1. Evidence of Evolution
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2. What evidence do we have?
Evidence that organisms have changed over time (evolved) can be found in amber, ice, or sedimentary rock. Typically, the deeper in the ground something is, the older it is.
Fossils are the remains of once living organisms that are preserved in layers of rock.
Minerals in the sediment may seep into the organism and replace the body’s materials with material that hardens over time; we call this a cast fossil.

3. How do fossils show change over time?
All of the fossils that have been discovered make up the Fossil Record.
It provides evidence about the order in which species have existed through time & how they have changed.
Despite all the fossils that have been found, there are gaps in the fossil record. Fossils that help fill in these gaps are called transitional fossils.
How is this organism like both a fish and a four-legged vertebrate, such as an amphibian?

5. What other evidence supports evolution?
Some modern species and extinct species share an ancestor. A common ancestor is the most recent species from which two different species have evolved. DNA evidence, developmental patterns, and fossils all support this idea.

6. Common Structures
Scientists have found that related organisms share structural traits
Example: snakes have traces of leg-like structures that they do not use for movement. This is evidence that snakes share a common ancestor with animals like lizards.
Example: The bones in Humans’ arms and cats’ front legs are similar. This suggests that humans and cats have a common ancestor.

7. Reflection
Write 2-3 sentences describing some evidence we have to support evolution. Draw and color a picture underneath your sentences to illustrate what you wrote.