• [Evidence of evolution: Grades 13-16] Similarities among existing organisms (including morphological, developmental, and molecular similarities) reflect common ancestry and provide evidence for evolution.
• [Evidence of evolution: Grades 13-16] Not all similar traits are homologous; some are the result of convergent evolution.
• [Studying evolution: Grades 13-16] Classification is based on evolutionary relationships.
• [Studying evolution: Grades 13-16] Evolutionary trees (i.e., phylogenies or cladograms) portray hypotheses about evolutionary relationships.
• [Studying evolution: Grades 13-16] Evolutionary trees (i.e., phylogenies or cladograms) are built from multiple lines of evidence.
• [Studying evolution: Grades 13-16] The principle of parsimony suggests that the phylogenetic hypothesis most likely to be true is the one requiring the fewest evolutionary changes.
• [Studying evolution: Grades 13-16] Evolutionary trees can be used to make inferences and predictions.

There are no NGSS/DCI concepts currently linked to this resource.

The comparison of trichromatic vs. dichromatic color vision should engage students. The topic is addressed from four different sub-disciplines of biology (ecology, cell biology, molecular genetics, and phylogenetics, showing how they are inter-related. It introduces multiple key concepts using one story.

Students could review the website or ppt slides before class and questions could be source of class discussion. Instructors may select to use only a few slides from the entire presentation due to time limitations.

Recommended to assign this exercise only after students have completed a genetics unit.

This resource currently lacks an associated teaching background.