Fossil Evidence and Evolution

Introduction

As we navigate through the unit of Evolutionary History , students will explore concepts such as evolution and the significance of fossil evidence. 

Task

Task 1 : Watch the video published by PBS entitled , " Fossils : Rocking the Earth" and respond to the following questions :

1) What are fossils ?

2) Why are fossils significant ? How do they assist scientist ? 

 

Task 2 : Homologous Structures 

1) Homologous structures are structures that have similar structure but different functions.

A) True

B) False

 

2) Homologous structures suggest that many species are related and have common ancestry.

A) True

B) False

 

3) Over time, species change. Once a species changes so much that it cannot reproduce with the older species a new species has developed. Meaning , older and newer species eventually are considered to be two different species because they can no longer reproduce together. 

A) True

B) False

 

Task 3 : Vestigial Structures

1) Explain what are vestigial structures. 

 

Task 4 : The Spinosaurus

 

Task 5 

Explore the following links to learn more about fossils 

National Geographic :

https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/fossil/

 

Science News for Students :

https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/topic/fossils

Evaluation

Great Job Explorer . Now that you have familiarized yourself fossils and the evidence they leave behind, Construct a 1 page explanation detailing : 

A) The importance of fossils

B) The role they play in evolutionary history 

C) Explain how anatomical similarities and differences among species ( past and present) suggest they are related 

Teacher Page

The presented items support the Evolutionary History Unit and support the following standard(s) :

MS-LS4-2 

  Apply scientific ideas to construct an explanation for the anatomical similarities and differences among modern organisms and between modern and fossil organisms to infer evolutionary relationships.