| High School
L5.p1 Survival and Extinction (prerequisite)
Individual organisms with certain traits in particular
environments are more likely than others to survive
and have offspring. When an environment changes, the
advantage or disadvantage of characteristics can change.
Extinction of a species occurs when the environment
changes and the characteristics of a species are insufficient
to allow survival. Fossils indicate that many organisms
that lived long ago are extinct. Extinction of species
is common; most of the species that have lived on the
Earth no longer exist. (prerequisite)
- All
Things Cretaceous: A Digital Resource Collection for
Teaching and Learning
Outstanding
site for information related to extinction. This site
is an informative site for students. It is an excellent
site for resarch related to exctinction of plants
and animals worldwide. Several links to additional
information.
- Extinction
This is a PBS site with several videos that cover
the topic of extinction.
- Wikipedia.org-
Extinction
This site is an informative site for students. It
is an excellent site for resarch related to exctinction
of plants and animals worldwide.
- Mystery
#1: What killed the phytosaurs?
Though the word sounds disastrous, extinction is a
normal process in the history of life. Lineages go
extinct for different reasons — perhaps a random
event (like a hurricane) hit them particularly hard
or perhaps they were out-competed by another species.
- Mystery
#2: What caused oceanic mass extinctions?
Life's history has been occasionally interrupted by
larger and smaller extinction events.In the mid-Jurassic
(about 180 million years ago), ocean-dwellers experienced
one of these localized extinction events that killed
off 33-53% of marine species living at the time.
- OLogy:
Going, Going... Gone?
This site explores species extinction and the
causes of extinction and what people can do to help.
L5.p2 Classification (prerequisite)
Similarities among organisms are found in anatomical
features, which can be used to infer the degree of relatedness
among organisms. In classifying organisms, biologists
consider details of internal and external structures
to be more important than behavior or general appearance.
(prerequisite)
- Dichotomous
Key for Trees
This site contains information on dichotomous keys.
It also has an interactive dichotomous key for trees.
-
Dichotomous Key for Trees (for conifer and decidious
trees)
This site has a dichotomous key that will identify
conifers or decidiuous trees.
-
Introducing Classification
This site was designed by a seventh grade teacher
to assist students in understanding classification.
The site includes interactive presentations on characteristics
of life and five kingdom classification, as well as,
classification in general.
- Natural
Perspective - The Five Kingdoms
Wow!! Site is organized according to the biological
principles of taxonomy, or classification. You
can visit a kingdom and learn about its properties
and examples of organisms, or go directly to an organism
and then be referred to the kingdom information.
Beautiful pictures! Very informational site.
- OLogy:
The Tree of Life
This site gives students and information and experience
with classification and cladograms. The site
includes some explanatory text and an interactive
cladogram. Ties in with evolution concepts like
shared characteristics and common ancestry.
- Phylogeny
Taxonomy Look Up
Well organized, informational, has hypertext -
great support material/glossary/visuals, etc. Doesn't
categorize all prokaryotes as one (doesn't use the
term Monera). A good way to launch open ended discussion/journal
entry on human devise systems! Also includes viruses
and allows for categorization by eukaryotic types
of cells. You would need to add questions and compare
to the old five kingdom system (which is the one covered
in Michigan Curriculum Framework). Note: once in the
site, click on "Express lift to Taxa" for the divisions
used in this program, scroll to the bottom, and click
on the glossary. The glossary is great because it
covers many terms using hypertext to add visuals and
explanations. If you click on the category "Introduction
to Life", may of the terms under the enabler will
be found. It shows students examples of things that
they might otherwise not see.
- Science-class.net
This site is a teacher resource
for lectures, and acivities related to classification
- The
Tree of Life
The "Tree of Life" is a project designed to contain
information about the phylogenetic relationships and
characteristics of organisms, to illustrate the diversity
and unity of living organisms and to link biological
information available on the Internet in the form
of a phylogenetic navigator. A rather scientific site
that could be used in a number of ways to study the
diversity and interrelationships on the Earth's organisms.
It can be used for general information or an instructor
could create student activities in which their site
is used to solve problems. This is a massive and useful
site.
B5.1 Theory of Evolution
The theory of evolution provides a scientific explanation
for the history of life on Earth as depicted in the
fossil record and in the similarities evident within
the diversity of existing organisms.
- A
Science Odyssey: You try it: Human Evolution
This is an interactive lesson on human evolution
which allows students to go through some of the discoveries
scientists have made. It also links to sites about
radiocarbon dating, the piltdown hoax, and the discovery
of "Lucy."
