Evolution Notes and Activities

Day 1 – What is meant by “evolution”?

Video: Your Inner Fish

Explore Your Inner Animals (click LAUNCH then click on the body parts – spin the body to find them all)

Head

What will you be exploring? ________________

Can eyeballs be fossilized? _____ Then, how can we know how ancient animals were able to

see? _________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

Explain how the position of eye sockets changed over time and why. __________________

_______________________________________________________________________

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Legs

How are human legs adapted for walking? ________________________________________

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Back

How is our back shaped and what is the reason for that shape? ________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

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Teeth

There is an evolutionary history between teeth and ________________________________.

They all share a common gene, the _______ gene.

What is ectodermal dysplasias? _______________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Name: ______________________________________________

Evolution 101

What is biological evolution?

_______________________________________________________________________

What is the central idea of evolution?

_______________________________________________________________________

Mechanisms of Evolution

Descent with Modification

Evolution only occurs when ___________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Which of these 2 scenarios is an example of evolution? Explain your choice.

A. Beetles on a diet OR B. Beetles of a different color

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Mechanisms of Change

What are the 4 processes for evolutionary change? Explain each in your own words.

1. __________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

2. __________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

3. __________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

4. __________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

Genetic Variation

What are the sources of genetic variation? Briefly explain each in your own words.

1. __________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

2. __________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

3. __________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

Day 2 – What is genetic drift? What does it need to occur?

Genetic Drift

Driftworms: GENETIC DRIFT Simulation

Evolution (change over time) is how modern organisms have descended from ancient ancestors

over long periods of time. It is responsible for the remarkable similarities we see across all life

and the amazing diversity of that life. Evolution is often described as "descent with

modification." (passing changes down to offspring)

Evolution only occurs when there is a change in gene frequency (how often a gene occurs) within

a population over time. These resulting genetic differences can be passed on to the next

generation over time (i.e., inherited), which is what really matters in evolution - long term

change.

The major forces of evolution are mutations (changes or errors in DNA), gene flow

(immigration and emigration), non-random mating (using criteria to select a mate), natural

selection (survival of the fittest) & genetic drift (the disappearance of an allele from a

population).

These forces cause changes in genotypes (the genetic code) & phenotypes (the physical

appearance) over time and also determine the amount & kind of variation seen in a population.

Genetic drift is the RANDOM decrease in gene frequency within a population due to the role of

"chance" and/or unpredictable "accidents." Small populations that are isolated from one

another can differ greatly as a result of genetic drift. The cheetah is a great example.

Driftworms have only one gene that controls skin color. These worms reproduce asexually and

are connected to their parents by lines. In any population of driftworms, each worm gives rise

to exactly one worm in the next generation. It doesn't matter how good your driftworm genes

are if you get squished by a shoe before producing offspring!

Stop here for today

How can alleles disappear?

An ant may get stepped on

A rabbit may get swept up by a tornado

An elephant may drink a parasitic protozoan living in a puddle

A plane may crash killing a Nobel Prize winner

Procedure

1. On the Driftworm Worksheet, color each of the five worms in Generation 0 (zero) a

different color. You may choose the colors. Number the worms 1-5 (top to bottom).

2. Roll the die and put a dot (.) next to the corresponding worm. If you roll a 6, roll again.

3. Repeat Step 2 five times. This is the population size of the worms

4. Starting at the bottom, draw a line from each dot to the bottom-most worm in the next

generation.

5. Color the worm(s) in the next generation the same color as its/their parent.

6. Repeat Steps 2-5 until ALL the worms in a generation are the SAME color. This is when that

gene’s allele is “fixed”

Please be patient since it may take a while. Group data will vary accordingly.

(Next page has the worksheet to be completed before these questions)

Which gene (allele) became “fixed” in your gene pool? _______________________________

Why is there no point in adding more generations after an allele (gene) has become fixed?

_______________________________________________________________________

Using your group's data, what was the number of generations until an allele became fixed?

_______________________________________________________________________

Which genes “drifted” from your gene pool? ______________________________________

If the color of your driftworm was determined by the color of the environment it lived in, would

the disappearance of all the other colors still be considered “genetic drift”? Why or Why not?

