• [History of life: Grades 9-12] Present-day species evolved from earlier species; the relatedness of organisms is the result of common ancestry. (LS4.A)
• [History of life: Grades 13-16] Present-day species evolved from earlier species; the relatedness of organisms is the result of common ancestry.
• [History of life: Grades 9-12] Biological evolution accounts for diversity over long periods of time. (LS4.A, LS4.D)
• [History of life: Grades 9-12] Life forms of the past were in some ways very different from living forms of today, but in other ways very similar. (LS4.A)
• [History of life: Grades 13-16] Biological evolution accounts for diversity over long periods of time.
• [History of life: Grades 13-16] Life forms of the past were in some ways very different from living forms of today, but in other ways very similar.
• [Evidence of evolution: Grades 9-12] Features sometimes acquire new functions through natural selection
• [Evidence of evolution: Grades 13-16] Features sometimes acquire new functions through natural selection.
• [Evidence of evolution: Grades 9-12] The fossil record provides evidence for evolution.
• [Evidence of evolution: Grades 9-12] The fossil record contains organisms with transitional features.
• [Evidence of evolution: Grades 13-16] The fossil record provides evidence for evolution.
• [Evidence of evolution: Grades 13-16] The fossil record contains organisms with transitional features.
• [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 9-12] Scientists test their ideas using multiple lines of evidence. (P6, NOS2)
• [Nature of science: Grades 9-12] Scientists use multiple research methods (experiments, observational research, comparative research, and modeling) to collect data. (P2, P3, P4, NOS1)
• [Nature of science: Grades 9-12] Scientists can test ideas about events and processes long past, very distant, and not directly observable.
• [Nature of science: Grades 9-12] The real process of science is complex, iterative, and can take many different paths.
• [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.
• [Nature of science: Grades 13-16] Scientists test their ideas using multiple lines of evidence.
• [Nature of science: Grades 13-16] Scientists use multiple research methods (experiments, observational research, comparative research, and modeling) to collect data.
• [Nature of science: Grades 13-16] Scientists can test ideas about events and processes long past, very distant, and not directly observable.
• [Nature of science: Grades 13-16] The real process of science is complex, iterative, and can take many different paths.
• [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] Scientists use fossils (including sequences of fossils showing gradual change over time) to learn about past life.
• [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] Scientists use fossils (including sequences of fossils showing gradual change over time) to learn about past life.

• Disciplinary Core Idea LS4.A: Evidence of Common Ancestry and Diversity
• Disciplinary Core Idea LS4.D: Biodiversity and Humans
• NOS Matrix understanding category 1. Scientific investigations use a variety of methods.
• NOS Matrix understanding category 2. Scientific knowledge is based on empirical evidence.
• NOS Matrix understanding category 3. Scientific knowledge is open to revision in light of new evidence.
• Science and Engineering Practice 2. Developing and using models
• 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

This article could be used to motivate discussions of transitional forms and fossil evidence. It also includes a set of discussion and extension questions, as well as links to 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 topic of animals (or get more suggestions for incorporating evolution throughout your biology syllabus).

• Evidence for Evolution
• History of Life