• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 9-12] Natural selection acts on the variation that exists in a population. (LS4.B, LS4.C)
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 9-12] Organisms cannot intentionally produce adaptive mutations in response to environmental influences.
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 9-12] Traits that confer an advantage may persist in the population and are called adaptations. (LS4.B, LS4.C)
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 9-12] Over time, the proportion of individuals with advantageous characteristics may increase due to their likelihood of surviving and reproducing. (LS4.B, LS4.C)
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 13-16] Natural selection and genetic drift act on the variation that exists in a population.
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 13-16] Variation of a character within a population may be discrete or continuous.
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 13-16] Organisms cannot intentionally produce adaptive mutations in response to environmental influences.
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 13-16] Over time, the proportion of individuals with advantageous traits may increase (and the proportion with disadvantageous traits may decrease) due to their chances of surviving and reproducing.
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 13-16] Traits that confer an advantage may persist in the population and are called adaptations.
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 13-16] Natural selection is capable of acting at multiple hierarchical levels: on genes, on cells, on individuals, on populations, on species, and on larger clades.
• [Nature of science: Grades 9-12] Scientists test their ideas using multiple lines of evidence. (P6, NOS2)
• [Nature of science: Grades 9-12] Scientists may explore many different hypotheses to explain their observations. (P7)
• [Nature of science: Grades 13-16] Scientists test their ideas using multiple lines of evidence.
• [Nature of science: Grades 13-16] Scientists may explore many different hypotheses to explain their observations.
• [Studying evolution: Grades 9-12] Scientists use experimental evidence to study evolutionary processes.
• [Studying evolution: Grades 13-16] Scientists use experimental evidence to study evolutionary processes.

• Disciplinary Core Idea LS4.B: Natural Selection
• Disciplinary Core Idea LS4.C: Adaptation
• NOS Matrix understanding category 2. Scientific knowledge is based on empirical evidence.
• Science and Engineering Practice 6. Constructing explanations and designing solutions
• Science and Engineering Practice 7. Engaging in argument from evidence

This article includes a set of discussion and extension questions for use in class. It also includes hints about related lessons that might be used in conjunction with this one. Get more tips for using Evo in the News articles in your classroom.

Additional teaching tips for 13-16:
This article above also includes advanced discussion questions for undergraduates.

• Adaptation