Hominid Evolution through the ages

Grade: 11th
Student Learning Objective: Students will identify basic trends in hominid evolution from
early ancestors six million years ago to modern humans, through text analysis and prior
knowledge activation.
Materials:

Skull Fossil Suggests Simpler Human Lineage article.

Pen/Pencil.

Notebook paper.

People, Places, and Events graphic organizer with corresponding word list.

Fact Or Opinion chart.

321 exit cards.

Preparation for the Activities: During the previous class, students will have had a direct
teach on Hominid evolution from early ancestors leading all the way to modern humans.
During that lesson student will learn about the currently accepted theories regarding basic
trends in hominid evolution including brain size, jaw size, language, and manufacture of
tools. Which will provide enough prior knowledge for the text analysis.
Text Information:
Skull Fossil Suggests Simpler Human Lineage article penned by John Noble Wilford (Oct. 17,
2013), published by The New York Times.
Link to Text:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/18/science/fossil-skull-may-rewrite-humans-evolutionarystory.html
Flesh-Kincaid Readability Level: 12.90
Order of the Lesson:
1.

Introduction Students will participate in a short review of the previous class material,
and in a discussion based what student think hominids looked like and how they believe
hominids changed over time. After the short discussion the teacher will introduce text,
and explain what student will be doing.

2.

Before Reading strategy: Students will complete the People, Places, and Events
graphic organizer using the provided word extracted from the text, categorizing the
words based on prior knowledge or assumptions. Students will also write a statement of
anticipation using as many of the key words as possible.

3.

During Reading strategy: Students will look for evidence or statements that will help
them complete their fact or opinion charts based off of the reading.

1.

After Reading strategies: In the last few minutes of class, students will be asked to
fill out their 321 exit cards, stating 3 things that they learned in the lesson, 2 things
they found interesting and 1 question that they may still have about the topic.

Introduction: The teacher will facilitate a short review of the previous class material, and a
discussion based what student think hominids looked like and how they believe hominids
changed over time. After the short discussion the teacher will introduce text, and explain
what student will be doing.
CONTENT AREA STANDARD:
Discipline:

Science (Life
Science)

SC.912.L.15.10 (Links to an external site): Identify basic trends in hominid

evolution from early ancestors six million years ago to modern humans, including
brain size, jaw size, language, and manufacture of tools.

ANCHOR STANDARDS FOR READING, WRITING, LISTENING, and SPEAKING:

CCSS
Anchor
Standard

Reading

Writing

Listening and Speaking

Addressed
:
CCSS.ELA-

CCSS.ELA-

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.1:

LITERACY.CCRA.R.1:

LITERACY.CCRA.W.4:

Prepare for and participate

K-12 CCSS Read closely to

Produce clear and

effectively in a range of

Anchor

coherent writing in which conversations and collaborations

determine what the

Standards text says explicitly

the development,

with diverse partners, building on

with Link

and to make logical

organization, and style

others' ideas and expressing their

and

inferences from it; cite are appropriate to task,

Standard

specific textual

Written

evidence when writing

Out:

or speaking to support
conclusions drawn
from the text.

purpose, and audience.

own clearly and persuasively.

Before Reading: As part

of the People, Places,
and Event activity
students will write a
statement of anticipation
using as many of the key
words as possible.

Before Reading: As part of

the People, Places, and
Event activity students will
discuss in small groups the
words which they have to
organize and they will also

During Reading: Only

discuss what they think the

Correspon Students will complete

some student original

text will be about.

ding

their Fact or Opinion

writing will take place,

Before,

chart which requires

which will be when

During Reading:

During andthem, read closely, make students give

After

inferences and to cite

explanations for the

Strategies evidence to support their opinion statements.

conclusions.

After Reading: Students

will complete their
321exit cards, where
they will write, 3 things
they learned, 2 thing they
found interesting, and 1
question they might still
have.

During Reading: Students will

discuss the statements and
determine whether they are
Facts or Opinions in small groups.
After Reading: Before students
complete their 321exit cards,
they will discuss, what they
learned, what they found
interesting, and questions they
might still have with their group
members.

