Part of the Evolution of Australian Biota Module Biology in Focus, Preliminary Course Glenda Childrawi and Stephanie Hollis Life on Earth Topic 5: Evolution of Living Things

DOT Point Identify the major stages in the evolution of living things, including the formation of: Organic molecules Membranes Procaryotic heterotrophic cells Procaryotic autotrophic cells Eucaryotic cells Colonial organisms Multicellular organisms

Evolution of living things It is believed that the environment on early Earth provided conditions for inorganic molecules to form organic molecules, and then for organic molecules to react with each other to form more complex organic compounds. divinglore.com

Evolution of living things To metabolise effectively, complex organic compounds needed to separate from their surroundings and form membranes, which would result in the first primitive living cells. origeminorganicadopetroleo.blogspot.com

Evolution of living things To advance, cells over time needed to develop specialised compartments to carry out different chemical reactions. These would have become the first eucaryotic cells. mcld.co.uk

Evolution of living things Co-operation between cells would have resulted in colonial organisms, which in turn with higher organisation develop into multicellular organisms. These changes would have extended over very long periods of time and involved far more complex changes than those that were just summarised. isengrim.com

Evolution of living things The changes that were believed to occur from one organism type to another did not mean that all organisms of that group changed. In fact, some members of these groups are known to have continued from the original forms to present day procaryotic autotrophic organisms. (eg. Cyanobacteria) serc.carleton.edu

Evolution of living things The major stages in the evolution of living things can be observed in Table 2.1 (handout) -Look at and discuss table coolhunting.com

Activity Students to complete an Evolution of Life Timeline (see handout)