Lesson Plan—Evidence for Evolution
Summary
Exploration of the four evidentiary concepts of evolution.
Key Concepts

Evolution: What evidence shows that different species are related?

Evolution: Common ancestry and the conservation of genes throughout evolution.

Evolution: Embryonic similarities between other jawed vertebrates demonstrating
evidence.

Development Biology: What is it? Stages of embryological development for a zebra fish.
Objectives

The student will be able to communicate scientific information that common ancestry and
biological evolution are supported by multiple lines of empirical evidence. Emphasis is
on a conceptual understanding of the role each line of evidence has relating to common
ancestry and biological evolution.
Materials

Microscopes (Compound and Digital)

Zebrafish

Water (28.5ºC and 7.5 pH)

Online web activity

Organismal development cards (stages)

Evidence for evolution PowerPoint

The Origin of Species: The Beak of the Finch Video and Handout

Comparative Anatomy Lab

Embryology Activity Chart
Procedure
1. Introduce the evidence for evolution (4 factors: fossil record, geographical distribution,
homologous structures, and embryonic development similarities) using a PowerPoint
presentation. (HW: Geologic Calendar)
2. The Origin of Species: The Beak of the Finch Video and Handout
3. Evidence for evolution comparative anatomy lab.
4. Evidence for evolution embryonic development:
a. Show videos demonstrating different organism’s embryonic development.
i. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgT5rUQ9EmQ (human)
ii. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ah-gT0hTto (chicken)
iii. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4La78WtK4n8 (fish)
b. Online interactive: “Guess the embryo” http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/evolution/guess-embryo.html
c. Background on zebrafish and developmental stages (completed for homework the
night before (students split in three groups (assigned by teacher) and then present
findings in Jigsaw format next period – create visual aid to help explain findings)
Website to help with the search: http://www.fishforscience.com/ ,
http://www.neuro.uoregon.edu/k12/zfk12.html
i. What are they? Description of the species.
ii. The genetics behind using zebrafish in science
iii. Specific systems: nervous, cardiac, muscular, and inflammation disorders
along with cancer as well.
d. Provide students with developmental cards and have them put the cards in order
from youngest to oldest and communicate their rational for their order.
e. Investigation of zebrafish embryonic developmental stages using the compound
and digital microscopes using developmental chart handout.
f. Comparison of zebrafish development with 5 different species that were not
previously used in the comparative anatomy lab activity in Flip Chart form.
Assessment




Geologic Time Calendar assignment.
The Origin of Species: The Beak of the Finch Video and Handout
Completion and accuracy of the comparative anatomy lab.
“Guess the embryo” flip poster including 5 different species that were not previously
used in the comparative anatomy lab activity.
Additional Resources
YouTube, PBS – Nova, Fish for Science, K-12 Zebrafish, NCBI, and HHMI.
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