_______________________________________________________________________

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Video: Lizards in an Evolutionary Tree

What made the lizards in the video different species? What caused this to happen? Does

environment have anything to do with it? ________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

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Speciation

What is a species? ________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

What is speciation? ________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

How can speciation occur?

1. ___________________ isolation - _______________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

2. ___________________ isolation - _______________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

Stop here for today

Day 3 – What is natural selection?

Natural Selection (Class Activity)

WOOLYBOOGER LAB – Which Beak is Best?

Background: You and your team are crewmembers

on the Beagle in 1831. Darwin has asked your team

to assist him in collecting data on a strange and

unusual bird that he has discovered on the Galapagos

Islands. He has called this bird the Woolybooger.

Darwin and your team search the islands and find

three different populations of this creature.

During your observations of these three populations,

you discover that each group is similar in appearance

except for mouth variations. Some Woolyboogers

have a knife-shaped mouth, some have a clip-shaped mouth, and some have a tweezer-shaped

mouth. All of the birds have migrated to an island that only has dried beans for them to eat

and the hours of daylight needed for finding food is steadily decreasing due to the change in

seasons.

Darwin and your team study the Woolybooger’s life on the Galapagos Islands. During your

last few months on the islands, you discover a new rare Woolybooger, which has a spoon-shaped

mouth. On the Beagle, Darwin and your team discuss which beak type of Woolybooger will survive

the best on the island and how the population of Woolyboogers will change over time or evolve.

MATERIALS:

dried beans

knives

clothes pin

tweezers

spoons

paper plate (1 per group)

cups (1 per person)

PROCEDURE:

1. You will run through five trials of feeding by the Woolyboogers. You will be assigned a

feeding tool to gather your favorite food, beans. You must use your utensil as demonstrated

to capture food. You cannot scoop the beans into the cup, which represents your stomach.

You must lift the beans, one at a time, with your utensil. The cup must stay in your hand

during feeding.

2. You will be required to capture at least 20 beans in a trial in order to survive. If 20 beans

are not captured, your Woolybooger has died. When a Woolybooger dies, in the next trial

you will play the role of the offspring of the most successful surviving Woolybooger (the

woolybooger capturing the most beans).

3. The first trial will last 1 minute 15 seconds, the second 1 minute, the third 45 seconds, the

fourth 30 seconds and the fifth will be 15 seconds.

Because Woolyboogers with spoon-shaped mouths are rare, only a few of you will be assigned this tool for the first generation of Woolyboogers.

Hypothesis: Which beak do you think will work best? How do you think the Woolybooger

population will change over time (evolve)?

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

DATA TABLE:

Number of Woolyboogers at beginning of each trial

Mouth

shape

1 minute 15

seconds 1 minute 45 seconds

30

seconds 15 seconds

Final

Number

Knife

Clothespin

Tweezer

Spoon

Describe how the Woolybooger population evolved (changed over time)? How did this compare

to your hypothesis from before we ran this simulation? (at least 3 sentences) _____________

_______________________________________________________________________

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Which variation of Woolybooger beak was best adapted to survive on the island? Why? ______

_______________________________________________________________________

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What happened to the Woolyboogers who were less adapted to survive on the island? _______

_______________________________________________________________________

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What would be necessary in nature for all the variations of Woolyboogers to be able to coexist

and all reproduce without one beating out another? ________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

What is a real-life example of the Woolybooger, where one organism has a definite advantage

over another organism of the same species? Explain. _______________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

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In what ways was this simulation realistic? _______________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

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In what ways was this simulation unrealistic? _____________________________________

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Stop here for today

Day 4 – What is Natural Selection? How does it happen?

Video: The Beak of the Finch

The Evolution Experience

Run the simulation.

How did the population of beetles change over time? _______________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

How many generations did you survive? Why? _____________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Natural Selection at Work

Here you will see one of the most famous examples of natural selection: The Peppered Moths.

