1. EVOLUTION
By: Geneva Winterink

2. Curriculum Expectations
C2.3 analyse, on the basis of research, and report on the contributions of various scientists to modern theories of evolution
C3.4 describe some evolutionary mechanisms(e.g., natural selection, artificial selection, sexual selection, genetic variation, genetic drift, biotechnology), and explain how they affect the evolutionary development and extinction of various species (e.g., Darwin’s finches, giraffes, pandas)

3. Issues Religion in schools
Pope John Paul II stated in 1996: “New scientific knowledge has led us to realize that the theory of evolution is no longer a mere hypothesis. It is indeed remarkable that this theory has been progressively accepted by researchers, following a series of discoveries in various fields of knowledge. The convergence, neither sought nor fabricated, of the results of work that was conducted independently is in itself a significant argument in favor of this theory” (Message to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences on Evolution, October 23, 1996).

4. Changing or Unchanging
Evolution – the process in which significant changes in inheritable traits occur over time
Immutable – unchanged and unchanging, believed to be the characteristics of life forms

5. Darwin’s Voyage In 1831 Darwin began a 5 year voyage on the HMS Beagle
Beginning in England and surveying the coast of South America
Studied nature, fossils, collected
several species
Discovered extinct species such as the Glyptodon and Megatherium (share same patterns of distribution in South America as the modern day armadillo and sloth)

6. Galopogos Islands Darwin’s Finches
Seed and tool activity from hooks !
Different beaks allowed finches to consume different food

7. Voyage
Asked the question… Why continents separated by large distances would have entirely different species occupying similar niches?
Did a species transport lands and reproduce to create similar species?

9. UINTATHERIUM
Rhinoceros

10. Sabre tooth tiger
Modern day tiger

11. Homologous Features
Structures that share a common origin or are similar anatomically but serve different functions in modern species

12. Embryos

13. Analogous Features
Structures similar in function but not in origin or anatomical structure

14. Vestigial Features
Rudimentary and non-functioning structures that homologous to fully functioning structures in closely related species
Come up with as many examples of vestigial features and analogous features relating to either humans, plants or animals?
Ex: beetles have wings under fused covers, humans have muscles behind their ears, some snakes and whales have vestigial hips homologous to mammals with hind limbs

15. Artificial Selection
Darwin began to study artificial selection in plants and animal done by farmers
Select offspring with desirable traits and only allow those to reproduce
Farmers increased oil content from 6% to 14% in corn kernels
Artificial selection is done by human choices
What are some modern examples of artificial selection we see today?

16. Natural Selection
Just as humans could chose the traits they wanted, nature could choose the traits based on the ability to survive
Species are different in that their characteristics will be varied from one another; through random genetic mutations
Some mutations help the species survive better: if this mutation is dominant it may be passed on to the next generation
The environment has an effect on the survival

17. Darwin’s Natural Selection

18. Observations
“Can we doubt that individuals having any advantage, however slight, over others, would have the best chance of surviving and procreating their kind?”
Scenario : Propose an evolutionary scene in which a lizard who once had a short tongue would evolve into a species with a long tongue. What happens over time for this to occur?

19. Describe the original crab population in 4 a
Crabs produce many offspring describe what must be happening to the offspring throughout each stage?
What can account for the changes?

20. Observation 1
Individuals within a species vary in many ways
Observation 2
Some of this variability can be inherited
Observation 3
Every generation produces far more offspring than can survive and pass on their variations
Observation 4
Populations of species remain stable in size
Inference 1
Members of the same species compete with each other for survival
Inference 2
Individuals with favourable variations are more likely to survive. Survival is not random
Inference 3
As these individuals contribute proportionately more offspring to succeeding generations, the favourable variations will become common (natural selection)

21. Examples of Natural Selection
Within your group how many examples of natural selection can you come up with?

22. Evidence From the Past Fossils, Fossils, Fossils
At the end of the 15th century Leonardo da Vinci began examining sea shell remains in Tuscany mountains (hundreds of km’s from the Sea)

23. FOSSIL FORMS
Impressions

24. Fossilization Organism dies
Organism is buried and compressed under many layers of sediment
Under high pressure deposits harden to form sedimentary rock and the fossil remains become mineralized
Erosion or excavation of sedimentary rock exposes fossil remains

25. Ice Baby
Intact Fossils
Intact/preserved – fossilized in amber or ice (woolly mamoth)

26. Hard Body Parts
Bones, teeth, nails, skulls

27. Early Ideas About Evolution
Activity – Create an evolutionary timeline on a Prezi
Leonardo da Vinci, Baron Georges Cuvier, James Hutton, Comte Georges Louis Leclerc de Buffon, Erasmus Darwin/ Sir Charles Lyell, Chevalier de Lamarck

28. Lamarck Inherited Acquired
Traits that you are born with and are given to you through genetics and DNA
Traits that have been adapted or learned by an individual.
Can be acquired from environmental influences
Can not be inherited !

29. Misconceptions
Genetic drift is not evolution - Genetic drift or allelic drift is the change in the frequency of a gene variant (allele) in a population due to random sampling. The alleles in the offspring are a sample of those in the parents, and chance has a role in determining whether a given individual survives and reproduces
Adaptations are not acquired, they must occur as a result of a mutation