Learning from the Fossil Record
Grade 8 Science
Name: Kyle T
Date: 5-11-11
Related Organisms Web Quest
1.
2.
3.
4.
Click on link http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/education/explorations/tours/Trex/index.html
Click on Student Start
Follow the directions to go through the web quest.
During or when finished with the webquest complete Parts A , B, and C below.
PART A
1. What is a cladogram? A diagram that illustrates evolutionary relationships based upon shared
inherited features.
2. Draw a cladogram with a frog, cow and horse correctly placed.
3. Please circle the answer that best completes this statement: A "common ancestor" is:
a. one that is very commonly seen in the fossil record.
b. one that is shared by two or more organisms.
c. one that has no distinguishing features and is therefore very "common."
4. Read the following statements then answer the question below.
A. All organisms inherit their features from their ancestors.
B. Organisms resemble their most recent ancestors more closely than distant ancestors.
C. Over time evolution occurs and new features appear.
Which of these statements are accurate?
a.
b.
c.
d.
A and C.
B and C.
All of the above.
None of the above.
1
Learning from the Fossil Record
Grade 8 Science
Name: Kyle T
Date: 5-11-11
5. Examine the following diagram and the statements that follow.
Statements:
A.
B.
C.
D.
Crocodiles are more closely related to squirrels than to frippities.
Frippities share a more recent ancestor with Triceratops than with Pigeons.
Frippities probably laid eggs.
All of these animals share the same ancestor.
Which of the statements are accurate?
a.
b.
c.
d.
A and C.
B and D.
C and D.
A, B, C, and D.
PART B
Examine the questions below. For at least two of the questions:
1. Decide if it is possible to answer the question with the data provided (the cladogram and data
tables).
2. If it is not possible, what information is needed to be able to answer the question?
3. If it is possible, what kind of hypothesis would you make? What is the evidence for your
statement? In your justification, make sure that you include information about common
ancestors and shared inherited features. What other evidence would you look for that would
support or refute your hypothesis?
Questions:

Did T. rex have an amniotic egg?
Yes the question is possible to answer. T. rex did have an amniotic egg. I know this because
the T. rex’s ancestors had an amniotic egg as well. They are closely related so the T. rex must
have an amniotic egg.
2
Learning from the Fossil Record
Grade 8 Science
Name: Kyle T
Date: 5-11-11
 Did T. rex sing to its offspring?
Yes this question is possible to answer. The T. rex’s closest related ancestors both sung to
their young so the T. rex did the same. The T. rex is very closely related to the parrot and the
parrot did this so the T. rex had to.
The information below will assist with this assignment.
Cladogram
Below is a simple cladogram indicating the proposed relationship among the caiman, parrot, and T. rex.
Additional data
This data table indicates the presence or absence of eleven additional features for the caiman and the
parrot. Notice that the information about the T. rex has not been filled in. You will need to make that
determination based upon what you have learned.
3
Learning from the Fossil Record
Grade 8 Science
Name: Kyle T
Date: 5-11-11
PART C
Answer this question in RASE format.
How can we use fossils to understand if two or more organisms are related?
We can use fossils to understand if two or more organisms are related by looking at their features.
As time goes on different species obtain different evolutions and different features. By looking at
the evolutions they had and what they looked like we can see compare these features and see if
different organisms were related. For example if an organism had a hole in its skull in front of its
eye and the other organism did too that we can infer that these organisms were related. This is
how we can tell if organisms are related.
4