Click on “The Life Cycle of the Peppered Moth”

Briefly describe what the Peppered Moth looks like: ________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Who eats peppered moths? ________________________________________________

What adaptation do moths have that help keep them from getting eaten? ________________

_______________________________________________________________________

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What do moths do to prevent death in the colder months? ___________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

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What colors can the peppered moth come in? _____________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Click on “Impact of Pollution”

What happened to the peppered moth population by 1900? ___________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Why did people think the moths were all of a sudden becoming much darker? ______________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Why do you think there were more dark moths than before? __________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Who first proposed “Natural Selection? _________________________________________

What is natural selection? ___________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

How are the peppered moths turning from light colored to dark colored and example of natural

selection? _______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Why has the number of dark moths decreased in the last 50 years? ____________________

_______________________________________________________________________

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Click on “Bird’s Eye View” and read the instructions for the Peppered Moth Game

Do the light forest first and then you can go back and do the dark forest.

The number of dark and light moths was equal when the simulation started. How did the number

of dark and light moths compare at the end of the simulation? Why? ___________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Go back and do the dark forest simulation.

What happened to the number of light and dark moths in this simulation? Why? ___________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Explain how the color of the moths increases or decreases their chances of survival. ________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Explain the concept of "natural selection" using your moths as an example. _______________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

What would happen if there were no predators in the forest? Would the colors of the moths

change over time? Defend your answer? ________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

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Day 5 – What are the Galapagos Islands and why are they important?

Video: Jeff Corwin and The Galapagos Islands

1. What do scientists say makes the Galapagos Islands unique?

A) the different kinds of plants living on the islands

B) the large numbers of species living on the islands

C) the different animal species living on the islands

D) the large numbers of marine iguanas on the islands

2. Which choice BEST explains why each island in the Galapagos has unique kinds of

iguanas?

A) Iguanas prefer a marine environment.

B) Some iguanas are better swimmers than others.

C) The species arrived on the islands in different ways.

D) The species adapted to each islands unique habitat.

Stop here for today

3. Sea lion bulls stake out the best territory on the water in order to attract other bulls.

A) true B) false

4. Why do Galapagos sharks lie still on the ocean floor?

A) They are sleeping.

B) They are being social.

C) They are waiting for food.

D) Scientists still dont know why.

5. Penguins are an unusual species to find in the Galapagos Islands because _____.

A) the islands are tropical and penguins live in very cold regions

B) the islands are very cold and the penguins live in tropical regions

C) the islands tropical waters dont have an adequate food source for the penguins

D) the islands arctic waters can easily cause the penguins to suffer from hypothermia

6. Why is the tortoise breeding program on Santa Cruz Island important?

A) The tortoise population has increased.

B) No one knows how long a tortoises lifespan is.

C) No one knows how two tortoise species became extinct.

D) The tortoise population has decreased.

7. Masled boobies lay two eggs. Which of the following does NOT occur when the eggs

hatch?

A) One egg hatches before the other.

B) The parent raises both hatchlings.

C) The parent ignores the second hatchling.

D) The first hatchling pushes the second one out.

8. Marine iguanas on Espanola Island each show a different coloration of their scales in

order to _____,

A) dig nests

B) stand out in the sand

C) identify their territory

D) appear healthy for a mate

9. Why is the giant iguana a good example of Charles Darwins theory of adaptive

radiation, or the way a species adapts to its environment ?

A) Giant iguanas help each other survive.

B) Giant iguanas are larger than other iguana species.

C) Giant iguanas live on the largest island in the Galapagos.

D) Giant iguanas live on the smallest island in the Galapagos.

10. If Charles Darwin could return to the Galapagos Island today, which of the following

is an example of a change he might see?

A) no changes

B) more islands

C) more tortoises

D) new species of iguanas

Explain how Natural Selection is evident on the Galapagos Islands. Use at least 1 organism from

the video to support your answer. _____________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

“Survival of the Sneakiest”

Read the cartoon and answer the questions

When it comes to crickets, what does fitness mean? _______________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Is calling good or bad for a cricket's fitness? _____________________________________

Give some examples of selection at work in this cricket story. _________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

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How does selection favor calling? ______________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

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How does selection favor not calling? ___________________________________________

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Stop here for today

Day 6 – Who was Charles Darwin?

Darwin Stations

Station I: England

Here we are going to look at some animals that Darwin typically saw around his home in England.

Look at the sheet labeled “DOGS.”

1) A species is a group of organisms that can breed to produce babies. Two elephants can

reproduce and have elephant offspring, but an elephant and a chicken cannot reproduce and

have a baby “chickephant.” Are all of these dogs the same species? Why or why not?

