High School Explorations
Name
________________________
Date
__________
Exploration Student Worksheet: The History of Life on Earth
Overview
All organisms have evolved from unicellular life over a period of billions of years. An
evolutionary tree diagram is used to explore the evolutionary relationship between various
organisms.
Questions
1. Explain what an evolutionary tree is. Also explain why it is important.
2. Define the term extinct. Also explain the phenomenon of mass extinction.
3. Explain what eukaryotes are.
Worksheet: The History of Life on Earth
© Discovery Communications Inc.
High School Explorations
Name
________________________
Date
__________
4. Track the evolutionary path of a butterfly and comment on it.
5. Name one extinct and one living tetrapod.
6. Explain what vertebrates are.
7. Explain the term hominids. Give one example of a hominid.
Worksheet: The History of Life on Earth
© Discovery Communications Inc.
High School Explorations
Name
________________________
Date
__________
8. Compare the evolutionary path of an apple and a lungfish. Comment on the similarities
observed.
9. Identify and comment on the common link between an elephant and modern man.
10. Compare and contrast chimpanzees and modern humans.
11. The evolutionary tree described in the Exploration is a small sample of the evolution of
organisms. Name any two organisms that you think are missing. Identify where you would
place them on the tree using the characteristics you have learned about.
Worksheet: The History of Life on Earth
© Discovery Communications Inc.