OpenSciEd Biology + Earth & Space Unit 5: Common Ancestry and Speciation Student Edition

OpenSciEd High School addresses all high school NGSS standards. This comprehensive science curriculum empowers students to question, design, investigate, and solve the world around them. 

• Phenomenon Based - Centered around exploring phenomena or solving problems
• Driven by Student Questions - Storyline based on students’ questions and ideas 
• Grounded in Evidence - Incremental building and revision of ideas based on evidence 
• Collaborative - class and teacher figure out ideas together
• Equitable - Builds a classroom culture that values ideas and learning of all

The OpenSciEd model uses a storyline approach, introducing phenomena that anchors storylines developing disciplinary core ideas, concepts, and science/engineering practices. Students are encouraged to dive deep into key points and solve problems through five activities. 

B.5 Common Ancestry & Speciation: What will happen to Arctic bear populations as their environment changes?

This unit is anchored by the unusual sightings of polar, brown, and black bears in Wapusk National Park. Students investigate why this is so unusual and consider what this means for the bears as the Arctic warms. Lesson Set 1 focuses on bear thermoregulation and how speciation occurred over geologic time. In Lesson Set 2 students learn about hybridization of bears as an alternative future for the bears. They consider the speed at which extinction and speciation events occurred in the past compared with changes occurring today. Students research ways humans protected other species from extinction and debate what role humans should play in protecting Arctic bears from extinction.