EVOLUTION
AND
NATURAL SELECTION PACKET
Name: _____________________________________________
Period: ________________
Teacher: _________________________________
STUDENT UNIT PLAN LEARNING TARGETS : EVOLUTION AND NATURAL SELECTION
VOCABULARY TERMS:
Stasis
Diversity
Genetic Drift
*Endosymbiotic Theory
Fossil Record
Carrying Capacity
Adaptation
Mutation
Biogeography
Natural Selection
Species
Founder Effect
Gene Pool
Homologies
Evolution
Speciation
Bottleneck Effect
Anatomical
Population
Gene Flow
Recombination
******************************************************************************************
Assignment(s)
1. I can describe the contributions made to
the Theory of Evolution by Charles Darwin.
2. Using molecular (DNA) evidence,
physical and embryological similarities, I am
able to analyze and evaluate common
ancestry among living things.
3. I am able to analyze and evaluate the
evolutional time line of life on earth through
the fossil record.
4. I can analyze and evaluate the effects of
natural selection on populations, including
inherited variation, overpopulation, and
limiting factors which produce favorable
traits.
5. Given examples or diagrams, I can
analyze and evaluate the effects of genetic
drift, gene flow, and mutations on
populations.
6. I am able to recognize that any living
thing that adapts to its environment will
ensure long term survival of its species?
Page 2
STOCK QUESTIONS
My level of
understanding
after discussion
and
assignments:
 or 
Theory of Evolution (Chapters 15 – 18)
Evolution = process by which ______________ organisms have _______________ from _____________ ancient organisms. A
change in populations over a long period of time.
Scientific Theory = __________________________, ____________________ explanation of phenomena that have occurred in the
natural world.
Darwin:
**In 1831, Darwin set sail from England aboard the __________________________________ for a voyage around the world.
**During his travels, Darwin made numerous ________________________ and collected _______________________ that led him to
propose a hypothesis about the way life changes over time known as _____________________ _____________________.
Natural Selection also known as: ___________________ ______ ________ ____________________.

Process by which individuals who are better __________________ for their environment ___________________ and
_____________________ successfully.


In the Galapagos Darwin notices that there were variations among members of the same species.
Example: Finches, Giant Tortoise
________________________: the ability for an organism to survive and reproduce in its environment. It’s a
______________________________________________________________.
For Example: Hummingbirds have adapted to their environment in two ways:
1.
Very fast flight to keep them steady.
2.
Long beak and tongue to reach into flowers and extract nectar.
_____________________________: any inherited characteristic that increases an organism’s chances for survival.
Practice Question:
1. The Peppered Moth Scenario is an example of ________?
a.
Transcription
b.
Natural Selection
c.
Artificial Selection
d.
Translation
Page 3
Evidence of Evolution:
The Fossil Record
What are fossils? ____________________________of once living organisms
Homologous Structure:


Similar in _________________ but _________________ differently
Examples: flying, swimming, grasping etc.
Analogous Structure:


Structures that have a __________________ function, but _____________________ structures.
Example: Butterfly and bird both use their wings for flying, but wings are structured differently, one has bones, one has network
of veins.
Vestigial Structure:



Structures (organs) that serve __________________________________ in an organism.
In whales, there is a vestigial pelvis and femur.
Can you name any vestigial structures in humans? __________________________
Embryology:
The early stages of ______________________ in organisms provides evidence that they share a
_____________________ _______________________.
Biochemistry:
DNA and Proteins: shows that closely related species share common ______________ sequences.
Speciation: the _____________________ of one or more _______________ from a single ancestor species.
Geographic Isolation: When two populations of a species becomes _____________________ by _____________________ barriers
such as ______________ or mountain ranges resulting in the formation of 2 separate gene pools.
Genetic Drift: a change in _____________________ frequencies that occur in __________________ populations. These changes are
associated with ____________________ events

Bottleneck effect: ___________________________  “catastrophic event” (hunting, earthquake, volcanic eruption, etc. 
__________ _____ of the original population remains & repopulates  ______diverse population

Founder Effect: Small population gets _________________ by chance (storm, earthquake, etc.)

