Theory of Evolution Assignment

For this project you will create an essay, a PowerPoint presentation, a poster, a
brochure, an infographic, or any other type of project you wish.
You will provide a written answer for each question. This will explain the question
asked in detail and with your best writing. You may want to create an essay-style
paper that you hand in with your presentation choice.
1. Who developed the Theory of Evolution?
2. What does the Theory of Evolution state (basic idea)
evolution - Kids | Britannica Kids | Homework Help
Evolution Lesson for Kids: Definition & Theory | Study.com
3. What is the difference between the Theory of Evolution and a Creation Story?
(Hint...there is one simple answer...The Theory of Evolution doesn't...)
https://simple.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creation_myth
4. Explain why Darwin created his theory.
https://youtu.be/JOk_0mUT_JU
Use the information from biology4kids.com/files/studies_evolution.html to answer
questions 4 - 8
Give different examples than those given in the explanation.
5. Explain Natural Selection.
6. Explain Convergent Evolution
7. Explain Divergent Evolution
8. Explain Coevolution
9. In the section, Looking at Humans, create a display that shows the information
about our classification as humans.
http://www.historybits.com/charles-darwin.htm
http://biology4kids.com/files/studies_careers.html
 Charles Darwin - Theory of Evolution
Charles Darwin, one of the most influential persons in history, never dreamed
that he would develop one of history’s most important scientific theories.
Moreover, he would be surprised at the major controversy his ideas spawned in
his lifetime and how they would fester over 100 years later.
Charles Robert Darwin was born in Shrewsbury, England on February 12, 1809.
Charles was the second youngest child of a large family of six children. Darwin’s
family came from a long line of accomplished scientists. Charles’s father was Dr.
R. W. Darwin, an esteemed physician. Charles’s grandfather, Dr. Erasmus Darwin
was a famous botanist, known throughout the scientific world.
Charles Darwin was a lucky child of wealth, privilege and accomplishment.
Charles loved the freedom that allowed him to explore nature. He was infatuated
by how all that surrounds man in the natural world works and why.
In October of 1825, Charles and his brother Erasmus enrolled at Edinburgh
University. After successful studies at Edinburgh, he decided to further his studies
at Christ’s College in Cambridge. Charles’s father wanted him to train in medical
science and become a doctor. However, Charles was always infatuated with
natural history and he was not comfortable at the sight of blood, which often
made him sick. Charles’s father also suggested that Charles become a parson, a
person of the Church. Darwin was convinced that he would follow his interests
and continue his studies of natural history.
Darwin was very fortunate to meet a renowned botany professor, John Stevens
Henslow. Soon, Professor Heslow became Darwin’s mentor and helped Darwin
accentuate and accelerate his studies of botany and natural history.
Darwin graduated Christ’s College in 1831 with a Bachelor of Arts degree.
Professor Henslow had an opportune graduation present for Charles when he
recommended Darwin for the position of ship’s naturalist to Captain Robert
FitzRoy, a Captain of a scientific surveying ship, the HMS Beagle. This significant
introduction and the consequent ship’s voyage would be the opportunity of a
lifetime for the young beginning naturalist.
The HMS Beagle
The HMS Beagle began its voyage around the world with Charles Darwin as its
Ship’s Naturalist on December 27, 1831. The five year voyage provided Darwin
with a wealth of experience and information. He observed and collected
numerous natural specimens such as insects, plants, birds, mammals and fossils.
While visiting numerous unique lands around the world during the five year
voyage, Darwin did hands-on research and experimentation on a variety of
subjects allowing him to observe principles of geology, botany and zoology.
Darwin was most intrigued and interested in the islands and lands of the Pacific
Ocean. He found great pleasure visiting South America, various Pacific islands,
atolls and the Galapagos Archipelago. Darwin spent much of his time observing,
recording and thinking about all of the unique natural life found in these peculiar
lands.
After returning to England upon the completion of the HMS Beagle’s voyage,
Darwin began compiling his notes and findings. He then embarked on writing
various reports including a report to the Journal of Researches, published as part
of Captain FitzRoy’s comprehensive voyage report; later included into the Zoology
of the Voyage of the Beagle.
Darwin’s trip around the world had a profound impact on his view of natural
history. With this new knowledge and “awakening”, Darwin started to develop a
revolutionary theory about the origin of all living things. This new theory would
prove to be very contrary to established views held by the world’s naturalist and
biologists.
Established thinking among the world’s naturalists, biologists and scientists had as
fact that all species on earth came into being at the start of the world or they
were created over the course of history. All species were thought to remain the
same throughout history. Religious beliefs further complicated the issue of when
and how all of earth’s species, including man, came into being.
During Darwin’s fateful world voyage he noticed and recorded that many species
had strong similarities no matter where they lived around the world. He also
noted that although species had very observable similarities, there were distinct
variations of species based on the environment of their locations. These species
similarities led Darwin to believe that species evolved from common ancestors.
Natural Selection
Additionally, Darwin posited that a process called “natural selection” helped
stronger species to adapt successfully to changing requirements of their habitat.
Weaker species who could not adapt successfully to changes in their environment
failed to evolve and reproduce. Such weaker species did not survive and were
forever lost to history.
After more years of study, research and investigation, Darwin announced publicly
his revolutionary Theory of Evolution in a letter read in a meeting of the Linnean
Society in 1858. To support his new theory and his new, revolutionary ideas;
Darwin published a detailed explanation of his theories in his most famous work,
On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, on November 24, 1859.
Darwin’s famous publication and theory created a worldwide uproar and intense
and often heated debate everywhere. The concept of Man evolving from
common ancestors along with apes and monkeys and other animal creatures was
unacceptable by many due to deep religious beliefs that Man was created by God
and was central and superior to the entire world’s species. Darwin was often and
viciously portrayed in discussions and print media as an evil and unhinged
scientist who must have lost his mind.
Theory of Evolution
However, during the decades ahead and into the next century; further scientific
investigations, experimentations and the breakthrough technology of DNA
science, proved that Darwin’s Theory of Evolution was based in fact.
After a lifetime of research and study, Darwin passed away on April 19, 1882, in
his home, Down House, in London. He was buried at Westminster Abbey. Darwin
was recognized during his lifetime as a great and important thinker and
revolutionary scientist. Many scientists and learned men around the world
believed that Darwin was a good man who helped his fellow man advance
forward dramatically in his understanding of the world around him. It took years
for other people to finally accept that Darwin’s theory was based on factual
science. However, even in our modern age, there are many who do not believe in
the Theory of Evolution as it conflicts with their strong belief in Creationism, the
religious view that all nature was created and born of God.
Read the Whole Page First!
The idea of evolution is a simple one. Things change. Right now we're just talking
about the word, not the philosophical idea. The process of cars changing over the
past 100 years can be thought of as an evolution in engineering. When an
organism changes over many generations, it might be better suited to live, or
more likely to die. To describe what happens, scientists have a few terms.

