Biology · Web viewexplain how Earth’s surface has changed over time (plate tectonics) explain how plate tectonics have caused environmental and climate changes that affect the

Evolution 1 Standard (EVO 1)

Beginning Student can utilize basic models to answer questions about deep time (relative dating) Students can identify definitions in multiple choice format Student shows major misconceptions in conceptual thinking (not able to demonstrate learning from the

unit, can not use information given to demonstrate skill)

Approaching: Students can demonstrate all of the above and… can provide definitions to key terms in the unit (all definitions so far) can identify traits of organisms on a cladogram can demonstrate basic understanding of the enormity of deep time minor errors or slight misconceptions are interfering with analysis of events across deep time

o Includes: Minor inability to read through information and analyze events to create a timeline, can’t not use scientific reasoning to defend their claims, and does not either use or understand evidence in support of their claim

conceptual understanding is not clearly demonstrated but is emerging (not consistent)o Includes: shows clear signs of note-taking but does not demonstrate true understanding in the concepts

(can’t explain), can create a timeline of KNOWN events but cannot add to that list even when other information is given

Meeting: Students can demonstrate all of the above and… explain how Earth’s surface has changed over time (plate tectonics) explain how plate tectonics have caused environmental and climate changes that affect the

evolution of living organisms explain the progression of species in the Geological Time Line based on rational conclusions

and inferences use relative (Stratigraphy) and absolute (Radiometric Dating) dating methods as evidence for

Earth’s long history (deep time) Identify appropriate absolute dating measures for use on fossils use fossil evidence to infer which continents were connected during each time period…

explain how fossils can be used to determine connectivity of continents use fossil evidence to explain the process of evolution** Create and analyze a cladogram using anatomical comparison and biochemical comparison to

illustrate evolutionary relationships

Exceeding: Students can demonstrate all of the above and… Complete all components of meeting the standard (3) have no errors demonstrate deep understanding of the complex issues surrounding deep time analysis demonstrate deep understanding of the complex issues surrounding fossils, relative dating, and absolute dating

EARTH STORY: The early formation of Earth was a hot, molten ball of lava/magma. Earth’s surface cooled and hardened, forming and melting pieces of unstable crust over and over. The oldest known rock dates back to approximately 4.36 billion years ago. The cooling surface allowed liquid water to form, creating shallow seas across the globe. In these seas bacteria came into existence. As bacteria thrived and mutated into a vast array of forms, special and very successful bacteria gained the ability to photosynthesize, producing oxygen gas. The carbon dioxide and hydrogen content in the atmosphere decreased while the oxygen and nitrogen content increased. The increase in free oxygen enabled or triggered the evolution of more complete eukaryotes (cells with nucleus around the DNA).

As life gained greater complexity, mitochondria evolved in some cells, allowing them to ingest carbon-based molecules and, with oxygen, convert these molecules into useable cellular energy. This made it possible for multicellular organisms to develop. There is evidence that soft-bodied creatures like flatworms existed by the end of the Precambrian era as early as 680 million years ago. Then life evolved rapidly from 570-500 million years ago in the Cambrian period. Green aquatic plant life gained diversity with multicellular algae and seaweeds become prevalent, creating more free oxygen & food. Hard-bodies organisms, starting with shelled mollusks and then leading to the first echinoderms (spiny skinned animals like sea urchins) and arthropods appeared. Animals were enabled to grow larger with greater amounts of oxygen available. With all of the new life, there was greater competition for resources and a need for protection. By the end of the Cambrian period, the first trilobites were in existence with their strong exoskeleton and jointed appendages. With success and adaptation, trilobites evolved into larger and more complex organisms with brutal carnivorous behaviors. In fact, Trilobites ruled the oceans until 245 million years ago.

The first vertebrate life shows up in simplistic fish during the Ordovician period around 480 million years ago. Life was still ever changing in the oceans before the move to land, about 430 million years ago. Land plants had 30 million years to evolve and spread before animals moved to land. The first land animals were not the move to amphibians (they were the first vertebrate animals on land). Instead, the first land animals were relatives to those animals that live in the tidal zone, ones that can handle being out of the water for periods of time and have exoskeletons, evolving into insects and the like. For example, in unrelated events, sharks and spiders evolved at a similar time, showing that animals were adapting in the sea and on land equally. The Carboniferous period was marked with a vast diversity of plants including trees.

The increasing complexity on land grew “quickly”. Mammals arose from a specialized line of reptiles. Only the smallest of mammals survived, first the presence of dinosaurs and then the mass extinction that killed the dinosaurs. The break up of Pangaea formed the Atlantic Ocean. Areas of South America and Africa, which are now separated by a vast ocean, have identical dinosaur fossils in areas of the coastline that match up like a puzzle, adding evidence for the presence of Pangaea. After the mass extinction that killed the dinosaurs, there was very little life left on the planet, but this produced a lack of competition, which led to diversification.

