Evolution Case Study Criteria

Students will each be given an organism to research they have to find:

-Earliest ancestor of the organism in the same class

-Intermediate forms that lead to the modern animal

-compare and contrast modern and intermediate species adaptations

-compare and contrast the environmental conditions that influenced evolution

-list of adaptations of modern species

-list of modern relatives and their adaptations

-describe the timeline associated with the organisms evolution (ie. When was the first one found?)

Animals Tree frog, boa constrictor, cat, modern humans, pigeon

Kingdom: Animalia

Phyllum Chordata subphyla Vertebrata: fish, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, birds

Classes amphibia, mammalia, aves, reptilia

In rubric there needs to be something about the variety in a population that leads to natural
selection/speciation, diverging from the species to form new animals

Make sure the starting point is easy to understand and get into for the students. Give them a
starting point, a few animals in each class that they can choose from to research.

Try to have fewer key points that they need to look at for time considerations.
Evolution Case Study Due Tuesday 21st June

Prepare a 5-minute presentation on your given animal.

Animals Tree frog, boa constrictor, cat, modern humans, pigeon.

Classes Amphibia, Mammalia, Aves, Reptilia

To be done in groups of no more than 5.

You will need to address the following criteria in your presentation:

Criteria 0 1 2 3
Addresses the Does not Talks about the Talks about the Addresses the
earliest ancestors address earliest ancestor in earliest ancestor ancestors and also
and intermediate their animal class and intermediate what class they
forms leading up (ie. Amphibia, forms leading up to originally came from
to modern day mammalia, aves, animal before their earliest
animal. reptilian) ancestor.
Compare and Does not Species adaptations Species Species adaptations
contrast modern address are listed adaptations are are listed and
and ancestor listed and briefly compared in detail.
species compared.
adaptation.
Compare and Does not Talks about Talks about Details environmental
contrast address environmental environmental conditions and how
environmental conditions conditions but not that influenced the
conditions that clear how that animals evolution.
influenced influences
evolution evolution.
A list of modern Does not One modern relative One modern Two or more modern
relatives and their address relative and details relatives with
adaptations of their differences explanation about
their differences
Timeline Does not Has times for when Has timeline for Places animal in
associated with address the animals earliest earliest ancestor, timeline with reference
organisms ancestor appeared. also providing to other tetrapods and
evolution (with times for in the wider scale of
relation to other intermediate life.
organisms) forms.
Presentation No Rarely engaging Sometimes Extremely engaging,
presentation engaging, slightly with a good flow
awkward between sections
transitions
Use of scientific Rarely relating Rarely Sometimes uses Referring to terms such
language to scientific language. as speciation, natural
selection, evolution,
adaptation,
characteristics.
References No References One reference Two references Three or more
references
Name of Assessor: Group Being Assessed:

Marks: /21

Criteria 0 1 2 3
Addresses the Does not Talks about the Talks about the Addresses the
earliest ancestors address earliest ancestor in earliest ancestor ancestors and also
and intermediate their animal class and intermediate what class they
forms leading up (ie. Amphibia, forms leading up to originally came from
to modern day mammalia, aves, animal before their earliest
animal. reptilian) ancestor.
Compare and Does not Species adaptations Species Species adaptations
contrast modern address are listed adaptations are are listed and
and ancestor listed and briefly compared in detail.
species compared.
adaptation.
Compare and Does not Talks about Talks about Details environmental
contrast address environmental environmental conditions and how
environmental conditions conditions but not that influenced the
conditions that clear how that animals evolution.
influenced influences
evolution evolution.
A list of modern Does not One modern relative One modern Two or more modern
relatives and their address relative and details relatives with
adaptations of their differences explanation about
their differences
Timeline Does not Has times for when Has timeline for Places animal in
associated with address the animals earliest earliest ancestor, timeline with reference
organisms ancestor appeared. also providing to other tetrapods and
evolution (with times for in the wider scale of
relation to other intermediate life.
organisms) forms.
Presentation No Rarely engaging Sometimes Extremely engaging,
presentation engaging, slightly with a good flow
awkward between sections
transitions
Use of scientific Rarely relating Rarely Sometimes uses Referring to terms such
language to scientific language. as speciation, natural
selection, evolution,
adaptation,
characteristics.
Areas of Excellence (What have they done well? What is your reasoning?)

Areas of Development (What have they done that could use improvement? What could be done to
make those improvements?)
 Group/Self Evaluation

Name: Group Topic:

Group Members:

You need to DISTRIBUTE 10 marks (you may have 0.5 marks) amongst yourself and your group members.

Group Member:

Marks:

Rationale (What was their contribution? What could they improve on? Essentially WHY they are being given this mark):

You need to DISTRIBUTE 10 marks amongst yourself and your group members.

Group Member:

Marks:

Rationale (What was their contribution? What could they improve on? Essentially WHY they are being given this mark):

You need to DISTRIBUTE 10 marks amongst yourself and your group members.

Group Member:

Marks:

Rationale (What was their contribution? What could they improve on? Essentially WHY they are being given this mark):

You need to DISTRIBUTE 10 marks amongst yourself and your group members.

Group Member:

Marks:

Rationale (What was their contribution? What could they improve on? Essentially WHY they are being given this mark):

You need to DISTRIBUTE 10 marks amongst yourself and your group members.

Group Member:

Marks:

Rationale (What was their contribution? What could they improve on? Essentially WHY they are being given this mark):