4-23-18 Whale in the Making Activity

Do Now: Identify the type of fossil that matches the definition. the impression of an organism in a rock mold the fossil copy of an organism in a rock cast the preserved evidence of the activity of an organism Trace fossil the preserved tissues of an organism Original-material fossil

EQ: How are fossils evidence of biological evolution?

Extinctions Extinction: event that occurs when the last individual organism of a species dies. Extincion: evento que ocurre cuando el ultimo organismo individual de una especie muere. A mass extinction occurs when many species become extinct within a few million years or less. Extinctions can occur when environments change. The fossil record contains evidence that five mass extinction events have occurred during the Phanerozoic eon. Period 7 left off here

Fossils and Evolution The fossil record contains evidence of the appearance of many new species over time. Biological evolution: the change over time in populations of related organisms. Evolucion biologica: cambio a traves tel tiempo en las poblaciones de organismos relacionados The fossil record is evidence that horses descended from organisms for which only fossils exist today. Period 5 left off here

How do we know evolution happens? https://florida.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/tdc02.sci.life.evo.how happens/evolving-ideas-how-do-we-know-evolution- happens/?#.WtX-6IjwbIU Class Discussion Questions What can we learn from fossil evidence? How do the transitional fossils of whales support the theory of evolution? What specific fossil evidence points to whales’ evolution from land to water?

Activity: Whale in the Making In teams of 4 Assign 2 people to be the timeline builders Assign 2 people to be the researchers.

Activity: Whale in the Making Timeline builders, cut out the six fossil boxes from the handout. Timeline builders, prepare an Eocene epoch timeline on paper, using the scale 1 inch = 1 million years. Your scale should go from 56 mya to 35 mya Researchers, complete the Whale Evolution Data Table by gathering the data about each fossil from the Internet. As a team, glue fossil boxes 1 and 2 from the handout at the proper locations on your timelines. Notice the gap between these two fossils. As a team, add the remaining fossils in order by date of discovery.

Discussion Questions What typical whalelike traits were apparently the earliest to appear? What apparently evolved much later? As each "missing link" was found, how many new gaps were formed? What is the relationship between gaps and fossils? To find fossil evidence to fill the largest remaining gap in whale evolution, what age sediments would you search? What distinguishing traits would you expect to find in whale fossils of that age? The absence of transitional fossils does not mean that evolution didn’t take place.