Date: 10/29/14

Stage 2 Determine Acceptable Evidence

What evidence will show that students understand?
Performance tasks:
Create a performance task for each essential question. (Summative assessment)
Use GRASPS to start your thinking. For stage 2, you need:
A title
The goal
The role children will assume
The audience beyond the teacher
Animal Discovery
Goal: Students will report on various adaptations and why they are important to animal
survival.
Role: Zoologist
Audience: JMU student videographers
Situation: Students will take the role of a zoologist who has to report about a new
species that they recently discovered. Students will create their own animal, which must
have at least one behavioral or physical adaptation. Students must be able to explain
how the animals adaptation(s) help the animal survive in the rainforest.
Product: Students will create a presentation video about the new species a picture of
the animal must be included.
Standards: Each student must have a well-written script for their video describing the
animal they created with a clear description of the adaptation(s) of the animal and how
these adaptations help the animal live in their habitat (rainforest). Students must also
have a picture of the animal they created for the article.
Create a Habitat
Goal: Students will understand that adaptations are crucial for an animals survival in
their habitat.
Role: Zookeeper
Audience: National Zoo Smithsonian Conservation Institution
Situation: Students are taking on the role of a zookeeper. As a zookeeper each student
must create an ideal habitat for an animal that either has a behavioral or physical
adaptation. Students must answer the question how is the animals adaptation made for
its specific habitat.
Product: Students will create a poster with pictures and descriptions of the zoo habitat
to present to the National Zoo Board in order to convince the board to use this specific
habitat for the animal.
Standards: Each poster must have clear and vivid descriptions of the habitat that goes
over the categories type of terrain, plants or trees in the habitat, will there be other
animals in the habitat, and shelter. Pictures must be included with the descriptions.

Adapted from Wiggins, G. & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design (2nd.ed.). Alexandria, VA: Association
for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Date: 10/29/14
Environmental Magazine Spread
Goal: Students will investigate a habitat and how animals interact and live in the
specific habitat.
Role: Magazine writer
Audience: Local magazine editor
Situation: Students will create a magazine spread for a specific habitat. In the article
students will write about how animals interact with one another in each habitat.
Students must discuss how one animals adaptations affect other animals.
Product: Magazine article about interactions in specific habitats among certain
animals.
Standards: Students must create a well-organized magazine article. Writing shows the
knowledge of the interrelationships between species based on the specific adaptations
of the animals.

What other evidence will be collected in light of Stage 1 Desired Results?

Other evidence (tests, quizzes, prompts, work samples, observations):
What traditional assessments will you use to ensure students are gaining the
information necessary to finally answer your essential questions? (Formative
assessment)
Venn diagram instinct and learned behavior
Vocabulary quiz (camouflage, mimicry, hibernation, migration, dormancy, instinct,
and learned behavior)
Quiz about animal food gathering methods, methods for rearing young, shelter,
and how animals defend themselves.
Word sort game for physical and behavioral adaptations
Homework assignments will be given periodically throughout the unit focusing on
specific topics students need to review at home.
Lab activity focusing on camouflage and mimicry examples. For camouflage
students will take newspaper and glue another section of newspaper on top of
the original piece of newspaper. The mimicry part of the lab will be students will
be given cheez-it crackers some of the crackers have be sprinkled in lemonade
powder and lemon juice. Other crackers are just eh normal cheez-it crackers.
Students do not know which cracker they are tasting until they actually eat the
crackers. Students will complete a series of questions after the lab.

Adapted from Wiggins, G. & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design (2nd.ed.). Alexandria, VA: Association
for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Date: 10/29/14

Metacognition:
How will you have students think about the content throughout the unit and after the
pbes? (self-reflection)
A self-reflection activity will be given after each PBE as well as throughout the unit.
Think/Pair/Share
Exit slip how did todays lesson connect to previous lessons?
Make a word splash
Write two new vocabulary words and draw a picture
Fist to five
How will you have students think about themselves as learners throughout the unit and
after the pbes? (self-assessment)
A self-assessment activity will be given after each PBE as well as throughout the unit.
Exit slip what did you do that helped with your learning today? What hindered
your learning?
Fist to five
Gem and opportunities
What would you do differently next time?
Would you want yourself as partner?

Adapted from Wiggins, G. & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design (2nd.ed.). Alexandria, VA: Association
for Supervision and Curriculum Development.