Develop _________________ ____________________ over many generations

If they come in contact later, they are too __________________ to interbreed
Genetic Flow: (aka Gene Migration): the transfer of ____________________ or _________________ from one population to another
Page 4
EVIDENCE OF EVOLUTION PACKET
Information:
Much evidence has been found to indicate that living things have evolved or changed gradually during their natural
history. The study of fossils as well as work in embryology, biochemistry, and comparative anatomy provides evidence of evolution.
PART A:
Fossil Footprints: Observe the fossil footprints in the diagram below and then answer the following questions.
1.
How many different types of footprints do you observe in Section A? ___________
2.
During Section B, what do you believe might have occurred? ________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
3. What has happened to the skull of the horse over time? ___________________________________________
4. What has happened to the forefoot and toes over time? ____________________________________________
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Part B: Sedimentary Rock Layers
1.
Observe the diagram below noticing the various fossils present in each layer. How many layers of rock are being observed?
_________
A.
B.
C.
D.
2.
Which fossil is probably older, A or C ? _________
3.
Which fossil is the most structurally complex - A, B, C, or D? __________________
4.
Based off of the pictures shown, what was most likely the oldest environment? (circle one)
OCEAN
5.
DESERT
LAKE
FOREST
Based off of the pictures shown, what is most likely the current environment? (circle one)
OCEAN
DESERT
LAKE
FOREST
Part C: Homologous Structures
1.
Carefully examine the drawings of the various bones below. Look for similarities among the various animals.
2.
Describe the function (what it does) of each set of bones shown:
3.
a.
Human Arm____________________
d.
Bat Wing__________________
b.
Whale Flipper __________________
e.
Bird Wing _________________
c.
Cat Paw_______________________
f.
Horse __________________
Structures that are formed in similar ways during embryonic development and share like arrangements but have different
forms and functions are called _________________________________________________ structures.
Page 6
Part D: Analogous Structures
1.
Examine the butterfly wing and the bird wing shown below:
veins
bones
2.
What function do these structures have?
__________________________________________
3.
Name two ways these structures are different._______________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
4.
Some apparently unrelated animals have organs or structures with similar functions, yet are very different in structure and
form. These structures are called ____________________________________________ structures.
Part E: Vestigial Structures
Gradual changes have occurred through time that have in some cases reduced or removed the function of some body structures
and organs. The penguin’s wings and the leg bones of snakes are examples of this phenomenon. The cave fish and the
minnow shown below are related, but the cave fish is blind.
Minnow
1.
Cave fish
Explain why eyesight is not an important adaptation to life in a cave: ______________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
2.
Does the appearance of the cave fish and the minnow suggest common ancestry? ___________________________
3.
Explain your answer: ___________________________________________________________________________
4.
Organs or structures that have lost their function in organisms and become reduced in size are called
_______________________________ structures.
Page 7
5.
Read the list of human vestigial structures and their functions shown in the table below and explain why it has
become vestigial in humans. Record your answers in the table.
Structure
Function in Animals
Appendix
Aids in digestion of hair, bones, etc.
Coccyx (tail bone)
Used for communication and balance
Muscles that move ears
Used to increase awareness in their
Why vestigial in humans
environment
6.
Based on lack of use, what organ or structure do you predict will become vestigial and why.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Part F: Embryology
1.
Study the embryo diagrams below and look at the similarities between the early developments of the different animals.
2.
Which of the different animals is most similar to the human? ____________________________
3.
As the embryos grow and develop, what happens to the similarity of the embryos? _________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
4.
How does the comparison of embryos provide evidence of evolution? ____________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Page 8
Part G: Molecular (DNA) similarities
1. According to the chart comparing molecular (DNA) similarities, who is most closely related to humans?__________________
2. According to the chart comparing molecular (DNA) similarities, who is least closely related to humans? __________________
3. What type of evidence is the best evidence of evolution demonstrating the relationship between two organisms? ___________
PEPPERED MOTH SURVEY
INTRODUCTION:
Industrial melanism is the term used to describe the adaptation of an organism in response to industrial pollution. One example of
rapid industrial melanism occurred in the peppered moth in the area of Manchester, England from 1945 to 1990.
Before the Industrial Revolution, the trees in the forest around Manchester were light grayish-green due to the presence of lichens on
their trunks. Peppered moths, which live in the area, were light with dark spots. Their coloring served as camouflage against
predators. As the Industrial Revolution progressed and pollution increased, the trees became covered with sulphur dioxide (soot),
