• [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 13-16] Biological evolution accounts for diversity over long periods of time.
• [History of life: Grades 13-16] Geological change and biological evolution are linked.
• [History of life: Grades 13-16] Tectonic plate movement has affected the evolution and distribution of living things.
• [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] Mass extinctions occur.
• [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.
• [History of life: Grades 13-16] Rates of evolution vary.
• [History of life: Grades 13-16] Rates of speciation vary.
• [History of life: Grades 13-16] Evolutionary change can sometimes happen rapidly.
• [History of life: Grades 13-16] Some lineages remain relatively unchanged for long periods of time.
• [Evidence of evolution: Grades 13-16] The geographic distribution of species often reflects how geologic change has influenced lineage splitting.
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 13-16] Speciation is often the result of geographic isolation.
• [Studying evolution: Grades 13-16] Scientists use fossils (including sequences of fossils showing gradual change over time) to learn about past life.
• [Studying evolution: Grades 13-16] Scientists use the geographic distribution of fossils and living things to learn about the history of life.
• [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.

• Geologic Time
• History of Life