The City School Network /Head Office/Academics/{Science} – 2024 to 2025/Unit Plans – Junior 4/ Term 2
Junior 4 – TERM 2 (ACADEMIC YEAR 2024 – 2025)
Unit 3: Evolution and Inheritance
Week(s): 7th and 8th
Overview
This unit explores the concepts of evolution, adaptation, and the role of fossils in understanding the history of life
on Earth. Through a combination of hands-on activities, discussions, and scientific investigations, learners will
develop an understanding of how living things change over time and how these changes help them survive in their
environments.
Page 1 of 5
The City School Network /Head Office/Academics/{Science} – 2024 to 2025/Unit Plans – Junior 4/ Term 2
Learning Objectives Suggested Activities and Skills Success Criteria Resources
Week 7
2.7.1 Recognise that living Subtopic: Fossils and Inheritance Recognised that living things Oxford International Primary
things have changed over Recall: [from Junior 3] have changed over time and that Science 4: pg. N/A
time and that fossils provide Ask learners to recall the fossils topic from the previous grade. fossils provide information about
information about living Begin with a class discussion on what fossils are. Show images and real living things that inhabited the Multimedia
things that inhabited the fossils. Have learners share any previous knowledge or experiences Earth millions of years ago. A brief history of life on Earth
Earth millions of years ago. with fossils. Create a KWL chart (Know, Want to know, Learned) on
2.7.2 Recognise that living It’s All in the Genes—Inheritance
chart paper. and Variation of Traits
things produce offspring of
The teacher can show a video of a newscaster showing how the earth
the same kind, but normally Recognised that living things
offspring vary and are not was created and how living things evolved starting from 4.5 billion produce offspring of the same
identical to their parents years ago. kind, but normally offspring vary [Link]
Skills Activity # 1: and are not identical to their
Horses have not always looked like the horses we know today. parents.
- Observing
Scientists have studied the changes in horses over millions of years
- Classifying Worksheets:
through fossils that have been found.
- Categorising 2.7.1 [Link]
Learners will organise the information about how horses have evolved
- Generalising 2.7.1.a [Link]
and how fossils contribute to our understanding of this evolution.
- Communicating
Activity # 2:
- Researching 2.7.2 Inherited Characteristics
Learners will look at the living flat fish and its fossils to compare the
[Link]
similarities and differences. These are mostly based on observation
but teachers can share the background. 2.7.2.a [Link]
Teachers should share with learners that flatfish have changed a lot
over millions of years, and we can learn about this change by looking Handouts:
at fossil records. Fossils of early flatfish show that they used to be 2.7.1 [Link]
similar to regular fish, with a symmetrical body and eyes on both sides.
However, over time, the fossils show that flatfish became more and 2.7.2 [Link]
more asymmetrical, meaning one side of their body became larger
than the other, and their eyes moved to the top side of their body.
This change helped flatfish adapt to living on the ocean floor, where
they can blend in and avoid predators while still being able to see. The
Vocabulary: fossil evidence shows how these changes happened slowly over time,
inheritance, animals, plants, making flatfish different from other fish we see today.
humans, parents, Research:
biological parent, offspring,
similarities,
Page 2 of 5
The City School Network /Head Office/Academics/{Science} – 2024 to 2025/Unit Plans – Junior 4/ Term 2
Learning Objectives Suggested Activities and Skills Success Criteria Resources
differences, characteristics, Each learner selects a fossil or extinct organism to research. They
variation, paleontologist, prepare a short presentation or poster explaining its significance and
trait what it reveals about Earth's history.
Inheritance:
Show learners a PPT on inheritance. Talk to learners about the
learned traits/characteristics and inherited characteristics. Inherited
characteristics are the ones that you get from your parents,
grandparents, and great-grandparents. It includes your physical
characteristics like height, hair colour, eye colour, skin tone, ear lobe,
etc.
Picture prompt:
Show learners the family tree above and ask them to list the
characteristics that Alex, Sally, and Jade inherited from their parents
and grandparents.
Characteristics family tree
Let's make a family tree of characteristics to show
how inheritance works.
This could be of your family, or a celebrity family if
you prefer.
Find a picture of each person and list their
characteristics underneath them.
Inherited Characteristics Card:
Teachers can ask learners to classify the
characteristics that can be inherited. The teacher can share
worksheet 2.7.2.
Page 3 of 5
The City School Network /Head Office/Academics/{Science} – 2024 to 2025/Unit Plans – Junior 4/ Term 2
Learning Objectives Suggested Activities and Skills Success Criteria Resources
Learners can also explore the characteristics that are inherited
through generations. The teacher can share worksheet 2.7.2. a with
learners and ask them to identify the inherited attributes of a son after
reading the characteristics of a father, grandfather, and great-
grandfather.
Learning Objectives Suggested Activities and Skills Success Criteria Resources
Week 8
2.8.3 Identify how animals Subtopic: Adaptation Identified how animals and Oxford International Primary
and plants are adapted to suit Recall: plants are adapted to suit their Science 4: pg. N/A
their environment in Learners have learned about how animals and plants adapt to the environment in different ways
different ways and that environment they live in. and that adaptation may lead to Multimedia
adaptation may lead to Ask them to share their knowledge and jot down the points on the evolution. Theory of Evolution: How did
evolution. board. Learners will most likely talk about cactus, camels, or polar Darwin come up with it?
bears.
Skills Animal Adaptations - Adaptation
Show learners a video on adaptation and ask questions.
and Survival -
- Observing
- Classifying Adaptations: 2.8.3 Evolution and
- Generalising After initial discussion learners can read the handout. Ask learners [Link]
- Investigating to share their ideas by hoeing them with the given picture prompt:
- Communicating [Link]
- Creative Thinking
Worksheets:
Vocabulary: 2.8.3 [Link]
adaptation, survival, fittest, 2.8.3.a [Link]
camouflage, evolution,
Darwin, Galapagos Island 2.8.3 Case [Link]
Handouts
2.8.3 [Link]
Imagine and create:
Adaptations allow living things to survive in their habitats.
Page 4 of 5
The City School Network /Head Office/Academics/{Science} – 2024 to 2025/Unit Plans – Junior 4/ Term 2
Learning Objectives Suggested Activities and Skills Success Criteria Resources
Design a new animal or plant to survive on an alien planet. You will Junior 4 Evolution and
need to create your imaginary habitat first. Inheritance Unit 3 End of unit
• Is it hot or cold? [Link]
• Are there any forests or deserts?
• Then you can design your living thing to be suited to this
habitat.
• What adaptations will it have?
Once you have designed your living thing, write a paragraph to
explain what the habitat is like and why you chose the adaptations.
➢ The teacher can show a video or PPT on adaptation and
evolution before moving on to handouts and worksheets.
Case Study:
Teachers can share the case study document with learners in
groups and ask learners to read and discuss it among groups and
later share their ideas with the whole class.
Ask learners
Common misconception
Learners may think that the ‘fittest’, as in ‘survival of the fittest’,
means the most physically fit or healthy, rather than the most suited
to the environment and conditions.
Using the examples, clearly explain that when we refer to the
‘fittest’ living things surviving, we mean those that are best suited
to the conditions they are living in.
Page 5 of 5