March 10

Evolution Vocabulary & Key Concepts 🌍🦴

Assigned  March 10

Due March 11 and graded in class. 

📅 Activity Overview:
In this lesson, students explored essential vocabulary related to evolution, natural selection, and genetic variation. This activity provided a foundation for understanding how species change over time and what evidence scientists use to study evolution.

📝 What We Covered:

1️⃣ Evolution & Natural Selection

• Evolution: The gradual change in species over time.

• Natural Selection: The process where individuals that are better adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce ("survival of the fittest").

• Charles Darwin: British naturalist who developed the Theory of Evolution based on observations of finches in the Galápagos Islands.

2️⃣ Adaptations & Mutations

• Adaptation: A physical or behavioral trait that helps an organism survive and reproduce.

• Mutation: A change in DNA that can create new traits, sometimes leading to advantages in survival.

• Example: A mutation causes a moth to have brown wings instead of white. In a forest with brown tree bark, brown moths are less likely to be eaten, making them more likely to survive and reproduce.

3️⃣ Fossils & Evidence of Evolution

• Fossil Record: Preserved remains of organisms that help scientists understand past life forms.

• Homologous Structures: Similar body structures in different species that suggest a common ancestor (e.g., human arms, whale fins, and bat wings all have similar bone structures).

• Missing Links: Gaps in the fossil record that scientists fill by analyzing related species.

4️⃣ Extinction & Biodiversity

• Extinction: When an entire species dies out (e.g., dinosaurs).

• Biodiversity: The variety of living organisms on Earth, shaped by millions of years of evolution.

5️⃣ Environmental Change & Evolution

• Changes in the environment can cause species to adapt or go extinct.

• Example: Green beetles blend into leaves, but during a drought, trees turn brown. This change may make brown beetles more likely to survive, leading to a shift in population over time.

📌 Activity Details:

✅ Vocabulary Matching & Definitions – Defined key terms related to evolution and used them in sentences.
✅ Reading Assignment – Explored adaptations, natural selection, fossils, and genetic variation.
✅ Response Questions – Answered critical thinking questions about mutations, environmental changes, and survival of the fittest.

🌍 Why This Matters:

Understanding evolution and natural selection helps explain how species have changed over time and continue to adapt today. These concepts are essential in biology, conservation, and medicine!

✅ Great job exploring evolution! Keep thinking about how organisms adapt to their environments. 🔬✨