Evolution and Inheritance: The Story of Life
This lesson introduces Year 6 pupils to the fundamental concepts of evolution and inheritance. Students will explore how characteristics are passed from parents to offspring, how variation occurs within a species, and how the process of natural selection leads to evolution over millions of years, supported by fossil evidence.
Learning objectives
- Recognise that living things produce offspring of the same kind, but normally offspring are not identical to their parents.
- Identify how animals and plants are adapted to suit their environment in different ways and that adaptation may lead to evolution.
- Explain how the process of natural selection leads to evolution over long periods of time.
- Describe how fossils provide evidence of how living things have changed over time.
Lesson plan (60 minutes)
Introduction · 10 min
Hook: 'Identify the Parent'. Show images of animal offspring and ask students to match them to parents, discussing similarities and differences.
Development · 15 min
Direct Instruction: Teacher uses the explainer script to introduce fossils, inheritance, and the theory of evolution by natural selection.
Independent Practice · 20 min
Differentiated Activity: Students complete the Support, Core, or Stretch worksheets based on their prior attainment levels.
Assessment · 10 min
Evolution Quiz: Students complete the 8-question multiple-choice quiz to check for understanding.
Plenary · 5 min
Plenary: 'Survival of the Fittest' game or summary discussion on why variation is vital for a species' future.
Key vocabulary
- Evolution
- The process where living things change over very long periods of time.
- Inheritance
- The passing of traits from parents to their offspring.
- Variation
- The differences between individuals of the same species.
- Adaptation
- A feature that helps a living thing survive in its environment.
- Fossil
- The remains or traces of plants and animals that lived a long time ago, turned to stone.
Core worksheet (first questions)
- What is variation and why is it important for a species?
- Explain how the Peppered Moth changed during the Industrial Revolution.
- Do offspring look exactly like their parents? Why is this important?
- How do offspring get a mix of traits from two parents?
Quiz (sample)
1. What does 'variation' mean in biology?
- A. The way animals hide from predators
- B. Differences between individuals of the same species
- C. When an animal goes extinct
- D. The study of fossils
2. Which statement about inheritance is true?
- A. Offspring are exactly the same as their parents
- B. Offspring are completely different from their parents
- C. Offspring are similar to their parents but not identical
- D. Offspring only inherit traits from their mothers
3. Which of these provides evidence for evolution?
- A. Photographs
- B. Fossils
- C. Written diaries from cavemen
- D. Magic crystals
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