- Anthropology
1101 Human Origins website
This is a University of Minnesota website for
the course Anthropology 1101: Human Origins.
This site is a comprehensive, award winning site complete
with lectures, pictures, hypertext, timelines, labs,
etc. A solid resource for studying all major aspects
of evolution. Major topics include: genetics,
anatomy, primate behavioral analogies, fossil evidence
and controversies, basic archeological techniques,
and the development of human economic, social, and
symbolic behaviors. Allows users to access "Archaeology
on the Net" Web Ring. Lab 3 (Third week of the course)
specifically deals with human evolutionary relationships
to selected animal groups.
- Berkely University - Relative Dating Activity New
This website contains the directions, procedures
and reporting materials to run the lab on relative
dating. The supplies that are needed for the cards
are provided and can be printed off.
- ENSI
(Evolution and the Nature of Science Institute) WEB
This is a collection of classroom lessons to help
high school biology teachers more effectively teach
basic concepts in the area of evolution and the nature
of science. They were developed and tested during
nine years of summer institutes by biology teachers
for across the nation.
- Evolution:
Its Effect Throughout Geological Time and the Controversy
In this series of Internet activities, students
can review the basics of Charles Darwin's Theory of
Evolution. They study the Scopes "Monkey Trial" of
1925 in order to learn about the early controversy
caused by the theory. They use the World Wide Web
to explore the various stages of evolution, over geologic
time, or organisms such as invertebrates, fish, amphibians,
reptiles, birds, and mammals. Students create a flow
chart illustrating how life evolved from the simplest
organisms to those that exist today, showing each
geologic period, the organisms that appeared in it,
and how each organism fits into the evolutionary story.
- Evolution:
Teachers & Sudents
Outstanding
- This excellent site by PBS provides teachers and
students with many tools to learn about evolution.
The site has videos for both teachers and students,
lesson plans, online activities, online teacher training
courses, and even a downloadable teacher's guide.
All resources come with teacher oriented descriptions
and instructions. This very polished and professional
site will appeal to teachers and students both.
- Fossil
Hominids
These web pages are intended to provide evidence
for human evolution. Several hyperlinks allow
students to gather information on various anthropological
developments involving the evolution of the genus
hominid.
- How
New Species Evolve In this two-part lesson,
students learn about both allopatric and sympatric
speciation. Students watch as, over time, the fictional
pollenpeepers evolve into divergent species after
being blown to separate islands. In the second part
of the lesson, students learn about sympatric speciation
by studying hummingbirds and lacewing flies.
- Human
Evolution: The Fossil Evidence in 3D
This site focuses on primate and human evolution.
It uses shockwave to show virtual skulls that can
be manipulated and rotated. Each skull
also has a short description of its relationship to
human evolution.
- Introduction
to Evolutionary Biology
Provides general information about evolution of
the earth and the biological evolutionary changes.
No activities at this site, but great information.
- Lesson
Plans Library
This program details lesson plans designed to explain
Darwin's theory of natural selection, profiles the
man who gave an "explanation for why we exist", and
examines the philosophical implications of Darwinism
to modern life.
- Peppered Moth Lab New
This site explains peppered
moth life cycles, their color, history of the discovery
of the change of the frequency in color of the moths
in response to pollution and the genetics/microevolution
that drives the process.
- Secrets
of the Sequence videos/lessons
These videos and accompanying lesson plans take
you and your students to laboratories where scientists
are investigating fascinating questions. SOSq creates
an avenue for students to learn from leading scientists
and ethicists about the profound moral, ethical
and
legal impact of recent discoveries in the life
sciences. With increasing public awareness of the
technical
and bioethical issues surrounding the life sciences
discoveries of the 21st century, Secrets of the
Sequence
videos and accompanying classroom-tested lesson
plans are designed to help teachers expand their
students’ knowledge. Lesson plans are designed
to walk teachers through videos, provide disscussion
questions, and
student follow-up activities. Short and current
videos!
- The eSkeletons
Project
Outstanding!
This very good site enables students to view, gather
information about, and compare the bones from a human,
chimpanzee, and baboon skeleton (requires quick time).
- The
Talk.Origins Archive
Talk orgins is a Usenet newsgroup devoted to the
discussion and debate of biological and physical orgins.
Most discussions in the newsgroup center on the creation/evolution
controversy, but other topics of discussion include
the orgin of life, geology, biology, catastrophism,
cosmology and theology.
