Evolution & Natural Selection

Open Ended

What is the oldest version of a cell phone that you can recall? What characteristics does your cell phone and this cell phone have in common?

Multiple Choice

Which of the following phones revolutionized smartphones with a touchscreen interface?

• Motorola DynaTAC 8000X

• Nokia 3210

• Apple iPhone (1st Gen)

• iPhone 15 Pro

Multiple Select

Based on the images and discussion, select all factors that contributed to the evolution of cell phones over time.

• Technological advancements

• Consumer preferences

• Government regulations

• Environmental changes

Open Ended

What are some things you noticed about the common ancestry of cell phones and how they evolved over time?

Multiple Select

Which of the following are features that help aquatic animals survive in their environment?

• Gills

• Fur

• Fins

• Webbed feet

Open Ended

How do you think those creatures got those features?

Multiple Choice

How do anatomical homology, biogeography, embryology, and fossil records provide evidence for evolution?

• They show similarities and differences among species over time.

• They only show differences among species.

• They only focus on physical traits.

• They do not provide any evidence for evolution.

Fill in the Blanks

The first whales had

, which allowed them to walk on land.

Open Ended

How might scientists investigate patterns in evolution using observations and questions from the classroom discussion?

Multiple Select

Based on the whale anatomy diagrams and the evolutionary tree, what are two key features that suggest whales evolved from land animals?

• Presence of leg bones in early ancestors

• Development of flippers from limbs

• Loss of hair over time

• Development of baleen plates

Multiple Choice

Which of the following extinct animals is considered the earliest ancestor of modern whales according to the diagram?

• Indohyus

• Pakicetus

• Ambulocetus

• Dorudon

Fill in the Blanks

What evidence suggests whales might have evolved from land animals?

Open Ended

You find a fossil with both leg bones and whale-like skull features. What might this tell you about when this animal lived?

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is NOT a piece of evidence that supports the idea that whales evolved from land mammals?

• Presence of leg bones in early whale ancestors

• Similarity in skull structure between whales and land mammals

• Development of baleen plates in modern whales

• Fossil record showing transitional forms

Open Ended

Compare the skeletal structures in the whale evolutionary diagrams. What patterns do you notice about the transition from land to water?

Open Ended

Primates are most closely related to which animal? (What are 3 things do they have in common?)

Open Ended

Crocodiles are most closely related to which animal? (What are 3 things do they have in common?)

Open Ended

What do characteristic do you think their common ancestor provided to all of these organisms? (Show evidence)

Open Ended

According to this cladogram what are some characteristics from their common ancestor?

Open Ended

According to the image when did the nostrils begin to shift?

Open Ended

According to the image when did you notice the largest jaw structure differences?

Open Ended

Based on today’s lesson what can you infer about whales common ancestors and how whales or dolphins evolved over time?

Open Ended

How many animals did you see you in this video that live in the United States?

Multiple Choice

According to the cladogram which species is closest to our time?

• Indri

• Ring tailed lemurs

• Aye-Aye

• Bamboo lemurs

Multiple Choice

According to the cladogram which species is the oldest?

• The species with the most branches in the cladogram.
• The species at the base of the cladogram.
• The species in the middle of the cladogram.
• The species at the top of the cladogram.

Open Ended

What do you notice about the change in where pandas reside?

Open Ended

What are some characteristics that you noticed about the animals that are locked to a certain geographical location?

What are some differences that you noticed about the animals that reside on Madagascar vs other animals?

Open Ended

List similarities in the human arm and the bat wing.

Open Ended

List differences between the human arm and the cat leg.

Open Ended

Which species are most closely related? What is your evidence?

Open Ended

Which species are least commonly related? What is your evidence?

Open Ended

Which type of homology (anatomical, molecular, or developmental) do you find most convincing as evidence for whale evolution? Justify your choice.

Open Ended

What questions do you still have about the different rates of evolutionary change, such as gradualism and abrupt appearance, discussed in today's lesson?