Understanding Evolution

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Home → Teach Evolution → Lessons and Teaching Tools → Teaching Resources Database → A Strange Fish Indeed: The “Discovery” of a Living Fossil

A Strange Fish Indeed: The “Discovery” of a Living Fossil

Grade Level(s):

  • 9-12
  • 13-16

Source:

  • Grant, Robert

Resource type:

  • Classroom activity

Time: 50-90 min.

Overview

Through a series of fictionalized diary entries, this case recounts the 1939 discovery by Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer (and identification by J.L.B. Smith) of a living coelacanth, a fish believed to have been extinct for 70 million years.

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  • [History of life: Grades 9-12] Biological evolution accounts for diversity over long periods of time. (LS4.A, LS4.D)
  • [History of life: Grades 13-16] Biological evolution accounts for diversity over long periods of time.
  • [Evidence of evolution: Grades 9-12] An organism's features reflect its evolutionary history.
  • [Evidence of evolution: Grades 9-12] There are similarities and differences among fossils and living organisms.
  • [Evidence of evolution: Grades 9-12] Similarities among existing organisms provide evidence for evolution. (LS4.A)
  • [Evidence of evolution: Grades 9-12] Anatomical similarities of living things reflect common ancestry. (LS4.A)
  • [Evidence of evolution: Grades 13-16] An organism's features reflect its evolutionary history.
  • [Evidence of evolution: Grades 13-16] There are similarities and differences among fossils and living organisms.
  • [Evidence of evolution: Grades 13-16] Similarities among existing organisms (including morphological, developmental, and molecular similarities) reflect common ancestry and provide evidence for evolution.
  • [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 9-12] Random factors can affect the survival of individuals and of populations.
  • [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 13-16] Random factors can affect the survival of individuals and of populations.
  • [Nature of science: Grades 9-12] A hallmark of science is exposing ideas to testing. (P3, P4, P6, P7)
  • [Nature of science: Grades 13-16] A hallmark of science is exposing ideas to testing.
  • [Studying evolution: Grades 9-12] Our knowledge of the evolution of living things is always being refined as we gather more evidence.
  • [Studying evolution: Grades 9-12] Classification is based on evolutionary relationships.
  • [Studying evolution: Grades 13-16] Our knowledge of the evolution of living things is always being refined as we gather more evidence.
  • [Studying evolution: Grades 13-16] Classification is based on evolutionary relationships.
  • Disciplinary Core Idea LS4.A: Evidence of Common Ancestry and Diversity
  • Disciplinary Core Idea LS4.D: Biodiversity and Humans
  • Science and Engineering Practice 3. Planning and carrying out investigations
  • Science and Engineering Practice 4. Analyzing and interpreting data
  • Science and Engineering Practice 6. Constructing explanations and designing solutions
  • Science and Engineering Practice 7. Engaging in argument from evidence

Use this resource to relate evolutionary concepts to the topic of the nature and process of science (or get more suggestions for incorporating evolution throughout your biology syllabus).