Honors Biology
Unit 5: Evolution
and Classification
Tanya Stearney
TF South High School
Lansing, IL
Chapters 15, 17 & 18
**Required Assignments
| Assignments |
Points
Possible |
Date
Due |
| **PBS Video Essays (C#1) | 35 | 4/7 |
| Section 1: Choose one additional assignment from below to complete (C#2): | ||
| Develop a list of examples of the biodiversity that Darwin observed. | 10 | 4/8 |
| Type a 2-page paper (double spaced) comparing Darwin’s and Wallace’s background, career and theories of evolution. Cite all references used. | 20 | |
| Research Count Georges Louis-Leclerc de Buffon, who influenced Darwin with his own writings, try to find some of Buffon’s original work and show how his work contributed to Darwin’s theories. Type a 2-page paper or create a poster with pictures and explanations. | 20 | |
| Create a concept map summarizing the contributions of other scientists to Darwin’s ideas about evolution. | 10 | |
| Imagine you are James Hutton or Charles Lyell addressing an audience of their time. Type a speech explaining your ideas, noting what your listeners will consider new and different. | 15 | |
| Outline 15-1 and 15-2 in textbook | 10 | |
| Complete Section Assessments p. 372 #1-5 and p. 377 #1-5 | 10 | |
| Section 2: Choose one assignment from below to complete (C#3): | ||
| Brainstorm ways Earth might change over the next 1000 years. Select an organism living today and explain how it might evolve to adapt to the changes. Describe this in writing or make a sketch of specific adaptations in your organism. | 10 | 4/9 |
| Research the convergent evolution of marsupial and placental mammals. Create a poster or type a 1-page paper that compares examples of both. | 15 | |
| Create a concept map that summarizes Darwin’s Theory of Evolution. | 10 | |
| Construct a compare/contrast table listing similarities and differences between artificial and natural selection and give examples of each | 10 | |
| Write a brief newspaper explaining the theory of evolution by natural selection for an audience who knows nothing about the subject. | 15 | |
| Outline 15-3 in textbook | 5 | |
| Complete Section Assessment p. 386 #1-5 | 5 | |
| Section 3: Choose one assignment from below to complete (C#4): | ||
| Make a model fossil of a shell, leaf, fern frond, nut or other small organic specimen. Use plaster of Paris, something similar or check with me if you have a better idea J | 15 | 4/14 |
| Research the infolding theory of the origin of eukaryotic cells. Explain what is proposes and what evidence supports it. Type an explanation or draw a diagram to explain it. Cite all references used. | 20 | |
| Write a concise paragraph describing the role of photosynthetic bacteria in the evolution of early life on earth. | 15 | |
| Construct a poster of the geologic eras (including a time scale with each period). Include pictures and labels to show major evolutionary events and the most important organisms that lived in that era; or create a newspaper story describing the major evolutionary events and the most important organisms that lived in that era. | 25 | |
| Make a list of terms and phrases that are associated with divergent and convergent evolution (listing each evolution separately). Add drawings or photographs for each. | 10 | |
C-Layer (70 pts min. / 115 pts
max.)
| Section 4: Choose one assignments from below to complete (C#4): | ||
| Write a paragraph explaining why it is important to classify the diversity of living things. | 10 | 4/17 |
| Write a paragraph about two different species of bears, that illustrates binomial nomenclature. Cite all references used. | 15 | |
| Construct a Venn diagram to show similarities and differences between traditional classification diagrams and cladograms. | 10 | |
| Draw a cladogram of a manufactured item, such as a car, house-hold item, that has changed over the years. Label derived characters that appeared as new models arose. | 10 | |
| Research different organisms found in each kingdom. Sketch or use photos to create a poster illustrating all the diversity. | 20 | |
**Natural Selection Activity |
15 | 4/9 |
**Becoming Human Web Activity |
15 | 4/15 |
**Using Dichotomous Keys Lab |
15 | 4/18 |
A-Layer – 40 pts
| Create a power point presentation or booklet on Darwin's Theory of Natural Selection. The presentation must have at least 5 slides or pages. (A title slide and 4 slides identifying and explaining his 4 most important ideas.) On the last slide or page of your book , explain whether you agree or disagree with Darwin's theory. Justify your answer. | 40 | |
| Select an adaptation of a plant or animal. Write a scenario explaining how the trait might have evolved according to Lamarck, then write a second scenario using Darwin’s ideas. | 40 | |
| Create a board game in which players must correctly answer the questions about the periods of the Geologic Eras in order to advance around the board. Each player should represent a type of organism that actually lived during the eras. Can include environmental changes and extinction. | 40 |