_______________________________________________________________________

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2) List three differences between the dogs:

1. _____________________________________________________________________

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2. _____________________________________________________________________

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3. _____________________________________________________________________

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3) I have a male and female of each of these dogs. I want to have a dog that is very small and

black and has long hair. Which two dogs should I breed? ____________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

4) Why do the dogs look so different from one another? ____________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

5) Look at the sheet labeled “PIGEONS.” Do you think that these pigeons are all the same

species? Why or why not? ___________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Station II: South America

1) What is the main difference between the ground sloth and the three-toed sloth? ________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

2) What is the main difference between the ancient capybara (Phoberomys) and the modern

capybara? _______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

3) Darwin found the bones of the ground sloth and what he thought was an ancient capybara in

South America. He asked around, but nobody in South America had ever seen either of those

animals alive. What had happened to them? _______________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

4) List two reasons why that might that have happened.

1. ______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

2. _____________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Station III: Galapagos Islands

1) When Darwin reached the Galapagos Islands, he saw many of the finches that are shown in

the picture. He noticed that they had different-shaped beaks. Why do the different finches

have different beak shapes? ________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

2) According to the diagram, what does the Warbler finch eat? _______________________

3) These three finches eat seeds. Draw a line between each finch and the seed that it likes to

eat.

4) All three of the birds from the previous question live on one island. The island becomes

warmer and the hickory trees (that produce hickory nuts) produce fewer nuts. Sunflowers like

the heat and more sunflowers grow and produce seeds. What will happen to the population sizes

of the birds on the island?

Bird A’s population will increase / decrease / stay the same (circle one).

Bird B’s population will increase / decrease / stay the same (circle one).

Bird C’s population will increase / decrease / stay the same (circle one).

Station IV: Australia

Look at the paper with the skulls on it.

These are two skulls photographed from different angles. All those labeled “1” are from one

animal, and those labeled “2” are from another animal.

1) List three ways that skull #1 is similar to skull #2.

1. _____________________________________________________________________

2. _____________________________________________________________________

3. _____________________________________________________________________

2) Look at the picture labeled “A.” Count the number of teeth on each jaw.

The jaw of skull #1 has ________ teeth.

The jaw of skull #2 has ________ teeth.

3) List two more differences between the two animals’ skulls.

1. _____________________________________________________________________

2. _____________________________________________________________________

4) What do you think these animals eat? ________________________________________

5) Do you think these two animals are closely related to one another? __________________

6) Skull #1 is from a marsupial wolf and skull #2 is from a gray wolf. Why do you think the

skulls look so similar even though the animals are not closely related to each other. ________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Day 7 – Who is Charles Darwin?

Darwin

On the bottom of the main image, click on “More about Darwin.”

What was the name of the ship that Darwin traveled on? _____________________________

Where in the world did Darwin make his most important discoveries? ____________________

_______________________________________________________________________

What was the name of Darwin’s most famous book? _________________________________

Stop here for today

Click on “Natural Selection” on the top of the main image. Fill in the blanks.

Part 1: Every _____________________ exhibits _____________________.

Not all members within a ___________________ are exactly the _____________________.

What variations can individuals exhibit? _________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Part 2: Many _________________ are passed from parents to their __________________.

Part 3: Life in the wild is _____________________ and organisms with the most beneficial

_____________________ will prosper (succeed and reproduce). This is known as

“_______________________________________.”

If an organism has traits that help it survive or attract mates, what will it be able to do?

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Eventually, _____________________ traits can spread throughout a species.

Survival Game: Who wants to live a million years?

You will now play this survival game to model evolution. This game is not easy so I would be sure

to look at the hints. Also, when the game starts be sure to pay attention to the environment,

the years that have gone by, and what hints Darwin gives you. Finally, there is one part of the

game called the “Life Preserver.” This is not accurate as far as evolution is concerned, but will

help you win the game. Note: It is difficult to win but not impossible.

Notice that there is initially a lot of variation in the population. What are some variations that

you see? ________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Choose your population.

The animals with _____________________ most suited to the new

_____________________ will _____________________.

After the first cycle (≈ 140,000 years), what has happened to the population of animals?

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

After the second cycle (≈400000 years), what has happened to the population of animals?

