Diversity & Evolution of Living
Organisms (Standard 15)
SC.912.L.15.1
Explain how the scientific theory is supported by the fossil record,
comparative anatomy, comparative embryology, biogeography,
molecular biology, and observed evolutionary change
EVOLUTION SURVEY
http://www.indiana.edu/~ensiweb/lessons/ev.surv.pdf
http://www.indiana.edu/~ensiweb/lessons/ev.surv.html
VERY IMPORTANT: Please indicate whether each following statement is
true or false, in terms of how you think biologists use and understand the term
"evolution" today.
YOU DO NOT have to AGREE with the statement for it to be "true". Your
answers will be confidential, and will not affect your grade. In every case
below, "evolution" means "biological evolution".
Using your Plicker card
“A” for TRUE
“B” for FALSE
Plickers
www.plickers.com
Evolution Survey
1. According to evolution, people came
from monkeys along time ago.
2. Evolution is something that
happened only in the past; it is not
happening now.
3. Evolution was developed as an idea to
destroy or undermine religion.
4. Evolution has been tested and
challenged many times, but has always
been supported by the results
5. Big dinosaurs were common during the
time of early humans.
Fossil Records – Great Fossil Find
In this activity, you and your
partner will play the roles of
paleontologists working in the field
in Montana, near the town of
Ekalaka.
One clear crisp afternoon in
October, you find four well
preserved and complete fossils.
http://www.indiana.edu/~ensiweb/lessons/gr.fs.fd.ht
Day 1
Open envelope 1 and remove 4 fossils.
Day 1: That night in camp, after dinner, around a
Coleman lantern, you and your colleagues begin to
assemble the 4 bones you found earlier. Since the bones
were all found together in an undisturbed layer, you
assume that they are all from the same animal. You spend
the rest of the evening trying different arrangements
of the bones in hopes of identifying the animal before you
get tired.
Take 5 minutes to assemble the bones and make notes in
your data chart.
Day 2
Day 2: You wake up to a beautiful Montana morning
and you hurry back out to the dig site. The rock layers
that hold your fossils are very hard and only give up
three more specimens. As the day ends you make your
way back to camp for another try at assembling the
mystery animal.
1. Open envelope and remove 3 fossils.
2. Take 5 minutes to assemble all 7 bones and make notes in your data chart.
3. What kind of animal do you think this is now?
Day 3
Day 3: The next morning is cold. You can tell that winter
is just around the corner and you know that this will be
the last day of the digging season, and your
last chance to find more fossils of the mystery animal.
Just as the day is about to end, one of the members of
your team finds 3 final bones.
1. Open envelope and remove 3 fossils.
2. Take 5 minutes to assemble all 10 bones and make notes in your data chart.
3. What kind of animal do you think this is now?
Day 4
Day 4: Back in the lab, you meet up with some
Paleontologist friends. They tell you they have spent
the summer working in a different location but with
the same geological period. You show them the
skeleton you found, and they tell you they have a
similar one, but it looks like they have some different
bones that you don’t have.
1. For 5 minutes, compare your fossils with those of a group near you, looking for
clues that will help you assemble your fossils. Apply these clues to your interpretation
of your skeleton.
2. What type of animal do you think you have now?
Day 5
Day 5: In the library at school you find a Skeletal
Resource Manual with drawings of the skeletons
of some existing animals. You notice some
interesting
similarities between some of the drawings and
your unknown fossil.
1. Use the drawings to assist you in your final assembly of the fossil skeleton. Fill
in the data table with your final interpretation of the skeleton.
2. When you are finished, pick up the poster instructions at the front and start
working on your poster with your partner.
Skeletal Resource Manual
http://www.indiana.edu/~ensiweb/lessons/gff.man.pdf
Poster Instructions
• http://www.indiana.edu/~ensiweb/lessons/gff.post.pdf
Include in your Poster:
• The type of animal you think your fossils were, including a name
• A drawing of what the animal might look like
• Where the animal might have lived (in water, on land, on land and in the air) and
why you think so
• What you originally thought the animal was on Day 1
• The biggest piece of evidence that caused you to change your interpretation from
Day 1 to Day 5
• What new pieces of evidence (such as another fossil from the animal) might support
your hypothesis about these fossils?
• What new piece of evidence might prove that your interpretation of these fossils is
inaccurate?
Activity - Twizzler Half-Life Lab
Purpose: develop a working
definition of a half-life
In this activity, you will simulate
the radioactive decay of an
isotope using Twizzlers
http://www.rsec.psu.edu/pages/education/lessons/Twizzler%20Half-Life.pdf
Comparative Anatomy
http://www.sporcle.com/games/cbdollyy/animalskullsmatching
Comparative Embryology
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/evolution/guess-embryo.html
Post Assessment-
Hook Video
• Coat Color in Pocket Mouse
▫ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-amfHWk93AA