turning the tree trunks dark. Over a period of 45 years, the peppered moth became a predominantly dark species. It turns out that
body and wing color in peppered moths is controlled by a single gene. Dark color is caused by a dominant mutation to the gene. Now
the dark color is the dominant allele of the gene and light color is the recessive allele.
In this investigation, you will observe the effects of industrial melanism in the peppered moth over a course of several years.
I.
II.
III.
IV.
Title of Graph:
Purpose/Objective:
Materials Needed:
Background:
Peppered Moth Survey
Understand Natural Selection
Graph paper, ruler and 2 colored pencils
Table A represents data from a ten-year study of two varieties of the same species of
peppered moths. The numbers represent moths captured in traps for ten consecutive years.
The traps were located in the same area each year.
Page9
Table A:
YEAR
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
NUMBERS OF LIGHT MOTHS
CAPTURED
556
537
484
392
246
225
193
147
84
56
NUMBERS OF DARK MOTHS
CAPTURED
64
112
196
210
281
357
412
503
594
636
V.
Data/Results: Using the data provided, construct a graph comparing the numbers of each variety of peppered moth using
one of your colored pencils to represent the light moths and one color to represent the dark moths. Label the Y-axis
“Numbers of Moths Captured” and label the X-axis “Years.
VI.
Discussion:
1.
If the bark of trees is dark and the moths that rest there are light, what do you predict will happen to the light colored moths?
Use your notes and the information from your graph to help you answer the following questions.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
2.
What historical event caused the tree trunks of many trees in England to turn from light green to dark? _________________
3.
Which variety of moths increased over the ten year period? ________________________________
4.
Which variety of moths decreased over the ten year period?________________________________________
5.
If the pollution is corrected and the air once again becomes clean, what can you predict will happen to the color of the trees?
________________________________________________________________________________________________
6.
What effect will this have on the moth population? Why? _____________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
Page 10
SELF-QUIZ:
1.
The bones in the wings of a bat are the same as the bones found in the paws of raccoon, though their function is
quitedifferent. The similarity is evidence that the bat and the raccoon–
A hunt for the same prey.
B live in similar habitats.
C are about the same size.
D share a common ancestor.
2.
Some snake embryos have small buds resembling limbs. These buds disappear at later stages of embryonic
development. These observations suggest that these snakes –
A will have offspring with limbs.
B had a parent with working limbs.
C have functional limbs as adults.
D evolved from a limbed ancestor.
3.
A chart comparing the base sequences of homologous segments of DNA from various primates is provided. The
information in the chart can be used to conclude that which pair of organisms have the most recent common
ancestor?
DNA BASE SEQUENCE COMPARISON
Gorilla
AGG
CCC
CTT
CCA
ACC
Chimpanzee
AGG
CCC
CTT
CCA
ACC
Baboon
AGG
CCC
ACA
CCA
ACC
Lemur
AGG
ACG
CGC
CCT
AGT
A Chimpanzees and baboons
B Chimpanzees and lemurs
C Gorillas and chimpanzees
D Gorillas and baboons
4.
All of the following can be told from the fossil record EXCEPT –
A the order in which organisms appeared.
B the number of organisms that existed.
C the environment the organisms lived in.
D the approximate age of past organisms.
5.
Which of the following can be concluded from the evolutionary tree provided?
A All three species became more complex over time.
B The differences are greatest between species B and C.
C There is evidence of large gaps in the fossil record.
D The common ancestor was most similar to species C.
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6.
Which of the following best describes the relationship between natural selection and adaptation?
A Organisms in an environment select the adaptations that provide a natural advantage.
B The adaptations of a population of organisms are those selected over generations.
C The adaptations of an organism influence the habitat they select for survival.
D Nature selects adaptations that increase conflict and resource competition.
7.
Natural selection works to produce change at which of the following levels?
A Individuals
B Communities
C Populations
D Characteristics
8.
Which of the following best describes the effects of gene flow? As a result of gene flow –
A new species arise more quickly
B genetic variability increases
C speciation does not occur
D populations become genetically different
9.
Which of the following phenomena usually only has an effect on very small populations?
A.
B.
C.
D.
10.
Which of the following statements is true about mutations? Mutations ___________.
A.
B.
C.
D.
11.
occur randomly and increase genetic variation.
are usually harmful and cause organisms to die.
are caused by changes in an organism’s environment.
occur at a consistent rate in nearly every population.
Which of the following statements best describes gene flow? As a result of gene flow _____________________.
A.
B.
C.
D.
12.
gene flow
genetic drift
recombination
mutations
new species arise more quickly
genetic variability increases
speciation does not occur
populations become genetically different
Natural selection pressures will be greater in situations where which of the following is true?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Resources are limited.
Populations reproduce slowly.
Populations vary genetically.
Competition is minimal.
Page 12