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Home → Teach Evolution → Lessons and Teaching Tools → Teaching Resources Database → Extinction vulnerability with Shan Huang, David Jablonski, and Stewart Edie

Extinction vulnerability with Shan Huang, David Jablonski, and Stewart Edie

Grade Level(s):

  • 9-12
  • 13-16

Source:

  • UC Museum of Paleontology

Resource type:

  • Article
  • Classroom activity

Time: 1.5 hrs

Overview

In this article (and the linked assignments and student readings), students examine and interpret data that Shan, David, and Stewart used to investigate whether the mollusk species that humans eat are inherently vulnerable to extinction. Use the tabs at the bottom of the feature to find related videos, assignments, and lessons to build this example into a lesson sequence on extinction.

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Young Asian woman with mollusk shells
  • [History of life: Grades 9-12] Background extinctions are a normal occurrence.
  • [History of life: Grades 9-12] Rates of extinction vary.
  • [History of life: Grades 9-12] Extinction can result from environmental change.
  • [History of life: Grades 13-16] Background extinctions are a normal occurrence.
  • [History of life: Grades 13-16] Rates of extinction vary.
  • [History of life: Grades 13-16] Extinction can result from environmental change.
  • [History of life: Grades 13-16] Human influence may be causing a modern mass extinction.
  • [Nature of science: Grades 9-12] A hallmark of science is exposing ideas to testing. (P3, P4, P6, P7)
  • [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] Science is a human endeavor. (NOS7)
  • [Nature of science: Grades 13-16] A hallmark of science is exposing ideas to testing.
  • [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] Science is a human endeavor.
  • [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 LS4.D: Biodiversity and Humans
  • NOS Matrix understanding category 1. Scientific investigations use a variety of methods.
  • NOS Matrix understanding category 7. Science is a human endeavor.
  • Science and Engineering Practice 3. Planning and carrying out investigations
  • Science and Engineering Practice 4. Analyzing and interpreting data
  • Science and Engineering Practice 5. Using mathematics and computational thinking
  • Science and Engineering Practice 6. Constructing explanations and designing solutions
  • Science and Engineering Practice 7. Engaging in argument from evidence
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