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

If your animals died (which they probably did), why did they die? ______________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Play the game again. How long could you keep your animals alive? _______________________

Why did some animals die, while others thrived? ___________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Why did the physical characteristics (phenotypes) of the overall population change? ________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Now take the Natural Selection Quiz! What was your score? ________________

Day 8 – Who is Darwin? Who is Lamarck? What are their theories of evolution?

Comparing Evolutionary Theories

The theory of evolution emerges from different lines of evidence, such as fossil records,

modification by descent, and the evidence from biogeography, genetics and other forms of

evidence. Jean-Baptiste Lamarck (1744-1829) and Charles Darwin (1809-1882) had different

theories about how life on earth got to be the way it is now.

Jean-Baptiste Lamarck (1744-1829)

Lamarck was a French biologist who is best known for his Theory of Inheritance of Acquired

Characteristics, first presented in 1801. He believed that evolution was the “acquired traits” of

a species that is inherited by its offspring. His theory was that if an organism continually used a

structure to carry out a certain task, the structure used would become physically modified over

time to make the task easier. This modified structure would then be passed on to any offspring.

For example, if a short-nosed elephant was continually stretching out its trunk to try to reach

the leaves high up in trees, it’s trunk would stretch and become longer over time, and any babies

that it had would be born with longer trunks.

Stop here for today

Lamarck also believed that when body parts were not being used, such as the human appendix,

they gradually disappear. Eventually, people will be born without these parts. Lamarck believed

that evolution happens according to a prearranged plan and that the results have already been

decided.

Charles Darwin (1809 -1882)

Charles Darwin is famous for the theory of evolution and Natural Selection, or ‘Survival of the

Fittest’. He dedicated his life to studying plants and animals and believed that the desires of

animals have nothing to do with how they evolve. He said that organisms, even of the same

species, are different in some ways, and over time those creatures which are adaptable, survive,

while those that do not adapt to changing conditions, such as climatic and environmental change,

do not live to breed and pass on their genes. He came to the conclusion that there was a

variation of physical and behavioral features within a species. Organisms which had features

that helped them to adapt to their environment and circumstances had a better chance of

survival than individuals who lacked these features.

These adaptable organisms survived to breed and produce offspring which generally inherited

the ‘successful’ features of their parents. He called this process ‘natural selection’.

Darwin knew that organisms evolved and changed from generation to generation, but did not

know how traits were passed on from one generation to another. Only after more was

understood about genetics, was this explained. Darwin also suggested that each species evolves

over time and adapts to the environment in which they live. Thus, the same species living in

different environments will evolve differently and become more and more differentiated

(different) over time. He believed that all species of life on Earth are interrelated and have a

common ancestor.

Is natural selection a fact or a theory? Explain your answer. __________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

What science was developed later which was found to support Darwin’s theory? ____________

_______________________________________________________________________

Which theory sounds like an explanation that Lamarck might give? Explain your answer.

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Which theory sounds like an explanation that Darwin might give? Explain your answer.

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

What are the specific clues that most clearly distinguish a Darwinian explanation from a

Lamarckian explanation? _____________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

What term did Lamarck use to explain how new species emerged? ______________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

What term did Darwin use to explain how new species emerged? ______________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Do you think there is any similarity in the theories proposed by the two scientists? Explain. __________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Evolutionary biologists studied both Lamarck and Darwin’s theories very carefully. Darwin’s

theory has been supported by a lot of evidence. Lamarck’s Theory of Inheritance of Acquired

Characteristics has been disproved. Write a paragraph on why we should believe Darwin and

disprove Lamarck. Give suitable examples to back your argument.

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Stop here for today

Day 9 – How was the Earth made?

Video: How the Earth was Made

Directions: Complete the first prediction column of the anticipation guide before the movie and the actual answer column at the end of the movie.

Predictions Questions Actual Answer

(circle one)

True/False Scientists believe that Earth is 4.5 billion years old. _________

True/False Pangea is the only theorized supercontinent formation _________

True/False Without the burning of Earth’s core, life would not

be able to survive. _________

True/False Scientists believe that we are living between 2 ice ages _________

True/False Pangea Ultima is believed to form in 2 million years

from now _________

True/False Earth’s core will one day cool and share the fate of Mars _________

Introduction Questions:

Directions: While watching the video, answer each question for the introduction of the movie. 1. How did scientists discover the age of the Earth?

