evidences of evolution honors biology jefferson county high school j. harper cle 3210.5.4

Evidences of Evolution

Honors BiologyJefferson County High School

J. HarperCLE 3210.5.4

1. Fossil Evidence A fossil is the preserved remains or imprint

of an organism that lived many years ago. Fossil evidence shows the changes

between species that lived in the past and those alive today.

Scientists have used fossils to show the similarities between species that are extinct and their modern relatives.

2. Comparative Morphology Many species have a common anatomical

(physical) structure. The branch of science in which structures of

living things are compared to understand their development among species is called comparative morphology.

(“Morph”- form, “ology” – study of) Bone structures and body parts can be

divided into two distinct categories.

A. Analogous Structures- serve the same purpose in different species but evolved independently. In other words, these structures did not evolve from the same structures in a common ancestor.

Example: Butterflies, bats & birds wingsB. Homologous Structures- are similar body

parts found in different species. These body parts provide evidence that each of the different organisms developed from a common ancestor.

Example: Forelimb bone structure

Body Part Categories

3. Embryology An embryo is: a developing organism at a

stage prior to birth or hatching. Embryology is the study of living things

before birth. Many organisms are very similar in appearance and have common features as embryos but vary significantly as adults.

These similarities provide evidence for evolution from common ancestors.

4. Biochemical Evidence

Organisms that look similar today are believed to have a more recent common ancestor than do organisms that look very different. However, we do not rely solely on outward appearances.

By looking at similarities in DNA using gel electrophoresis, scientists can tell how closely related two organisms are by comparing the number of base pairs they have in common.

Example: Many organisms contain a red blood cell protein called hemoglobin. The amino acid sequence for this protein in humans is almost identical to the sequence for this protein in gorillas. They differ by only one amino acid.

Get in groups of 3-4. Design a newspaper article about the evidences

of evolution. Your article should tell the public about the evidence for evolution. Summarize what you have learned today.

Make a creative title for your newspaper. Write a creative, catchy headline for your article. You must have at least one picture in your

newspaper. It should have a caption! Your newspaper should have the date and the

writer’s names on it. Make it colorful!

Newspaper Article Assignment