General Teacher Instructions:

• Students need to be ready to work as soon as the period begins.
  
  
• Group assignments should be made in advance.
  
  
• The materials should be set out at each lab station, if possible.
  
  
• A central supply area, if needed, should be easily accessible.
  
  
• The supply area should have any supplies from the kit that were prepared by the teacher as well as all of the school-supplied materials necessary for the experiment.
  
  
• All the supplies should be clearly labeled.

Overall Task Content Area:

Life Science

National Science Education Standards:

8 A SI 1: Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
1.4 Develop descriptions, explanations, predictions, and models using evidence. Students should base their explanation on what they observed, and as they develop cognitive skills, they should be able to differentiate explanation from description — providing causes for effects and establishing relationships based on evidence and logical argument. This standards requires a subject knowledge base so the students can effectively conduct investigations, because developing explanations establishes connections between the content of science and the contexts within which students develop new knowledge.

1.8 Use mathematics in all aspects of scientific inquiry. Mathematics is essential to asking and answering questions about the natural world. Mathematics can be used to ask questions; to gather, organize, and present data; and to structure convincing explanations.

8 C LS 5: Diversity and Adaptations of Organisms: Grades 5-8
5.1   Millions of species of animals, plants and microorganisms are alive today. Although different species might look dissimilar, the unity among organisms becomes apparent from an analysis of internal structures, the similarity of their chemical processes, and the evidence of common ancestry.

5.2   Biological evolution accounts for the diversity of species developed through gradual processes over many generations. Species acquire many of their unique characteristics through biological adaptation, which involves the selection of naturally occurring variations in populations. Biological adaptations include changes in structures, behaviors or physiology that enhance survival and reproductive success in a particular environment.

(Use the "hot" link on the PALS home page to check the full text of related National Science Education Standards, if desired.)

National Council of Teachers of Mathematics:

DAP1: Formulate questions that can be addressed with data and collect, organize, and display relevant data to answer them.

PS2: Solve problems that arise in mathematics and in other contexts.

Materials in Kits:

• 1 set of ten animal pictures with information about the animals

Materials Supplied by School or Students:

• 1 pen or pencil per student

Special Directions for Teacher Setup:

No special setup is required. Students should use the last four blank pages of the test booklet for scratch paper.

Safety:

• Be careful.
• Teachers and students should always exercise appropriate safety precautions and utilize appropriate laboratory safety procedures and equipment when working on science performance tasks.