2. Who is known as the father of modern geology?

3. What was Hutton’s conclusion based on his observations?

4. How old did Arch Bishop Usher claim that the Earth was?

5. What year did Hutton find his proof?

6. What was the proof he found?

7. What did Lord Kelvin believe about the Earth?

8. Who discovered Radiometric Dating?

Timeline:

Directions: Complete the timeline below during the movie.

4.5 Billion Years Ago

• Earth forms from __________colliding

• The surface is a molten ocean

• Earth is preparing to change into a __________

• When is pillow lava formed?

4.4 Billion Years Ago

• Gradual cooling of the __________is allowing the planet to solidify

• Water begins to form on the surface

• Surface rocks begin emitting __________

4 Billion Years Ago

• Thick __________form from large amounts of water __________off the surface.

• The water in the atmosphere rained down for millions of years on the Earth causing

__________of the surface to be covered with water.

• Small volcanic islands appear

• The seas are __________rich, giving them a __________color

• CO2 covered the skies causing them to appear __________

• Temperature exceeded __________degrees F

3.5 Billion Years Ago

• Underwater volcanoes gave rise to __________

• This granite begins the formation of the __________

• Granite is produced by superheated water and basaltic water

o Why is granite special?

o Why is granite good material for continental plates?

25

2.5 Billion Years Ago

• Single celled organisms trigger the production of oxygen

o What is the name of this organism? __________

o Where can you find these organisms today?

• Why was the discovery of stromatolites a revolution in the fossil record?

1.5 Billion Years Ago

• Iron begins to leave the oceans

• Increased __________levels make the sky and ocean look blue

• Earth begins to resemble the planet we know

• The continents begin to move

o What is the science of Plate Tectonics?

o What fresh water organism was used to link the theory of plate tectonics?

o What year was the Theory of Continent Drift proposed?

o Who was the scientist who proposed this theory?

o Why did geologists have a hard time believing Wegner?

1 Billion Years Ago

• The first __________is formed. It is called __________

• This continent is very different because it does not support life.

• Rodinia triggers SNOWBALL EARTH due to:

• The land begins to freeze which reflects the sun’s light away from the planet

o Why is it called SNOWBALL EARTH?

700 Million Years Ago

• Surface temperatures on Earth are below __________degrees F

• Oceans are covered in an ice sheet __________mile deep

• Much of the life in the oceans is dying

o What is causing the death of these organisms?

26

650 Million Years Ago

• Beneath the ice, __________were erupting breaking the continent apart

• The heat from the eruptions creates a temporary __________effect and melts the snowball.

• Ice retreats to the poles

500 Million Years Ago

• Life in the oceans begins to become complex due to the increase in __________levels.

o This is known as the __________explosion

• Diamond mines are discovered to be the mouths of very deep volcanoes

• Movement of the continents caused the super eruptions which bear these diamonds

• Over the next few 100 million years, life will flourish and large animals called dinosaurs will

rule the Earth.

65 Million Years Ago

• Vegetation is lush

• Dinosaurs rule the Earth

o __________is found large amounts in the tombstone layer

• An enormous meteor lands in Mexico.

• Along with __________eruptions, the meteor causes a huge cloud of dust which

• This dust cloud causes __________of the Earth’s life to become extinct.

50 Million Years Ago

• Life begins to recover

• ______________________________begin to flourish

• Plate tectonics, weathering and erosion create the continents that we know today.

o How was the Alpine chain formed

o What do the quartz crystals reveal?

6 Million Years Ago

• How was the Grand Canyon formed?

• What makes the Colorado River so powerful?

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2 Million Years Ago

• Ancestors of humans begin to spread out of Africa

• __________from the North Pole begin to descend

• Earth enters the first ice age.

o What is believed to have caused the ice ages?

• How was the “Ice Age Theory” formed?

o What is some evidence that supports this theory?

The future

• What are some of the theories that scientists have about the future of Planet Earth?

Day 10 – What evidence do we have that supports the theory of evolution?

Evidence of Evolution

Complete the chart as you move through the interactive.

Evidence What it tells us:

Past Lives

1. growth rings in fossil trees or shells Growth rings tell us the number of years that individual lived.

