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Genetic evidence of evolution activity – includes GOOGLE SLIDES VERSION!
The level of this activity is suited for students who have very little – if any – background in DNA and protein synthesis. The activity leads students to an “enduring understanding” that the more differences there are in DNA, the further apart two organisms are related, and the further back in time they share a common ancestor.
In this resource, students will:
- Read a brief and middle school-appropriate introduction about DNA and proteins
- Examine differences in two DNA sequences of several different organisms
- Complete a Claims-Evidence-Reasoning section about which vertebrates are most and least closely related to each other
- Use the information to fill in blanks on a simple cladogram
- Answer concluding analysis questions
Teacher Notes:
- INCLUDES AN ANSWER KEY.
- Please note: This DNA evidence of evolution activity is not editable.
- A link to the Google Slides version is provided within the downloadable PDF.
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Related Standards:
- NGSS MS-LS4-2: Apply scientific ideas to construct an explanation for the anatomical similarities and differences among modern organisms and between modern and fossil organisms to infer evolutionary relationships.
- NGSS MS-LS4-3: Analyze displays of pictorial data to compare patterns of similarities in the embryological development across multiple species to identify relationships not evident in the fully formed anatomy.
