Lesson: Gestation Activity
Standards: SC.03.32.01.03 The duration and timing of life cycle events such as reproduction and
longevity vary across organisms and species (CAS: 3.2.1) - Structures of Life
Materials: Gestation worksheet (2 pages attached)
Time: 25 minutes
I. Introduction to Gestation (5 min)
1. Definition
2. Predictions
II. Graphing (15 min)
1. Teacher provides gestation data in random order on the board:
Animal
Human
Hamster Dog
Cat
Pig
Horse
Blue Whale
Elephant
Gestation
Period (days)
270
16
63
114
336
360
660
61
2. Students order the data from least to greatest
3. Students create a bar graph of the data on the worksheet
1. Discussion about what variable goes on which axis
2. Discussion about setting the scale of the y-axis (gestation period)
III. Analyzing the Graph (5 minutes)
1. Students answer questions on worksheet
2. Teacher-student discussion about answers
Name ___________________
Gestation refers to the amount of time a baby is carried until birth, often measured in days or months.
Step 1: Predictions
1. What is the gestation period for a human baby?
2. Do you think a hamster or human will have a longer gestation period?
Step 2: Graphing
The gestation period in days of different animals is given by the teacher. Order the animals in the space
below by name and gestation period from shortest gestation to longest gestation. We then will make a
bar graph to represent this data.
Step 3: Analyzing the graph
1. What animal has the longest gestation?
2. What animal has the shortest gestation?
3. Does a dog or cat have a longer gestation period? By how much?
4. What is the difference in gestation of a human and an elephant?
5. As the __________ of an animal increases, the gestation ____________.
Title:________________________________________________