2. curled up fossil trilobites

3. the contents of fossil nests

4. fossils of many individuals of the same species together

5. a change in the shape of a feature over time

Geologic Time

1. layers in the rocks

2. index fossils

3. fossil shells on mountain tops

4. identical fossils on widely separated continents

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Evidence What it tells us:

Paleoecology

1. fossil marine animals in the desert

2. shapes of leaf edges

3. tooth marks in fossil shells

4. fossil pollen

Biodiversity

1. fossils of organisms no longer alive today

2. features that are shared by more than one species

3. the extinction of many fossil species at the same time

4. the extinction of one group of organism, like corals, on which other organisms depend

Day 11& 12 – How do fossils show evolution?

Examining the Fossil Record (small group activity; will take 2 days)

Objectives:

analyze characteristics of fossils

compare placement of fossils and determine relative ages

develop a model evolutionary tree based on the morphology and age of fossils

Background Information:

Fossils are traces of organisms that lived in the past. When fossils are found, they are analyzed

to determine the age of the fossil. The absolute age of the fossil can be determined though

radiometric dating and determining the layer of rock in which the fossil was found. Older layers

are found deeper within the earth than newer layers.

The age and morphologies (appearances) of fossils can be used to place fossils in sequences that

often show patterns of changes that have occurred over time. This relationship can be depicted

in an evolutionary tree, also known as a phylogenetic tree.

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There are two major hypotheses on how evolution takes place: gradualism and punctuated

equlibrium. Gradualism suggests that organisms evolve through a process of slow and constant

change. For instance, an organism that shows a fossil record of gradually increased size in small

steps, or an organism that shows a gradual loss of a structure. Punctuated equilibrium suggests

that species evolve very rapidly and then stay the same for a large period of time. This rapid

change is attributed to a mutation in a few essential genes. The sudden appearance of new

structures could be explained by punctuated equilibrium.

Speciation

The fossil record cannot accurately determine when one species

becomes another species. However, two hypotheses regarding

speciation also exist. Phyletic speciation suggests that abrupt

mutations in a few regulatory genes occur after a species has

existed for a long period of time. This mutation results in the

entire species shifting to a new species. Phyletic speciation would

also relate to the Punctuated Equilibrium hypothesis regarding

evolution. Divergent speciation suggests that a gradual

accumulation of small genetic changes results in subpopulation of

a species that eventually accumulate so many changes that the

subpopulations become different species. This hypothesis would

coincide with the gradualism model of evolution. Most

evolutionary biologists accept that a combination of the two

models has affected the evolution of species over time.

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Procedure:

1. The diagram you are creating requires a large space. To create your workspace, tape

together 4 sheets of standard sized construction paper. Use a ruler to draw the following

chart on your workspace. I have a sample on the board, please refer to it so you are doing it correctly!

Time Period

( 1-1/2 inches wide)

Began (years ago)

( 1-1/2 inches wide)

Fossils

(9 inches wide)

Wyomington (oldest) 995,000 (Each row here must be 3-1/2 inches tall)

Ohioian 745, 000

Nevadian 545,000

Texian 445,000

Oregonian 395,000

Coloradian 320,000

Montanian 170,000

Californian 80,000

Idahoan (the

present) 30,000

2. The group of "fossils" you will work with are fictitious animals. Each fossil on your sheet is

marked with a time period. Cut out each fossil and make sure you include the time period marked below it.

3. Arrange the fossils by age. On your data chart, place each fossil next to the period from

which the fossil came from. The term "upper" means more recent and should be placed lower in the row. The term "lower" means an earlier time period, fossils from a "lower" time period

should be place toward the older time periods. In each fossil column, you may have 3

specimens, one from the main time period, one from the upper and one from the lower. Not all

fossils are represented, illustrating the incompleteness of any fossil record.

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4. While keeping the fossils in the proper age order, arrange them by

morphology (appearance). To help you understand the morphology of the

specimen, view the diagram. Arrange the fossils using the following steps.

a. Center the oldest fossil at the top of the fossil column (toward the

oldest layer)

b. Through the chart, those fossils that appear to be the same (or close to the same) as

the fossils preceding them should be placed in a vertical line

c. During a certain period, the fossils will split into two branches. In other words, one

fossil from that period will show one type of change, and another fossil will show a

different change. When this happens, place the fossils side by side in the appropriate

time period. From this point on you will have two lineages?

