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Theories of evolution GLUE THIS IN! Name: Charles Darwin Born: 1809 Died: 1882 (Age 73) Lived in Britain, went on a five year scientific expedition around the world where he collected different species of plants and animals. What was his theory called? Natural selection (sometimes called survival of the fittest) What was his idea? He believed that all living organisms have evolved from simpler forms. Animals in the wild have lots of offspring, many of them will die , either from lack of food or predators. Those that have features that help them survive better than the others (run faster, get more food) will pass those characteristics on to their offspring. For example? Think of a flock of birds that migrate to an island and stay there. The island has a lot of trees that produce nuts the birds can eat, but there is not enough for all the birds to eat. A few have the birds have beaks that are shaped in such a way that makes it easier for them to crack the nutshell, that makes them more likely to survive than the others and pass that characteristic onto their children. Over time all those with the new beak survive and the others die out. Did he have any evidence? Lots. He collected lots of different animals on his trip and did experiments at home. But it took him 22 years to publish his ideas as they were not accepted at the time. He published them in a famous book called Origin of Species.

Theories of evolution Darwin published his book in 1859 (Over 150 years ago). At he time people were reluctant to believe him Why didn’t people believe him? His theory challenged the ideas in the Bible that it was God who made all the life on Earth and the animals hadn’t changed since he made them. Many other scientists thought there was not enough evidence. There was no way to explain why certain characteristics got passed on, it was almost 100 years later that scientists discovered DNA.

Theories of evolution GLUE THIS IN! Name: Jean-Baptiste Lamarck Born: 1744 Died: 1829 (Age 85) Lived in France, was a solider and fought in a war against Prussia (what is now Germany), then retired to study medicine and biology. What was his theory called? Inheritance of acquired characteristics What was his idea? He believed that the way organisms behaved affected the features of their body. If they used something a lot over a lifetime it would grow and develop. This would be passed from a parent to its offspring. If a feature wasn’t used then it would shrink and would not be passed on. For example? Think of a giraffe, it has a long neck. It uses it’s neck to reach food high up in a tree. Because they use their necks a lot over their lifetime. If Lamarck’s theory was correct then that’s why their necks are long and why their children will also inherit long necks. Did he have any evidence? No. And we now know that it doesn’t really work like that. For example, if your dad goes to the gym a lot and has big muscles, does that mean you will inherit muscles just as big?

Similarities and differences (Grade 6) Lamarck vs Darwin (Grade 4) Theories of evolution Independent Enquirer Read the profiles on Jean-Baptiste Lamarck and Charles Darwin. Then answer the questions in your book. Can also use pages 236 - 239 of the textbook to help. Similarities and differences (Grade 6) Give one similarity between Darwin and Larmark’s ideas. Give one difference between Darwin and Lamark’s ideas. Lamarck vs Darwin (Grade 4) Whose theory does this best describe, Lamarck, Darwin or both of them? Who noticed that living things evolved over time? Who said that evolution happened due to small differences that helped the animal better survive? Who said that evolution happened because an animal used a certain feature lots, so it developed, then their children had the same feature? Who had lots of proof for his ideas? Who didn’t have proof for his ideas? Why did people object? (Grade 8) Some people didn't believe Darwin’s ideas when he first proposed them. Google: Why didn’t people believe Darwin? Write a paragraph in your books explaining why he wasn’t accepted at first. i) What were people's religious objections? ii) What were the objections of other scientists? iii) Were there things in his theory that science couldn’t explain yet? iv) How long did it take people to accept his ideas? v) Do people today still disbelieve his ideas?