• [Evidence of evolution: Grades 9-12] An organism's features reflect its evolutionary history.
• [Evidence of evolution: Grades 9-12] All life forms use the same basic DNA building blocks. (LS4.A)
• [Evidence of evolution: Grades 9-12] Developmental similarities of living things often reflect their relatedness. (LS4.A)
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 9-12] Complex structures may be produced incrementally by the accumulation of smaller useful mutations.
• [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 9-12] Scientists use experimental evidence to study evolutionary processes.
• [Studying evolution: Grades 9-12] As with other scientific disciplines, evolutionary biology has applications that factor into everyday life.

• Disciplinary Core Idea LS4.A: Evidence of Common Ancestry and Diversity

This lecture may be most useful for advanced high school biology courses. Clips of the lecture (now available as an indexed video with synchronized slides) might provide students with an experience similar to that of a first year college student. An interesting and useful exercise would be to have students watch the lecture (or part of it), take notes, and then process with classmates what the experience was like (both in terms of the content they learned and the way in which the lecture format challenged them to listen, absorb, and take notes).

• History of Life