5. Once all the fossils have been placed correctly according to time and morphology, glue

the fossils in place.

Give a brief description of the evolutionary changes that occurred in the organism. _________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

During which time period did the fossils differentiate into two branches. ________________

Examine the fossil that was unearthed in a museum, apparently the labels and other information

were lost. Using your fossil record, determine the time period this fossil is likely from.

______________________________

Of the two major species that arose from the parent species, which was more successful? How

do you know? _____________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

For each of the "blanks" on your fossil record make a sketch of what the animal would

look like. Draw these right on your fossil record.

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Day 13 – What is morphology? What are the different types of structures and how did

they evolve over time?

Evidence of Evolution: Morphology

In our studies of the anatomy and development of animals we have discovered that many living

creatures that look quite different on the surface have similarities underneath their skin that

suggest that they are related to each other. This is evidence that living creatures have evolved,

or gradually changed over time. In this lab, you will learn about homologous, analogous, and

vestigial structures and their value as evidence for evolution.

INSTRUCTIONS

A. HOMOLOGOUS STRUCTURES There are many examples of body structures that are formed in similar ways during embryonic

development and that share similar patterns of bone structure, even though they take on

different forms and perform somewhat different functions. These structures are called

homologous structures. Homo- means same, and –logous means information, so homologous means “same information”. Homologous structures mean that the animals share a relatively

recent common ancestor.

1. Carefully examine the drawings of forelimb skeletons shown on your guided notes sheet.

Look for similarities in the bones amongst the various animals.

2. Color in the human arm first.

Color the bones of the arm:

humerus = blue

ulna = green

radius = red

Color the bones of the hand (the carpal, metacarpals, and phalanges) = yellow.

3. Color the corresponding bones in each of the other animals the same color as the human

bones.

4. Observe each of the skeletons again, and describe the function of each limb in the Table on

your guided notes sheet.

5. Answer Summary Questions for this section (#1-4).

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B. ANALOGOUS STRUCTURES There are also many examples of body structures in animals that are very similar in function and

superficially similar in form and but develop very different and have very different internal

structures and embryonic development. These structures are called analogous structures.

Analogous structures mean that the animals do not share a recent common ancestor.

1. Examine the butterfly wing and the bird wing shown in Figure 2 below.

2. Look for any similar bone structure.

3. Answer Summary Questions for this section (#5-7).

.

C. VESTIGIAL STRUCTURES There are also many examples of body structures in animals that show gradual changes over

time. In some cases, these changes have reduced or removed the function of some body parts

and organs. These reduced or lost structures are called vestigial structures. The wings of

penguins and the leg bones of snakes are examples of this phenomenon.

1. Observe the drawings of the cavefish and the minnow shown in Figure 3. The fish are

related to each other but the cave fish is blind and only has the remnants of an eye.

2. Answer Summary Questions for this section (#8-9).

Fig. 2

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Animal Function

human

whale

cat

bat

bird

crocodile

HOMOLOGOUS STRUCTURES

1. Are the functions of the limbs of each of the animals illustrated the same or different?

_____________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Phalanges

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2. Are the bones of the limbs arranged in a similar or in a very different way in each animal?

_____________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

3. Does the similarity in bone structure suggest a common ancestry amongst these animals?

_____________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

4. Offer a possible evolutionary explanation for how the skeletons can be similar but the

functions very different in each of the animals.

_____________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

ANALOGOUS STRUCTURES

5. What function do the butterfly and bird wings share?

_____________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

6. In what way do these structures differ?

_____________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

7. Explain why these are considered analogous structures and not homologous structures.

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

VESTIGIAL STRUCTURES

8. Explain why eyesight is not an important adaptation to life in a deep sea cave.

_____________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

9. Does the appearance of the cavefish and the minnow suggest a common ancestry? Why?

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

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Day 14 – What is morphology?

Morphology

Complete the chart as you read through this information.

What is it? Shows common ancestry between...

Middle Ear

Diaphragm

Milk teeth

Body Hair

Sweat glands

Pentadactyl limb

Lungs

Bilateral symmetry

Cells

DNA

Hominid skulls