Unit Overview
How have our environments and culture changed over time? How have these changes impacted our health?
For the vast majority of human history, humans lived in small, primarily nomadic groups of hunter-gatherers. Human physiology and behavior is well adapted to our prehistoric lifestyle. Since the agricultural and industrial revolutions, humans have manipulated their environments, resulting in rapid changes in society. This rapid change has contributed to many of the chronic health concerns modern people face. In this unit, students will explore the possible ‘mismatch’ between human bodies and modern environments by investigating phenomena at the protein level.
Performance Expectations:
HS-LS1-1, HS-LS3-1, HS-ETS1-2, HS-ETS1-3, HS-LS4-1
This unit was reviewed by the EQuIP Peer Review Panel for Science. It was rated as an “Example of High Quality NGSS Design if Improved.” Minor edits have been made since this review to incorporate the feedback provided and add samples of student work.
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Unit Storyline
Unit Opening
Lactase Persistence
Leptin Resistence
Circadian Rhythms
Common Ancestry
Unit Closing
How have our environments and cultures changed over time? How have these changes impacted our health?
Why are some people able to digest dairy into adulthood but others cannot?
Why is obesity increasing globally? Why do some people gain weight easily but others do not?
Why do virtually all organisms have a day-night cycle? How might disruptions or environmental changes in the day-night cycle impact our health?
Why aren’t we just evolving to address mismatch problems?
How can we design a healthy school in terms of reducing mismatches between our bodies and our environment?
In addition to the unit Performance Task, this unit includes a mid-unit formative task and an end-of-unit transfer task, both designed to serve as individual assessments that are part of a broader assessment system. Request access to these assessments or learn more about our assessment system using the buttons below.
Essential Documents
A collection of printable materials required for activities, rubrics, and work samples for the unit.