• [History of life: Grades 9-12] Present-day species evolved from earlier species; the relatedness of organisms is the result of common ancestry. (LS4.A)
• [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 9-12] Biological evolution accounts for diversity over long periods of time. (LS4.A, LS4.D)
• [History of life: Grades 9-12] 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 13-16] Biological evolution accounts for diversity over long periods of time.
• [History of life: Grades 13-16] 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.
• [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)
• [Evidence of evolution: Grades 9-12] All life forms use the same basic DNA building blocks. (LS4.A)
• [Evidence of evolution: Grades 13-16] Similarities among existing organisms (including morphological, developmental, and molecular similarities) reflect common ancestry and provide evidence for evolution.
• [Nature of science: Grades 9-12] Science focuses on natural phenomena and processes.
• [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 can test ideas about events and processes long past, very distant, and not directly observable.
• [Nature of science: Grades 13-16] Science focuses on natural phenomena and processes.
• [Nature of science: Grades 13-16] A hallmark of science is exposing ideas to testing.
• [Nature of science: Grades 13-16] Scientists can test ideas about events and processes long past, very distant, and not directly observable.
• [Studying evolution: Grades 9-12] Our understanding of life through time is based upon multiple lines of evidence.
• [Studying evolution: Grades 9-12] Scientists use the similarity of DNA nucleotide sequences to infer the relatedness of taxa. (LS4.A)
• [Studying evolution: Grades 9-12] Scientists use anatomical evidence to infer the relatedness of taxa. (LS4.A)
• [Studying evolution: Grades 9-12] Evolutionary trees (i.e. phylogenies or cladograms) portray hypotheses about evolutionary relationships.
• [Studying evolution: Grades 9-12] Evolutionary trees (e.g., phylogenies or cladograms) are built from multiple lines of evidence.
• [Studying evolution: Grades 13-16] Our understanding of life through time is based upon multiple lines of evidence.
• [Studying evolution: Grades 13-16] Scientists use multiple lines of evidence (including morphological, developmental, and molecular evidence) to infer the relatedness of taxa.
• [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.

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

9-12 teaching tips

These lessons were designed for AP biology. A condensed lesson sequence is available.

13-16 teaching tips

These lessons were designed for AP biology, but would work for college students as well. A condensed lesson sequence is available.

• Classification/Phylogenetics
• Evidence for Evolution