Evolution and Geologic Time Webquest
Introduction
The theory of evolution by natural selection explains the relationships between all life forms. Evolution is the foundation of the biological sciences. Unfortunately, it is a controversial topic and this makes it hard to sort through the facts and evidence. One of the strongest bodies of evidence for evolution is the fossil record. It provides a porthole into the history of life. Often the evidence that comes from the fossil record is misunderstood. Many opponents of evolution point that the record is filled with "gaps" and shows no transitional organisms. In this activity we are going to look into these claims. It is important to know how fossils form, how they are dated, and how to interpret them. This will allow an individual to be able to sort through the evidence for themselves. Fossils give only a glimpse of the past, they form under specific conditions and many organisms do not leave a trace. Still with these conditions fossils continue to provide some of the strongest evidence in support of the theory of evolution.
Task
Students will work alone or in groups of two to create a brochure to share with their family and friends. The brochure will include: an explanation of geologic time, how fossils form, how they are dated, and how the fossil evidence supports the theory of evolution. They will use the resources listed below and will be graded using the rubric included.
RUBRIC
RUBRIC
ObjectivesGiven this webquest the students will be able to:
1) Understand the various ways of dating fossils. 2) Describe how fossils are created. 3) Appreciate that ‘gaps’ in the fossil record are not a sign of weakness in the theory of evolution NYS Living Environment Core Curriculum CLICK HERE |
ResourcesTake a look at Geologic (Deep) Time. HERE
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