Lesson: Modern Understanding of Evolution

#content #criticalthinking #community #collaboration #communication #creativity

Warm Ups, etc:

Lecture Notes: #content

3.5 billion years - length of time life has existed on earth

Fossil - remains give evidence of change

Relative dating - determining older/younger

Absolute dating - determining exact age

Radioactive decay - properties of atoms that help determine precise age of rocks/fossils

Population - group that can mate and produce fertile offspring

Offspring - the result of mating

Variation - differences in characteristics

Selective pressure - forces that lead to survival, death, and change

Genetic variation - differences in genes

Reproductive strategies - how organisms mate and raise offspring

Environmental pressures - climate, predator/prey, disease, parasites

Survival - living

Extinction - death of a species

Genetic mutation - change to genetic code

Sexual reproduction - mating and mixing genes

Gene frequency - how often a gene appears

Gene pool - the total variation of genes in a population

Adaptation - build up of changes in a population

ex. 2: morphological changes in the peppered moth population - changes due to pollution, then change back

ex. 3: development of pesticide resistance in insect populations - due to overuse and overexposure

Stephen Jay Gould - scientist who proposed punctuated equilibrium

Punctuated equilibrium - populations remain steady, then change rapidly

Gradualism - populations go through constant minor changes that accumulate

Objectives and Vocabulary: #content

BIO.7 The student will investigate and understand how populations change through time. Key concepts include

a) evidence found in fossil records;

b) how genetic variation, reproductive strategies, and environmental pressures impact the survival of populations;

c) how natural selection leads to adaptations;

d) emergence of new species; and

e) scientific evidence and explanations for biological evolution.3.5 billion years

Activities, Assignments, Etc.