Evolution Test Objectives

Pg 136-178

Test objective / Where you can study it
  1. vocabulary: species, adaptation, scientific theory, natural selection, competition, variation, fossil, petrified fossil, trace fossil, cast, mold, carbon film, extinct, gradualism, punctuated equilibrium, homologous structures, cladogram, igneous rock, absolute age, relative age, radioactive (radiometric) dating, law of superposition, extrusion, intrusion, fault, unconformity, index fossil, half life
/ textbook pgs 136-178
  1. Explain what the law of superposition is.
/ r.g. pg 52, fossils and relative dating activity
  1. Contrast relative age to absolute age.
/ r.g.pg 52
  1. Explain what radioactive (radiometric) dating is.
/ radioactive m & m’s, r.g. pg 54-55
  1. Explain what a half life is.
/ radioactive m & m’s, r.g. pg 55
  1. Calculate how many grams will be left after 100,000 years if the radioactive element has a half life of 25,000 years.
/ radioactive m & m’s
  1. Use a graph that shows time passed vs. amount of radioactive substance to calculate how old a fossil is.
/ radioactive m & m’s
  1. Explain what the theory of evolution is.
/ theory and evolution notes
  1. Explain what a species is.
/ r.g. pg 41
  1. Identify the time frame of evolution.
/ evolution/geologic timeline
  1. Name the 3 pieces of evidence that supports the theory of evolution.
/ textbook pages 147-155
  1. Explain what a mutation is.
/ who is your closest relative
  1. Explain how mutations assist natural selection.
/ natural selection notes, who is your closest relative
  1. Given pieces of DNA determine how closely related different species are.
/ who is your closest relative
  1. Explain how the theory of natural selection works.
/ natural selection notes, let’s grub on some grass beetles
  1. Identify who developed the theory of natural selection.
/ natural selection notes
  1. Explain why the theory of natural selection is important to evolution.
/ natural selection notes
  1. Explain how a species’ environment affects natural selection.
/ let’s grub on some grass beetles, natural selection simulation
  1. Explain what an adaptation is.
/ r.g. pg 42
  1. Explain what a variation is.
/ let’s grub on some grass beetles
  1. Given a diagram of rock layers, identify the relative ages of fossils, identify index fossils, identify intrusions, extrusions and unconformities.
/ textbook pgs 170-173

Paragraph Questions:

One of these paragraph questions will be on the test (you don’t know which one will be selected). You must write a large paragraph that addresses each part of the question. You must use correct grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling.

Paragraph Question #1 A fellow student from another academy is arguing that natural selection is not a theory that can adequately explain why evolution happens. Since you have become an expert on the theory of natural selection, explain how the theory of natural selection works. Be sure to state who developed the theory and provide an example of natural selection that have been observed by scientists.

Paragraph Question #2 Mr. Carruth doesn’t know much about evolution. Explain to Mr. Carruth what the theory of evolution is. Be sure to explain to him the 3 pieces of evidence that support the theory, the geologic time involved, and why the law of superposition is important.