Learning Objectives

By the end of these 2 lessons pupils should;:

• Learn about the significance of Charles Darwin and the theory of evolution

• Recognise that living things have evolved over time, as evidenced in the fossil record

 

Resources

• Film: 'how things came to be'

• Film: 'Darwin and the Beagle'

• Powerpoint: 'the Galapagos finches'

• Galapagos finch pictures

• Galapagos island information

• Powerpoint: 'beaks'

• bird template page

 

Vocabulary

adapt, evolve, offspring, habitat, characteristics, variation, survival

 

Starter activity 

1. Class Activity:

Watch film: 'how things came to be', different ideas of creation/evolution through history and cultures.

 

Main activities 

1. Class Discussion:

What do the children know about dinosaurs? How do we know about something which died out before humans existed?

 

2. Class Activity:

Watch film: 'Darwin and the Beagle'

 

3. Class Activity:

Watch Powerpoint: 'the Galapagos finches'

 

4. Group Activity:

Study Galapagos finch pictures and Galapagos island information. Can the children work out what conclusion Darwin might have come to?

 

5. Class Activity:

Watch Powerpoint: 'beaks' showing great variety of beaks, all best suited to habitat.

 

6. Individual Activity:

Design beaks on the bird template page to best suit each bird to its foodstuff.

 

Plenary activity 

Q: How do you think people at the time reacted to Darwin's idea?

Assessment

.................

 

 

Downloadable lesson plan and resources