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7th, 9th Grades  Lesson 50 minutes

Cellular Survival: Natural Selection Showdown!

ADucret
Feb 24, 2026
Updated Jun 17, 2026
1-pager

Purpose

The purpose of this learning experience is to deepen students' understanding of evolution, natural selection, and cellular adaptation through hands-on, project-based activities that cater to diverse learning needs. Individual versions of activities, checklists, and organizers are provided to ensure inclusivity for students who may have social-emotional or learning challenges. Students will explore why certain individuals are more susceptible to illnesses, using interactive simulations and collaborative artworks that directly link scientific concepts to real-world health implications. This approach fosters critical thinking and problem-solving skills, enabling students to reflect on the impact of lifestyle choices on immune response and engage meaningfully with biological concepts.

Learning goals

Students will delve into the intricacies of evolution and natural selection via hands-on and experiential activities suitable for their grade level. They will craft evidence-supported explanations highlighting species adaptation through genetic variation, resource competition, and environmental challenges. In collaboration with community partners, students will relate these evolutionary concepts to health phenomena, including how lifestyle choices impact immune responses. Throughout the project, students will enhance their scientific communication abilities and critical thinking skills, supported by peer critiques and reflective practices. Independent learning modules using scaffolds, checklists, and organizers will ensure inclusivity for students with learning disabilities and socio-emotional challenges.

Products

Students will individually design interactive digital dioramas using augmented reality, paired with scaffolded organizers to accommodate diverse learning needs, allowing exploration of species adaptation and survival scenarios. They will also engage in creating personal multimedia presentations, with optional peer support, showcasing student-generated videos and highlighting local ecosystems' natural selection experiments. Each student will contribute independently to a collaborative mural project, using checklists to illustrate a species' evolutionary journey visually. Lastly, students will individually construct model ecosystems, with feedback tools ensuring engagement in manipulating environmental variables to observe species adaptation and biodiversity.

Launch

Begin by coordinating a 'Survival of the Fittest Field Day,' featuring independent and collaborative interactive challenges like a scavenger hunt simulating resource competition and a relay race representing predator-prey dynamics. Provide scaffolds, checklists, and organizers for students who require additional support, ensuring participation is accessible for all. Introduce the concepts of adaptation and natural selection visually and through discussions, setting a foundation for deeper exploration of the factors contributing to illness susceptibility, while fostering connections between the day's activity and the broader evolutionary principles.

Exhibition

Host an interactive 'Evolution Expo Day,' inviting parents, peers, and community members to explore student-created exhibitions. Ensure diverse participation by offering independent options and scaffolds, like checklists and organizers, to accommodate varied learning needs. Students can lead live demonstrations and provide augmented reality experiences, engaging visitors in exploring evolution principles. Incorporate guest speakers, such as biologists, to discuss genetic variation's implications on health and enhance the learning celebration.

Plan
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Empathize Define Ideate Draft Test Critique Notice & Reflect
Empathize
Students will engage with community partners and peers to explore health disparities, gathering insights on diverse experiences with illness and immunity through interactive discussions and simulations to build empathy and inform subsequent phases of the project.
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Define
Students will articulate the educational impact of their project by defining its core objectives, desired outcomes, and significance in understanding why certain individuals are more prone to illness, setting the direction for their subsequent exploration of evolution and natural selection principles.
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Ideate
Students will brainstorm and collaborate with peers, teachers, and community experts to generate innovative project ideas that leverage local resources and connect scientific concepts of evolution and health to real-world applications.
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Draft
Students will draft outlines and sketches for their interactive digital dioramas that illustrate evolutionary concepts, collaborating in teams to explore species adaptation and survival scenarios using augmented reality tools.
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Test
Students will participate in a simulated ecosystem where they manipulate environmental variables to observe real-time impacts on species adaptation and biodiversity, testing the project's interactive elements for engagement and learning efficacy in preparation for the exhibition phase.
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Critique
Students will engage in structured peer review sessions to provide and receive feedback on their project designs, utilizing specific critique protocols to identify areas for improvement and further refinement, ensuring alignment with learning goals and preparation for the final exhibition.
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Notice & Reflect
Students will participate in reflective discussions and create visual timelines to articulate their learning breakthroughs and forecast how the insights gained on evolution and natural selection may inform their approach in upcoming projects or life scenarios.
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