CORE: PCK
VCE YEAR LEVEL
Unit 4 Continuity
and Change
Evidence of Change
BIOLOGY IDEA: Evidence for Change
Big Idea A
Big Idea B
Big idea C:
Big Idea D:
Fossils provide
evidence of
evolutionary
change.
Mineralisation,
freezing,
dehydration and
petrification in
plants are
processes which
lead to
fossilisation
Age of fossils or
rocks can be
determined and
is dependant on
stratification.
Absolute dating
via radiometric
dating assigns
numerical data
to the age.
The Earth has
changed
significantly
over millions of
years and
evidence
suggests that it
is still changing.
World can be
divided into 6 bio
geographical
regions which
describe flora and
fauna in a
geographical
area.
What you
intend the
students to
learn about this
idea.
Environment
needs to be wet
but lacking in
oxygen or Water
or both for
fossilisation to
occur. Calcium
rich seabeds and
sedimentary
rocks are
locations where
fossils can be
found. Never
found volcanic
rock because
molten lava
solidifies at
1000 degrees,
which burns
organic
material.
Geological time
is divided into
era, periods and
epochs and
animals and
plants have been
connected to
these time
periods.
Flora and fauna
that have evolved
over time
contribute to the
composition of
atmospheric
substances
namely oxygen.
Why it is
important for
students to
know this.
Fossils show us
variations,
which lead to
different
phenotypic
characteristics
required to
survive in the
associated area.
Fossils which
Stratification is
the process of
formation of
layers of
sedimentary
rock which
means material
found in lower
layers of rock is
older and
material found
in upper layers
is younger.
Radioactive
dating works
best for volcanic
rocks older than
50,000 years old
and is dependant
on radioactive
elements.
Remember
volcanic rocks
don’t have
fossils in them
but are used for
dating.
Dating enables
comparative
studies to be
performed and
this helps
discover
evolutionary
relationships on
genotypic,
phenotypic,
Patterns of
distribution of
organisms can
be established
using fossilised
evidence and the
major divides of
earth can be
established by
location of
Multicellular
organisms
require more
oxygen to carry
out aerobic
respiration and
therefore we
would not exist if
levels of oxygen
did not rise from
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CORE: PCK
What else you
know about
this idea (that
you do not
intend students
to know yet).
have no
relationship with
current plants or
animals
represent those
that are extinct
and from a part
of our historical
records.
developmental
or
biogeographic
levels.
Salt can prevent
decay and
higher levels of
salt are present
in the soil in
spring.
Sometimes
Strata are
inverted or
twisted by
geological
processes and in
these situations
palaeobiologists
are unable to
assign relative
age to fossils.
major plates,
which countries
sit on the earth
crusts, which
float on the fluid
mantle that lies
over the core.
When these
plates collide
and one slips
under the other
the result may
be an
earthquake,
tsunami or
volcanic
activity, which
is the cause of
much
devastation.
greater than 50
million years
ago.
Cyanobacteria
brought about
increased levels
of oxygen.
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CORE: PCK
Knowledge
about students’
thinking
/difficulties
connected with
teaching this
idea.
Teaching
procedures
(and particular
reasons for
using these to
engage with
this idea).
Specific ways
of ascertaining
students’
understanding
or confusion
around this
idea
(Include likely
range of
responses).
Teacher can get
a “feeling” of
the general
interest level of
class by the
links students
are making to
other ideas or
experiences.
Students may
not understand
the concept of
sedimentary
rocks and
composition of
various levels
because we are
taking about
something that
cannot be seen
so we are
relying on
textbook
pictures/drawing
s or
photographs.
Construction of
3D model using
coloured
plasticine to
represent
different layers.
Watch a video
that details
layers
schematically
(for visual
learning)
Models or
drawings could
be made.
Students label
with key ideas
i.e. moulds, cast,
peat, coal, and
sedimentary
rocks.
Telling time by
decay of
radioactive
elements
exercise.
Ask students to
construct a
graph using
radioactive data
of elements to
assess decay.
Web sites to help
students
appreciate
concept of
geological time
e.g.
http://www.scien
cenetlinks.com/le
ssons.php?DocID
=44
Imaginative
writing piece
about how the
world has
changed from
one era to
current day.
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