selection Natural selection leads to the predominance of certain traits in a population, and the suppression of others.

LS4.C: Adaptation Adaptation by natural selection acting over generations is one important process by which species change over time in response to changes in environmental conditions. Traits that support successful survival and reproduction in the new environment become more common; those that do not become less common. Thus, the distribution of traits in a population changes.

Proficient (2 points)

Emergent (1 point)

Not Present (0 points)

Students identify patterns in structures, including fossilized structure and structures seen during embryonic development. They predict the cause and effect relationship between a structure that helps in survival and the increase in that trait in the population over time.

Students miss some patterns in the embryological or fossilized structures data, or they are unable to predict how certain traits will increase over time depending on how beneficial the trait is to the survival of the organisms in the population.

Students do not attempt to find patterns in the data or do not attempt to explain how traits will increase in a population depending on how beneficial they are to the survival of the organisms in the population.

Score

LS3.B: Variation of Traits In addition to variations that arise from sexual reproduction, genetic information can be altered because of mutations. Though rare, mutations may result in changes to the structure and function of proteins.

Some changes are beneficial, others harmful, and some neutral to the organism.

LS4.A: Evidence of Common Ancestry and Diversity Comparison of the embryological development of different species also reveals similarities that show relationships not evident in the fully-formed anatomy.

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