This is a sample project planning form for a pbl project in the subject of Science. The project covers most standards in ecology and evolution for a high school biology class.

1. PROJECT OVERVIEW
Name of Project: The Galapagos: A Case Study Duration: 4 weeks
Subject/Course: Biology (Ecology/Evolution) Teacher(s): Rahardjo Grade Level: 9/10
Other subject areas to English
be included, if any:
Project Idea Thousands of people venture to the Galapagos islands every year. Scientists go there to study biodiversity as well as
Summary of the issue, the process of evolution. However, this national Park is at risk everyday because of what tourism can do to the
challenge, investigation, ecosystem. Human activity is prevalent. Measures have been taken to help preserve the flora and fauna. But how
scenario, or problem: long will this last? What must be done to continue preservation.
The Galapagos islands house many endemic and non-endemic inhabitants for millions of years. This ecology/evolution case study
allows students to study and participate in three actions: 1. Learn about the history, flora, and fauna of the islands and what could
have led to their habitations; 2. Determine how Darwin’s Finches could have undergone speciation; 3. A current local issue in
Ecuador that gives students a chance to play a particular role that will determine the future of the Galapagos Islands.
Driving Question 1. How does a set of Islands off the coast of Ecuador reveal the importance of biodiversity and the process of evolution?
2. If you are chosen as the politician who represents the Ecuador government, how would you negotiate and compromise the
various stakeholders’ points of view that will continue to help the preservation of the Galapagos Islands?
Content and Skills Items in Purple will be discussed in Honors classes.
Standards to be Ecology
addressed: 6. Stability in an ecosystem is a balance between competing effects.
a. Students know biodiversity is the sum total of different kinds of organisms and is affected by alterations of habitats.
b. Students know how to analyze changes in an ecosystem resulting from changes in climate, human activity, introduction of nonnative
species, or changes in population size.
c. Students know how fluctuations in population size in an ecosystem are deter-mined by the relative rates of birth, immigration, emigration,
and death.
e. Students know a vital part of an ecosystem is the stability of its producers and decomposers.
f. Students know at each link in a food web some energy is stored in newly made structures but much energy is dissipated into the environment
as heat. This dissipation may be represented in an energy pyramid.
g.* Students know how to distinguish between the accommodation of an individual organism to its environment and the gradual adaptation of a
lineage of organ-isms through genetic change.
Evolution
7. The frequency of an allele in a gene pool of a population depends on many factors and may be stable or unstable over time.
a. Students know why natural selection acts on the phenotype rather than the genotype of an organism.
c. Students know new mutations are constantly being generated in a gene pool.
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2. d. Students know variation within a species increases the likelihood that at least some members of a species will survive under changed
environmental conditions.
e.* Students know the conditions for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in a population and why these conditions are not likely to appear in nature.
f.* Students know how to solve the Hardy-Weinberg equation to predict the frequency of genotypes in a population, given the frequency of
phenotypes.
8. Evolution is the result of genetic changes that occur in constantly changing environments.
a. Students know how natural selection determines the differential survival of groups of organisms.
b. Students know a great diversity of species increases the chance that at least some organisms survive major changes in the environment.
c. Students know the effects of genetic drift on the diversity of organisms in a population.
d. Students know reproductive or geographic isolation affects speciation.
f.* Students know how to use comparative embryology, DNA or protein sequence comparisons, and other independent sources of data to create
a branching diagram (cladogram) that shows probable evolutionary relationships.
g.* Students know how several independent molecular clocks, calibrated against each other and combined with evidence from the fossil record,
can help to estimate how long ago various groups of organisms diverged evolutionarily from one another.
T+A E T+A E
st
21 Century Skills Collaboration Other: Communication: Writing x
to be explicitly taught and
x
assessed (T+A) or that
will be encouraged (E) by
Presentation : Part III x
project work, but not
taught or assessed: Critical Thinking: Within the questions x
Presentation Audience:
Group: Final Presentation defending their position. (Regular and Honors) Other: Student
Culminating Final Negotiation Document for Part 3 (HONORS) volunteers. Flyers will
Products and Prezi (Presentation – all persons must pick a major concept within the Prezi and explain be passed to all
Performances connection) students who are
Cmap (same as above) interested in
volunteering to listen to
In composition book: the arguments given by
Individual: 1. Questions from 3 parts of the case study. Box Format student groups.
2. Draft of interest group speech
Final presentation: position is clearly stated with cited evidence.
Evolution Activity quick write-up
Worksheet: Jigsaw Presentation Template
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3. PROJECT OVERVIEW
Entry event to
launch inquiry, Welcome to the Galapagos Islands Video; Driving Questions
engage students:
Assessments Quizzes/Tests x Practice Presentations x
Formative
Assessments Journal/Learning Log Notes x
(During
Project) Preliminary Plans/Outlines/Prototypes Checklists
Rough Drafts Concept Maps x
Online Tests/Exams x Other: Cmap (honors) x
Written Product(s), with rubric: x Other Product(s) or Performance(s), with rubric:
Summative Negotiation Proposal
Assessments Write up for each character role
(End of Project)
Oral Presentation, with rubric x Peer Evaluation: Collaboration grade x
Multiple Choice/Short Answer Test x Self-Evaluation: Project Reflection x
Essay Test Other:
.
