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Evo in the news: Evolution and the avian flu

Grade Level(s):

  • 9-12
  • 13-16
  • General

Source:

  • UC Museum of Paleontology

Resource type:

  • Evo in the News article

Time: 10 minutes

Overview

This news brief, from November of 2005, describes the threat of avian flu. The stage is set for this virus to evolve into a strain that could cause a deadly global pandemic.

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  • [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 9-12] Evolution results from selection acting upon genetic variation within a population. (LS4.B)
  • [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 9-12] New heritable traits can result from recombinations of existing genes or from genetic mutations in reproductive cells. (LS3.B)
  • [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 13-16] Evolution results from natural selection acting upon genetic variation within a population.
  • [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 13-16] New heritable traits can result from mutations.
  • [Nature of science: Grades 9-12] Scientific knowledge is open to question and revision as we come up with new ideas and discover new evidence. (P4, P6, NOS3)
  • [Nature of science: Grades 13-16] Scientific knowledge is open to question and revision as we come up with new ideas and discover new evidence.
  • [Studying evolution: Grades 9-12] As with other scientific disciplines, evolutionary biology has applications that factor into everyday life.
  • [Studying evolution: Grades 13-16] As with other scientific disciplines, evolutionary biology has applications that factor into everyday life, for example in agriculture, biodiversity and conservation biology, and medicine and health.
  • Disciplinary Core Idea LS3.B: Variation of Traits
  • Disciplinary Core Idea LS4.B: Natural Selection
  • NOS Matrix understanding category 3. Scientific knowledge is open to revision in light of new evidence.
  • Science and Engineering Practice 4. Analyzing and interpreting data
  • Science and Engineering Practice 6. Constructing explanations and designing solutions

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:
Use this resource to relate evolutionary concepts to the topics of viruses or the immune system (or get more suggestions for incorporating evolution throughout your biology syllabus).