Variations & Survival Complete Science Lesson - New TEKS 6.13C

Help your students discover how variations within a population can determine survival and success as environments change with this ready-to-teach, fully editable middle school science unit.
This low-prep, multiday resource includes presentations, worksheets, student-choice projects, and assessments—everything you need for an engaging, standards-aligned unit on adaptation, variation, and survival.

Built around student-led, differentiated learning, this resource gives your students control of their learning experience and gives you time to focus on student growth and understanding.

Essential Questions

• What are examples of variations within a population?

• How can variations be an advantage as environments change?

• How can variations be a disadvantage as environments change?

Why Teachers Love This Kesler Science Complete Lesson

• Differentiated materials to meet the needs of all learners

• Multimodal learning strategies that keep students engaged and motivated

• Maximum flexibility – printable, digital, or hybrid formats for any classroom setup

• Editable PowerPoints to customize instruction for your students

• Spanish translations for key materials including vocabulary, readings, and notebook pages

• Aligned with 2021 TEKS standard 6.13C

This lesson follows the proven 5E Instructional Model—Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate—to support inquiry, critical thinking, and concept mastery.

What’s Included in Each 5E Stage

Engage

Start your unit with curiosity and connection:

• Objectives and Word Wall Cards in English and Spanish

• Teacher guide featuring discussion prompts, classroom activities, and common misconceptions

Explore

Students investigate how genetic and behavioral variations influence survival through a differentiated, student-led station lab.
With nine interactive stations, students explore how certain traits can be advantageous—or disadvantageous—depending on environmental conditions.

Input Stations help students absorb new content in multiple ways:

• Explore It! – Hands-on experiment or demo that connects students with real-world concepts

• Read It! – Short reading passage with comprehension questions (English and Spanish versions)

• Research It! – Web-based investigation with guided questions

• Watch It! – Short educational video with follow-up discussion

Output Stations give students creative ways to demonstrate understanding:

• Organize It! – Sort and categorize examples using printable or digital materials

• Write It! – Respond to open-ended prompts with clear, evidence-based explanations

• Illustrate It! – Draw or model key ideas to reinforce understanding

• Assess It! – Apply vocabulary and demonstrate mastery through targeted questions

Bonus Station – Challenge It!
Enrichment tasks for early finishers and advanced learners including extension activities, mini-projects, and review games.

Explain

Help students make sense of their discoveries with:

• Editable PowerPoints (standard and interactive versions) for flexible instruction

• Interactive Notebook Templates in digital and printable formats (English and Spanish)

• Note-taking guides to support comprehension and retention

Elaborate

Extend learning with student-choice projects that challenge students to explore how variations can improve—or hinder—survival in changing environments.
Perfect for individual or group work, in class or at home.

Evaluate

Reinforce and assess understanding with:

• STAAR 2.0–style assessment questions (standard and modified versions)

• Review worksheets for class discussion, test prep, or homework

Perfect for In-Class or Virtual Learning

The station lab and PowerPoint/INB activities are fully adaptable for in-person or digital classrooms.
All materials are compatible with PowerPoint and Google Slides, making this lesson ideal for flexible, blended instruction.

This is a finished product; it will be updated with corrections as needed. Future improvements and new features will be sold as a separate product.