Natural Selection
We were just talking about that. Sometimes you've got a skill that helps you
survive; sometimes you don't. If you were a 500 pound bird with little tiny wings
and little tiny legs, chances are you wouldn't move around too well. One day you
might run out of food and die. Oh well, you were just selected for extinction.

Convergent Evolution
This is when two totally different species develop similar traits. They have come
up with the same solution to a problem but from different directions. It's not a
conscious choice to develop an eye or a way of hearing. Outside natural factors
create a situation where that skill is a benefit.

For example, you are a plant and I am an animal. We both have animals hunting
us and eating us. We need protection. So we both develop spines to poke the
hunters. The spines are made in different ways but do the same job. You are a
cactus and I am a porcupine.

Divergent Evolution
This is when your development starts at one place and splits in different
directions. We start as the same species, but then as more generations develop,
my group becomes good at one thing and yours at another.

Bird beaks are a good example for this one. One species of bird can develop in
different directions depending on what type of food it eats. Their beaks develop
different shapes after many generations. Charles Darwin used bird development
in many of his scientific papers.
Coevolution
This is when two different species change and evolve over time together. They are
usually dependent on each other for survival. Flowers and insects are good
examples of this type of coevolution.

If you have seen really fancy orchids, they often depend on a single species of bug
to help them reproduce. As one species changes, the other will make mirror
changes so that it can continue to survive.

Looking at Humans
Chances are... you're a human. Whether you're a boy or a girl, man or a woman,
you are still human. It doesn't matter what you look like, or what you believe...
you're still a part of the human species. You are of the species Homo sapiens!
That's what a scientist would call you anyway. But what makes you a Homo
sapiens? Why are you different from a dog? Or a cat?

How Are Humans Labeled?

Cats, dogs, and now you. Below is the exact name a scientist would use to
describe you. If an alien came from outer space, and wanted to understand about
every living thing on Earth, they would use these labels. You could put a big sign
on your dog with his description and you could wear one that described you. Your
sign would read...
ANIMALIA - CHORDATA - MAMMALIA - PRIMATA - HOMINIDAE - HOMO - SAPIENS

Why Do Scientists Think You Are Human?

We don't care what people say about you, we know that you are human. But then
again, we're scientists. So let's start with the biggest grouping. You live in the
KINGDOM - ANIMALIA. If you remember, there are four Kingdoms. You are made
up of many, many cells (multicellular) and all those cells have a nucleus with a
membrane. You don't have any chlorophyll. If you did, you would be a plant.

Next is the Phylum. You are PHYLUM - CHORDATA. So when you were a fetus (in
the womb before you were born) you had something called anotochord. That's a
rod made out of cartilage. As you developed, that cartilage turned into a spinal
cord made out of bones. That's what scientists call vertebrae. Those magic
vertebrae put you in the SUBPHYLUM - VERTEBRATA.

Feel your hand. Hopefully it's warm, not cold like a snake. Having warm blood
makes you special. Look in the mirror. Do you have any feathers? Do you have
teeth? If you had feathers and no teeth scientists would toss you in with the birds.
One last thing, if you are an adult woman you should have the ability to nurse
your babies. That's called breast feeding (or suckling). Most mammals do that for
their babies. Now you're falling into the CLASS - MAMMALIA.

Okay, you're a mammal. That's still a long way from being human. As far as we
know, you're some blind mole that lives out in the desert. Do you lay eggs? No.
Do you have a pouch? No. You, assuming you are an adult female, have babies
that start their life in something called a placenta. That's the lining for the womb
where the baby (or fetus) grows until it is born. That magic placenta puts you in
the SUBCLASS - EUTHERIA.

Now for the easy stuff. You should have five fingers and five toes on each hand
and foot. One of those fingers should be a thumb. You have flat fingernails on
those fingers and toes. You have a collarbone (that's the one between your neck
and your shoulders). You are officially in the ORDER - PRIMATA (that's where the
primates and monkeys are). Your eyes are in the front of your head. Not on the
sides like a dolphin or some other monkeys. SUBORDER - ANTHROPOIDEA.

Almost there. Tail? Nope. Do you walk on two legs? Yup. Your spinal cord and
vertebrae are also "S" shaped (that's important). That puts you in theFAMILY -
HOMINIDAE.

You are in the GENUS - HOMO. There was another genus, which is now extinct
called Australopithecus. Very close to you, but not quite human.

And finally, you are SPECIES - SAPIENS. There used to be a species Homo erectus.
They are now extinct. That's it. All those names tell scientists huge amounts about
you, your physiology, your genetics, and they way you develop into being an
adult.