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Overview:
The theory of evolution is broadly accepted by scientists — and for good reason! Learn about the diverse and numerous lines of evidence that support the theory of evolution.Author/Source:
UC Museum of Paleontology Grade level:
9-12 Time:
30-40 minutes Teaching tips:
Class discussion could enhance student learning on this topic. Concepts:
Correspondence to the Next Generation Science Standards is indicated in parentheses after each relevant concept. See our conceptual framework for details. - There is a fit between organisms and their environments, though not always a perfect fit. (LS4.C)
- An organism's features reflect its evolutionary history.
- The fossil record provides evidence for evolution.
- The fossil record documents the biodiversity of the past.
- The fossil record contains organisms with transitional features.
- There are similarities and differences among fossils and living organisms.
- Similarities among existing organisms provide evidence for evolution. (LS4.A)
- Anatomical similarities of living things reflect common ancestry. (LS4.A)
- There are similarities in the cell function of all organisms. (LS4.A)
- Artificial selection provides a model for natural selection.
- People selectively breed domesticated plants and animals to produce offspring with preferred characteristics.
- Scientists test their ideas using multiple lines of evidence. (P6, NOS2)
- Scientists can test ideas about events and processes long past, very distant, and not directly observable.
- Scientific knowledge is open to question and revision as we come up with new ideas and discover new evidence. (P4, P6, NOS3)
- Scientists use multiple research methods (experiments, observational research, comparative research, and modeling) to collect data. (P2, P3, P4, NOS1)
- Our understanding of life through time is based upon multiple lines of evidence.
- Scientists use anatomical evidence to infer the relatedness of taxa. (LS4.A)
- Scientists use fossils (including sequences of fossils showing gradual change over time) to learn about past life.
- Scientists use physical, chemical, and geological evidence to establish the age of fossils.
- Scientists use the geographic distribution of fossils and living things to learn about the history of life.
- Scientists use experimental evidence to study evolutionary processes.
- Scientists use artificial selection as a model to learn about natural selection. (P2)
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