Changes in Life

After touring the Galapagos Islands on the HMS Beagle and observing the variety of plant and animal species living on the islands, Charles Darwin spent years analyzing the information and data he collected throughout his voyage.  From his observations he realized that, through genetic variation, competition, and changing environments, species can change over time.  He explained this process as natural selection in which organisms best fit for their environment survive to pass on their successful genes.  Natural selection is the driving force for evolution (the allele frequency change within a species) and this unit will examine the evidence for the process of species changing (or becoming new species) as well as the impact of environmental changes on current species. 

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Changes in Life Learning Standards

Resources

​Evolution Quizlet Set

Evolution:

• Utah Learn Genetics: Stickleback Evolution
• McGraw Hill Genetic Drift Animation
• McGraw Hill: Mechanisms of Evolution 
• SciShow: This is Not What Evolution Looks Like
• What is the Molecular Clock?

Speciation

• Sickle Cell Anemia Presentation
• Mechanisms of Speciation Animation
• Founder Effects & Speciation Animation
• Salamander Speciation
• Sympatric Speciation
• Allopatric Speciation
• Evolution, Sympatric Allopatric Comic

Evolution Videos

• Crash Course Biology: Natural Selection
• Stated Clearly: What is Evolution?
• Evolutionary Development​
• ​Paul Anderson: Stickleback Evolution
• ​HHMI: Stickleback Evolution
• Stated Clearly Evidence for Evolution​​

Notes & Lectures:

A4.1 Evolution & Speciation

A4.2 Conservation of Biodiversity

Shelby Unit Summary