Formation of Earth, 4.6 Billion years ago (4,600,000,000)Bacterial life starts, 3.5 Billions years ago (3,500,000,000)

Free Oxygen starts to building in atmosphere, 2.5 Billions years ago (2,500,000,000)Land plants start growing 430 Million years ago (430,000,000)Land animals originate, 400 Million years ago (400,000,000)

Pangaea (the Super continent) forms, 290 Million years ago (290,000,000)First dinosaurs, 235 Million years ago (235,000,000)

Earliest hominid, 4 Million years ago (4,000,000)Lucy, the upright hominid, 3.2 Million years ago (3,200,000)

Neanderthals & Early Man, 100 Thousand years ago (100,000)Modern Humans, 35 Thousand years ago (35,000)

Most recent ice age, 25 Thousand years ago (25,000)

ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND: Archaeopteryx is the earliest and most primitive known bird. It is

similar in shape to a Magpie and could be as large as a raven. It is small size, has broad wings, and probably had the ability to fly or glide. Oddly, Archaeopteryx has more in common with small theropod dinosaurs than it did to modern birds. Archaeopteryx evolved from those theropod dinosaurs and coexisted with the later dinosaurs.

Ferns have been around since the Permian Period. They have survived numerous extinction events. In fact, ferns have recolonized

areas after mass extinctions on more than one occasion; this same type of fern recolonization occurred after the 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption here in Washington.

Jellyfish, a soft-bodied organism, are entirely dependent on water for survival. Fossilized jellyfish show that they have not changed much, having similar complexity, since the end of the Cambrian Period.

The Cretaceous–Tertiary extinction (the K—T event), which occurred approximately 65.5 million years ago, was a large-scale mass extinction where most of the animal and plant species died in a short period of time (think “short” in the Deep Time sense). Non-flying dinosaurs became extinct during the K—T event. Scientists theorize that the K–T extinctions were caused by one or more catastrophic events, such as massive asteroid impact(s) and/or increased volcanic activity.

The Ginkgo, a type of tree, is a living fossil. The Ginkgo is probably related to the original "seed ferns”. Ginkgo diversified and spread throughout Laurasia, one of the two large continents created when Pangaea broke in half.

Figure 3. Jellyfish

Figure 2. Ferns

Figure 1. Archaeopteryx

EVO1/deep time: PRACTICE PROBLEMS (P1-P11)P1. Put the occurrences in order from oldest to youngest.Occurrences:

(first) reptiles Archaeopteryx pictograms Cretaceous—Tertiary Extinction (first) bacteria (first) Jellyfish

P2. Put the occurrences in order from oldest to youngest. Using the relative dating, write the time frame during which the occurrence happened (between date and date used from the story).Occurrences:

First mammals First amphibians Formation of the Rocky Mts First hominids Trilobites

CARBON-1499% of all carbon on Earth is carbon-12. Less than 1% of carbon is formed as carbon-14, i.e. making up as much as 1 part per trillion (0.0000000001%) of the carbon in the atmosphere. Carbon-14 decays into nitrogen-14. The half-life of carbon-14 is 5,730 (±40) years.

URANIUM-238Uranium-238 is the most common variation of uranium found in nature, making up around 99% of natural uranium. Uranium-238 decays into Lead-206, and it has a half-life of 4.468 billion years.

P3. How long ago did the owner of a fossilized leg bone with 12.5% Carbon-14 & 87.5% Nitrogen-14 die?

P4. Which type of radioactive element would be used in the radiometric dating (absolute dating) something that is 3.15 billion years old)? Defend your answer.P5. Explain how plate tectonics have created major shifts in climate over Earth’s history. Have at least 2 concrete examples. (Read this article and watch the video: How Plate Tectonics Work, in Two-And-A-Half Minutes. You're Welcome, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/19/plate-tectonics-explained-video_n_6487420.html )P6. Explain why a bulk of the plants died after the K-T event.

P7. Paying attention to plate tectonics, explain how/why Antarctica has plant & animal fossils in the rock under the ice.

P8. The Echidna (shown here) and the platypus are both egg-laying mammals. Egg laying mammals are only found in Australia. What does the presence of these egg-laying mammals tell you about the

timing of when Australia split from the other continents in Pangaea? P9. Describe the order of events in the following stratigraphy.

OCCURANCE RELATIVE DATINGOldest

between __ _________ - ___ ________

between ___ ________ - ___________

between ___ ________ - ___________

between __ _________ - __ _________

between __________ - ___________

Occurrence order…oldest

1. ______ ______________________

2. _____ _______________________

3. ____ ________________________

4. _____ ___________________

5. _________________________

6. _____ _______________________Occurrence order…youngest

P10. Name three characteristics possessed by crocodiles

P11. According to the cladogram, which character evolved first: keratinized skin or bipedalism?

P12. On the cladogram, circle the point that represents the most recent common ancestor of crocodiles, dinosaurs and birds.

P11. Which continents were connected at each period of time based on the fossil and/or rock evidence? Use evidence in your explanation.

P10. Which fossil is the oldest? The youngest?How do you know?