Evidence of Evolution

What does Darwin's theory of evolution suggest?

• species change over time
• extinct species are not related to living species
• different species can interbreed
• animals that look alike are most closely related

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NGSS.MS-LS4-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

What is common ancestry?

• When a species no longer exists

• When organisms are descended from a single ancestor

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NGSS.MS-LS4-2

The diagram illustrates an embryonic stage of two organisms.

Which of the following can be determined by observing the embryos shown in the diagram

• The organisms share a common ancestry.
• The organisms belong to the same genus.
• The organisms are native to the same geographic areas.
• The organisms will grow into anatomically similar adults.

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NGSS.MS-LS4-3

In stage one (top row) of these embryos, most of the embryos________

• look very similar.

• have very different features.

• show different stages of development.

• have only a tail if they are non-human.

In the the third embryonic stage (bottom row), mammal embryos _____

• have more characteristics in common with each other than with reptiles or birds.
• are still hard to tell from reptiles and birds.
• have the same features as fish, reptiles, and birds.
• do not have tails.

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NGSS.MS-LS4-2

NGSS.MS-LS4-3

The fossil record help scientists

• better understand the kinds of organisms that lived in the past

• better understand how the environment has changed over time

• better understand how organisms have evolved over time

• all of the above

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NGSS.MS-LS4-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

Structures with the same parts have different functions; suggests that organisms share a common ancestry

• vestigial structures

• homologous structures

• adaptive radiation

• fossil

The cave fish and minnow are related to each other but the cave fish is blind and only has the remnants of an eye. What type of structure is this?

• vestigial

• analogous

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NGSS.MS-LS4-2

How do fossils provide evidence that evolution has happened on Earth?

• Fossils show how the sizes of certain animals has changed drastically over millions of years
• Fossils show that some species have gone extinct
• Fossils show how life forms present today are different than those from the past
• Different sedimentary rock layers provide evidence for how the environment has changed over time

Which structure is shown in the picture?

• analogous structure

• homologous structure

• vestigial structure

• DNA

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NGSS.MS-LS4-2