Before Reading: The

completed People,
Places, and Event
graphic organizer will
serve as the formative
assessment. Only
completed work and clear
During Reading: The

and coherent statement

completed Fact or

of anticipation that

Opinion chart will serve reflects what student

Before reading: While students

discuss, the words which they
need to organize and what the
text will be about, the teacher
will listen in to each group to
make sure they are on task.
During Reading: While students

Evaluation as the formative

were asked to do, will get discuss, the statements and

Using

credit.

assessment for this

Formative activity. Students should

Assessmenget at least 75% percent
t

of the chart correct, and

they will only get credit
for handing in completed
work

During Reading: The

completed Fact or Opinion
chart will serve as the
formative assessment.

determine whether they are

Facts or Opinions, the teacher
will listen in to each group to
make sure they are on task.
After Reading: While students

Student explanations will get discuss, what they learned, what

credit only if clear and

they found interesting, and

coherent.

questions they might still have,

After Reading: The

completed 321exit cards
will serve as the formative

the teacher will listen in to each

group to make sure they are on
task.

assessment, credit when

written clearly and on topic.

Estimated Time: This activity can be done in one full class period, with the class period being
around 50 minutes in length, along as students have already been introduced to the topics.
Other wise the lesson can span over the course of two classes, but it may not take the full
amount of time on the first day being as this is just an introduction to the topic that will be
discussed in the following class.

English Learner Strategies: close reading, re-reading, verbal visual (vocabulary), listening,
and speaking
Hess' Level of Cognitive Rigor Matrix: Evaluate: Apply understanding in a novel way, provide
argument or justification for the application
Rigor Explained to Show Meeting this High Level of Cognitive Rigor: Students will justify
why they wrote down different information to support their facts or opinions in groups after
they finish reading.
Reference Information for Hess' Level of Cognitive Rigor Matrix:
http://static.pdesas.org/content/documents/M1-Slide_22_DOK_Hess_Cognitive_Rigor.pdf
2009 Karin K. Hess: Hess Cognitive Rigor Matrix, khess@nciea.org
The Gradual Release Model:
About the scaffolding technique called the Gradual Release Model:
I do it: explicit teaching (the teacher explaining and modeling the activity to students)
We do it: guided practice (teacher provides support by doing the activity with the students)
You do it: independent practice (students practice the skills they learned on their own).

Gradual Release Model for the Strategies in this Lesson

Before Reading (Activity
One):

During Reading:

After Reading:

I do it: The teacher will

I do it: The teacher we

write the different

introduce the text, and show

statements from the text on

student the words extracted

the board for the students to

from the text that they will

copy. Student will copy the

have to use for the People,

statement into column one

Places, and Events activity.

of the table. Once the

The teacher will then model

statements are written, the

the directions for the People,

teacher will model the

Places, and Event activity,

directions for the Fact or

by categorizing the first few

Opinion activity, by

words, with think aloud.

completing the first

I do it: The teacher will

conclude the lesson by
restating important terms,
and statements learned from
the text, then the teacher
will model the directions for
the 321 activity, with think
aloud.

statement, with think aloud.

We do it: Arranged in
groups, students will discuss
the word list and think about
how to categorize them, with
teacher guidance. Students
will also discuss what they
think the text will be about.

We do it: With students

arranged in groups, students
will analyze the statements
and determine whether they
are Facts or Opinions with
teacher guidance. In column
two they will add what they
chose.

We do it: Arranged in
groups, students will discuss
what they learned, what
they found interesting, and
questions they might still
have with their group
members

You do it: The students will

You do it: The students will

You do it: Students will

then work independently to

then independently read the

then have the last few

complete the People, Places,

article carefully, making sure minutes of class in order

and Events graphic

to fill out their Fact or

complete their 321 exit

organizer

Opinion sheet with relevant

cards. They are to turn in the

information as they read.

321 exit cards on their way

students will give evidence

out of the classroom.

that proves the factual

statements and give
explanations for the opinion
statements. Students put

their answers in the third

column

Strategies and Links:

Before Reading: People, Places,and Event
http://www.scps.k12.fl.us/curriculum/AcademicCore/LanguageArtsandReading/SecondaryRea
ding/BeforeReading.aspx
During Reading: Fact or Opinion
http://www.scps.k12.fl.us/curriculum/AcademicCore/LanguageArtsandReading/SecondaryRea
ding/DuringReading.aspx
After Reading: 321 Strategy
http://www.scps.k12.fl.us/curriculum/AcademicCore/LanguageArtsandReading/SecondaryRea
ding/AfterReading.aspx
Reflection: This lesson plan will help students comprehend the text at a level three applied
reading level by providing helpful techniques through out the lesson. Before each of the
assignments the teacher explains and models each assignment in detail before assisting with a
class demonstration. After that any questions that the students have are answered before the
students are allowed to do the activities on their own. The teacher starts the lesson by
reviewing key information students have to know, after they read they do an activity to see
what they have learned, what they found interesting and before they leave the students are
asked what they still have questions about.