- Tree
of Life Web Project
The Tree of Life Web Project (ToL) is a collaborative
effort of biologists from around the world. On more
than 4000 World Wide Web pages, the project provides
information about the diversity of organisms on Earth,
their evolutionary history (phylogeny), and characteristics.
- Understanding
Evolution
Understanding Evolution is a non-commercial, education
website, teaching the science and history of evolutionary
biology. This site helps you understand what evolution
is, how it works, how it factors into your life, how
research in evolutionary biology is performed, and
how ideas in this area have changed over time.
- You
Try it Human Evolution
Student activity to introduce the different hominid
species throughout history. It contains informative
notes on scientists who have found this fossilized
evidence. Shockwave plugin, needed for the interactive
component, can be downloaded from the site.
B5.2x Molecular Evidence
Molecular evidence substantiates the anatomical evidence
for evolution and provides additional detail about the
sequence in which various lines of descents branched.
- Cladistics Lab New
This is a printable page that
has to be distributed to students. They will construct
a cladogram using the species shown. Previous knowledge
of a cladogram and it's construction is required.
- Evolution
PBS provides numerous videos on the topic of evolution.
You select the topic of interest. Shockwave is required
to view these videos.
- Homologies
- Evolutionary theory predicts that related organisms
will share similarities that are derived from common
ancestors. Similar characteristics due to relatedness
are known as homologies. This site gives nice examples
of evolution homologies.
- Indiana University - Evolution/Chromosome Comparison New
This website is the procedure and handouts to
run the lab on chromosome comparison between humans
and primates. All the materials listed are provided
on links.
- Introduction
to Evolutionary Biology
Evolution is a change
in the gene pool of a population over time. A gene
is a hereditary unit that can be passed on unaltered
for many generations. The gene pool is the set of
all genes in a species or population.
- PBS - The Reproductive Dating Game New
This is
an interactive "dating" game simulation
where the student has to determine the best mate
for the subject that is the contestant. They determine
this by the information given by each contestant
regarding habitat, food sources, reproductive style,
etc.
- What
is the evidence for evolution?
- This site has a shopping list of links on the
topic of evolution. Pick you topic.
B5.3 Natural Selection
Evolution is the consequence of natural selection, the
interactions of (1) the potential for a population to
increase its numbers, (2) the genetic variability of
offspring due to mutation and recombination of genes,
(3) a finite supply of the resources required for life,
and (4) the ensuing selection from environmental pressure
of those organisms better able to survive and leave
offspring.
- Boning
Up on Fossil Features
Through an investigation of various dinosaurs,
both as a class and individually, students can explore
the relationship between physical features and survival.
Students will, among other things: describe and give
examples of how features of an animal's body relate
to that animal's survival; read and discuss an article
discussing an ongoing controversy regarding dinosaurs;
understand the features that "define" what is classified
as a dinosaur; interpret, form illustrations of dinosaurs,
how dinosaurs may have lived; and investigate a specific
dinosaur. Please note that this site may not be accessable
using the URL posted above directly. Instead, use
The Gateway to Educational Materials website (http://www.thegateway.org/
)and search by title.
- Fossil
Horses in Cyberspace
This site shows a gallery of horse evolution.
Fossils of horses and their ancestors show a very
complete timeline of how this species changed over
time. This virtual museum will take you through
a tour of the horse fossils found and how these fossils
are evidence for evolution. Excellent resource
for displaying evolution in a well known species.
- National
Geographic- Xpeditions Example lesson
plans on "Survival of the Fittest". The
site has many lessons availabe to review. Also within
the lessons are links to other excellent lessons and
activities. There are also links to detailed information
related to the topic.
- Peppered
Moth Game
Outstanding This is a site where students
can act out the peppered moth story by playing a game
that simulates changes in moth population due to pollution
and predation. The site is complete with reflection
questions.
- The
Dawn of Animal Life Exhibit
This site contains an exhibit about the dawn of animals
life on the earth.
- The
Talk.Origins Archive
Talk orgins is a Usenet newsgroup devoted to the
discussion and debate of biological and physical orgins.
Most discussions in the newsgroup center on the creation/evolution
controversy, but other topics of discussion include
the orgin of life, geology, biology, catastrophism,
cosmology and theology.
- Tree of Life Web Project New
This website provides
information about biodiversity, the characteristics
about different groups of organisms, and phylogeny.
It includes extinct species.
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