Learning from the Fossil Record
Grade 8 Science
Name: Jimmy Panzini
Date: May 11, 2011
Related Organisms Web Quest
1.
Click on link http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/education/explorations/tours/Trex/index.html
2.
Click on Student Start
3.
Follow the directions to go through the web quest.
4.
During or when finished with the webquest complete Parts A , B, and C below.
PART A
1. What is a cladogram?
A cladogram illustrates evolutionary relationships based upon shared inherited features.
2. Draw a cladogram with a frog, cow and horse correctly placed.
Frog Cow Horse
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.
A and C. b.
B and C. c.
All of the above. d.
None of the above.
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Learning from the Fossil Record
Grade 8 Science
Name: Jimmy Panzini
Date: May 11, 2011
5. Examine the following diagram and the statements that follow.
Statements:
A.
Crocodiles are more closely related to squirrels than to frippities.
B.
Frippities share a more recent ancestor with Triceratops than with Pigeons.
C.
Frippities probably laid eggs.
D.
All of these animals share the same ancestor.
Which of the statements are accurate? a.
A and C. b.
B and D. c.
C and D. 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:
 Could T. rex have had feathers?
Yes, the T rex could have had feathers because according to the chart the t rex has a closer ancestor with the parrot than it does with the caiman. To know if my prediction was correct I would look at the t rex’s fossils and see if there were any indications of feathers.
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Learning from the Fossil Record
Grade 8 Science
Name: Jimmy Panzini
Date: May 11, 2011
 Did T. rex sing to its offspring?
Yes, I could infer that the t rex sang to its offspring because both the caiman and the parrot sand to their offspring and the t rex has a common ancestor with both of them. To make sure that my hypothesis was correct I could see if any other organisms related to the t rex sing to their offspring today.
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.
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Learning from the Fossil Record
Grade 8 Science
Name: Jimmy Panzini
Date: May 11, 2011
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 to see if they have a common ancestor or even similar fossils with each other. Even if the two organisms are hundreds of years apart from each other we would still be able to tell if the two organisms were closely related. For example, the t rex and the parrot. You would never think that they are related but they have many similar features with each other. In conclusion, this shows that even if two organisms do not look alike they can still be closely related.
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