Lesson Plan: Vocabulary Lesson from “Why do Cave Fish Lose Their Eyes”

Your Name: Spencer Wonder Date:

Grade Level: 7th Subject: Life Science

Objectives and Goals:

Standards (CCSS/NGSS/California Content
Standards): MS-LS1-5: Construct a scientific
explanation based on evidence for how
environmental and genetic factors influence the
growth of organisms

Content Objective: Students will be able to

explain how the environment and genes effect the
growth of animals and plants

Language Objective: Students will read an article

related to the topic of evolution and genetic
change and answer questions from a worksheet
about the effects of environment on a species over
time.

Required Materials and Equipment:

“Why do Cave Fish Lose Their Eyes”
Article and Comprehension Questions

Anticipation Guide

CSR Materials: Cue Cards, Clunk Cards

Guiding Question(s):
How can evolution cause a species to lose a trait?
What is “regressive evolution”?

Vocabulary necessary for instruction:

Evolution, Regressive Evolution, Gene,
Chromosome, Natural Selection, Pleiotropy,
Mutation, Neutral Mutation, Tissue
Objective as stated to students before lesson:
In the last few days we have been learning about
natural selection and evolution and how these
mechanisms can lead to the development of
certain traits and adaptations in species. Today we
will learn about another way that evolution
occurs. We know evolution can cause new traits
and adaptations to occur within a species, but do
you think that evolution could lead to existing
traits being eliminated over time?
Anticipatory Set:
Hand out anticipation guide. Have students
complete the guide as small groups.
Direct Instruction/Modeling/Guided Practice:
Students will remain in the Anticipation Guide
groups. The article will be given to the
students and the CSR strategy will be
introduced. The first paragraph will be read
aloud by the teacher and each role contained
within CSR will be modeled for that passage
by the teacher. At this point the students will
be instructed to use the CSR strategies within
their groups as the materials for the CSR are
distributed. Students pick roles randomly from
the cue cards and proceed to use the strategy in
a guided practice setting. After reading the
students will be directed to return to the earlier
anticipation guide and complete the “after
reading” portion. Students will then work on
the comprehension questions at the end of the
article individually.
Independent Practice:
Anticipation Guide
Comprehension Questions
Assessment and Follow-Up/Next Steps:
1. Anticipation guide
Rationale:
The anticipation guide gives students an idea of
what is coming within the reading and helps to
generate interest and questions. This tapping of
prior knowledge makes the article more
applicable and relevant to the students interests.
It also serves as a warm-up for the groups that
will be used in the upcoming Collaborative
Strategic Reading (CSR) exercise.
Rationale:
By modeling the CSR roles and strategies for
the class the learning curve for the new activity
is shortened. The teacher also is able to explain
the benefits and helps to encourage active
participation by the students. This also serves as
a read-aloud session to help with
comprehension and set the tone for the reading
activity. Students will use the CSR strategies as
a group to work through potential vocabulary
and comprehension issues and tease apart the
meaning of the article in groups. By working in
groups students are able to ask each other
questions and improve understanding by using
reciprocal teaching elements to help each other
work through the reading as they encounter
clunks and assess the article for the gist. This
group activity also serves to help develop
communication skills and reading aloud helps to
bolster confidence in their literacy and speaking
abilities. By returning to the anticipation guide
to check to see if their understanding of the
material changed or remained the same students
are able to self assess and see the effects of the
group work and reading in real time, a benefit
that helps to encourage active learning. The
comprehension questions at the end of the
article allow the students to practice recalling
the information from the article and exercises
the skills associated with finding answers in
texts. It also allows the teacher to assess
comprehension on a written worksheet.
Rationale:
Independent work without input from the
teacher allows the teacher to assess individual
comprehension and see where the class is in in
regards to understanding.
Rationale:
1. The anticipation guide allows the
teacher to assess the level of prior
 2. Comprehension Questions
Transition to following topic:
Students will next be learning about more
specific mechanisms of evolution and the
effects they have on organisms including
potential extinction in the face of rapid
environmental change. What might happen to
the blind fish in the article if the caves were
eventually exposed to light as a result of
erosion? What if these caves were suddenly
opened up due to construction? What if
another organism, a predator, was introduced
to the caves that made blindness a
disadvantage?
knowledge the students possessed prior to
the reading. Then after the reading the
students have a chance to revise their
answers and this allows the teacher to asses
comprehension and information retention
from the article.
2. The comprehension questions serve to
assess for understanding and
comprehension. By reviewing the students
answers the teacher can determine how
much information was actually retained by
the students post-reading and how well the
students are able to search for answers
within the text.
Rationale:
By applying what they have learned from the
reading exercise students are able to make
hypothesis and engage in active scientific
discussion about hypothetical situations. This
engages prior knowledge as well as applies
recently acquired knowledge to help build
anticipation for the following lesson.

Notes:

Anticipated Student Difficulties:

1. Anticipation guide: Students that are
behind the curve or lack the prior
knowledge might be frustrated with this
activity. Some of this may be contended
against by its completion in groups.
2. CSR: This in-depth group reading
strategy might prove difficult for students
that are not great group workers. Reading
aloud may also serve difficult for some
students such as ELLs. By moving
through the class and offering to help
when needed some difficulty may be
alleviated.
3. Comprehension Questions: Students that
have difficulties searching through text
for answers (such as those with learning
disabilities or attention issues) may
struggle with this exercise. This can be
helped by offering assistance.
Anticipation Guide
 Read the following statements and decide whether you agree or disagree with the
statement. After reading return to these statement and revise your opinion if necessary. Be
prepared to share your rationale with the class if called upon.

1. Pleiotropy means that one gene effects two or more different characteristics.
2. If a parent organism experiences a change (ie. Loses a finger) the offspring of that
parent will express that change as well (ie. Be born with one less finger).
3. All traits that result from natural selection give an advantage.
4. Neutral mutation means that a change in the genetic makeup of the organism led
to a disadvantage.
5. Functional genes can remain present but inactive in certain conditions.
 References:

IRIS: CSR A Reading Comprehension Strategy

https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/csr/#content

Readworks: Why Do Cave Fish Lose Their Eyes?

https://www.readworks.org/article/Why-Do-Cave-Fish-Lose-Their-Eyes/18977ae7-df4b-
4650-aa21-f71eba9094eb