Evolution 101

 

 

• All life on Earth evolved from a common ancestor that first appeared billions of years ago.

• Variation exists in all species and allows some individuals to be better able to survive in a particular environment than others.

• The present diversity of life is a result of natural selection and other evolutionary processes that have been at work for long periods of time.

• Organisms share many conserved core processes and features that evolved and are widely distributed among organisms today.

• A phylogenetic tree and/or a cladogram is a graphical representation (model) of evolutionary history that can be tested.

• Life continues to evolve within a changing environment.

• Biological evolution is supported by evidence from many scientific disciplines.

 

 

 

 

 

• What is meant by evolution?

• What are the essential events in the evolution of life on Earth?

• How has life evolved from the first unicellular organism to the complexity of all multicellular organisms?

• How does new evidence change our view of the relatedness of organisms?

• What is meant by evolution?

• Are certain lines of evidence for evolution stronger than others?

• How do genetic mutations and recombination of genes during meiosis enable evolution to occur?

• What ties all current life on Earth to single-celled organisms that evolved billions of years ago?

• Are certain lines of evidence for evolution stronger than others?

• What ties all current life on Earth to single-celled organisms that evolved billions of years  ago?

 

 

 

Standards:

 

NGSS

• MS-LS4-1. Analyze and interpret data for patterns in the fossil record that document the existence, diversity, extinction, and change of life forms throughout the history of life on Earth under the assumption that natural laws operate today as in the past.

• MS-LS4-2. Apply scientific ideas to construct an explanation for the anatomical similarities and differences among modern organisms and between modern and fossil organisms to infer evolutionary relationships.

• MS-LS4-3. Analyze displays of pictorial data to compare patterns of similarities in the embryological development across multiple species to identify relationships not evident in the fully formed anatomy.

• MS-LS4-4. Construct an explanation based on evidence that describes how genetic variations of traits in a population increase some individuals’ probability of surviving and reproducing in a specific environment.

• MS-LS4-5. Gather and synthesize information about the technologies that have changed the way humans influence the inheritance of desired traits in organisms.

• MS-LS4-6. Use mathematical representations to support explanations of how natural selection may lead to increases and decreases of specific traits in populations over time.

 

 

CCSS

ELA/Literacy

• RST.6-8.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to the precise details of explanations or descriptions.

• RST.6-8.7 Integrate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text with a version of that information expressed visually (e.g., in a flowchart, diagram, model, graph, or table).

• RST.6-8.9 Compare and contrast the information gained from experiments, simulations, video, or multimedia sources with that gained from reading a text on the same topic.

• WHST.6-8.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.

• WHST.6-8.8 Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources; assess the credibility of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and providing basic bibliographic information for sources.

• WHST.6-8.9 Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

• SL.8.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 6 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

• SL.8.4 Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with relevant evidence, sound valid reasoning, and well-chosen details; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.

Mathematics

MP.4 Model with mathematics.

• 6.RP.A.1 Understand the concept of a ratio and use ratio language to describe a ratio relationship between two quantities.

• 6.SP.B.5 Summarize numerical data sets in relation to their context.

• 6.EE.B.6 Use variables to represent numbers and write expressions when solving a real-world or mathematical problem; understand that a variable can represent an unknown number, or, depending on the purpose at hand, any number in a specified set.

• 7.RP.A.2 Recognize and represent proportional relationships between quantities.