• [History of life: Grades 6-8] Through billions of years of evolution, life forms have continued to diversify in a branching pattern, from single-celled ancestors to the diversity of life on Earth today.
• [History of life: Grades 9-12] Biological evolution accounts for diversity over long periods of time. (LS4.A, LS4.D)
• [Evidence of evolution: Grades 6-8] The patterns of life's diversity through time provide evidence of evolution. (LS4.A)
• [Evidence of evolution: Grades 6-8] Fossils provide evidence of past life. (LS4.A)
• [Evidence of evolution: Grades 6-8] There are similarities and differences among fossils and living organisms. (LS4.A)
• [Evidence of evolution: Grades 9-12] An organism's features reflect its evolutionary history.
• [Evidence of evolution: Grades 9-12] Similarities among existing organisms provide evidence for evolution. (LS4.A)
• [Evidence of evolution: Grades 9-12] Anatomical similarities of living things reflect common ancestry. (LS4.A)
• [Nature of science: Grades 6-8] A hallmark of science is exposing ideas to testing. (P3, P4, P6, P7)
• [Nature of science: Grades 6-8] Scientists test their ideas using multiple lines of evidence.
• [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 test their ideas using multiple lines of evidence. (P6, NOS2)
• [Studying evolution: Grades 6-8] Scientists use anatomical features to infer the relatedness of taxa. (LS4.A)
• [Studying evolution: Grades 6-8] Our knowledge of the evolution of living things is always being refined as we gather more evidence.
• [Studying evolution: Grades 6-8] Classification is based on evolutionary relationships.
• [Studying evolution: Grades 9-12] Scientists use anatomical evidence to infer the relatedness of taxa. (LS4.A)
• [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] Classification is based on evolutionary relationships.
• [Studying evolution: Grades 9-12] Evolutionary trees (e.g., phylogenies or cladograms) are built from multiple lines of evidence.

• Disciplinary Core Idea LS4.A: Evidence of Common Ancestry and Diversity
• 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
• Science and Engineering Practice 7. Engaging in argument from evidence

This module was developed for high school students, but has been used successfully with middle school students as well.

• Classification/Phylogenetics
• Evidence for Evolution
• History of Life
• Natural Selection