Resources On-site people, facilities:
Needed
Equipment:
Materials: Biology Textbook, Websites,
Community resources:
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4. Reflection Journal/Learning Log (in Prezi) x Focus Group
Methods (Individual,
Group, and/or Whole-Class Discussion x Fishbowl Discussion
Whole Class)
Survey (through presentation results from x Other:
online ballot)
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5. PROJECT TEACHING AND LEARNING GUIDE
Project: The Galapagos Course/Semester:
Knowledge and Skills Needed By Students Scaffolding / Materials/ Lessons To Be Provided
to successfully complete culminating products and by the project teacher, other teachers, experts,
performances, and do well on summative assessments mentors, or community members
• Vocabulary associated with Ecology/Evolution Unit Box Format Vocabulary: word, definition, diagram,
• Begin Cmap and Prezi work. Allow time in class to connection to a context (filled out after they learn the
answer prompt for “learning log” within Prezi and  word and understand it).
Cmap.
• Phase 1 of case study References: Textbook pages to help look for answers;
• Food chain and web of Galapagos Islands websites pre-chosen for their viewing
 Activity for food web, hand-out for activity
• Hand-out for Food web activity
• Phase 2 of case study Graphic Organizer (Causes of Genetic variation, Forms of
• Evolution (allele frequency within gene pool, Natural selection, Factors that lead to evolution,
mutation, natural selection, and speciation) Speciation, Types of evolution)
 Evolution Activity
• Prezi Presentation (Regular)
Cmap workshop when necessary (Honors) This is
• Cmap (Honors)
continuous work from beginning of project to end of
project
• Phase 3 of case study “Speed Dating” Exercise to practice oral presentation
• Oral presentation Criteria for write up and proposal (Using Common core
• (Regular) Quick write-up (stakeholder role, argument, standards – Keys Ideas and Details 1, 2; Integration of
and cite evidence and resources)  Knowledge and Ideas 8)
• (Honors) Proposal with negotiations and compromise Evaluation sheet that will be given to their volunteer
with views of all stakeholders audience. They will pick “winner” of best presented
argument.
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6. 
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7. PROJECT CALENDAR
NOTE: I finished the overall planning week by week. But notice that I started
doing more in-depth planning. Disregard that if you wish.
Project: The Galapagos: A Case Study Start Date:
MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY
Project Week One
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3
1. Entry Event (Video clip) Homework due: -Discuss SQ #1 w/ group
2. Warm up -Phase 1 (Read and identify learning issues) -Facilitate Vocabulary (teacher)
2. Driving Question and standards -Facilitate understanding (Teacher) -(Activity)
3. PMC Food Chain/Web Review -Phase 2 (Read and identify LI)
4. Objective 1 Homework: Finish Study questions 1, vocabulary part 2, fill -Facilitate understanding (Teacher)
5. Vocabulary in fourth box of vocab words part 1 -Study questions #2
6. Review Ecological Principles *Learning issues = what definitions and concepts to look up -Quality Assurance #1
HW: Finish SQ#2 and research
(Concepts: Ecology, biodiversity, food web and chain of Galapagos
Homework: PMC, vocabulary part
Islands)
1 Warm up: None
Warm up: None
Biodiversity/Food web and chain Lecture: None
review Lecture: Energy flow within food chain/web
Activity: Food web activity, Vocab
Warm up: Journal Questions #1 Activity: Identify learning issues within the reading in group review part I
Lecture: (PP: What is within an Learning Log #2 in Prezi: How is energy used within an Learning Log 3:
Ecosystem) ecosystem? Give an example of a food chain and how
energy is passed from one organism to another. Facilitation: Group then teacher
Activity: None
Facilitation: Group then Teacher
Learning Log #1 in Prezi: What
are necessary factors in allowing
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8. an ecosystem to be functional and
sustain life?
Facilitation:
(Need: Document to explain the
case study for each phase; Create
a different prompt for learning log
in Cmap for Honors. )
Project Week Two
Day 4: Day 5:
-Activity: Evolution -Assign Role for phase 3
-Discussion of SQ #2 -Break up into focus groups (jigsaw)
-Facilitate LI questions and vocabulary and other concerns(Teacher) -Discuss and Research
-Graphic Organizers -Write up/Proposal
Homework: Finish graphic organizers using textbook, Read phase 3 -Rubric
(Concept: Evolution)
Homework: SQ #3
Warm up:
(Concept: Human impact on Ecosystem)
Lecture: (PP: Evolution through Natural Selection) – helpful for graphic
organizers Warm up:
Activity: Evolutionary activity (outside of class) – students given different Lecture:
“adaptations” for feeding
Activity: Evolution Jeopardy
Learning Log:
Learning Log:
Facilitation:
Facilitation:
Project Week Three
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9. Day 6 Day 7 Day 8
-Check in with focus groups: Sufficient -Team members present argument to one Presentation to class first
argument and evidence? another Final Text due from both classes
-Speed Exercise -Fill out Jigsaw Presentation
-put the puzzle pieces together -Refine arguments Warm up:
-Speed Exercise
Warm up: Lecture:
Warm up:
Lecture: Activity:
Lecture:
Activity: Learning Log:
Activity:
Learning Log: Facilitation:
Learning Log:
Facilitation:
Facilitation:
Project Week Four
Day 9
Presentation to audience
Warm up:
Lecture:
Activity:
Learning Log:
Facilitation:
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10. Journal Questions #1:
1. What is biodiversity?
2. Name at least 5 factors that contribute to the biodiversity of the Galapagos Islands.
Journal Questions #2:
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