Curated OER
Curious Crossbreeds
Students discover the diverse roles of hybridization among animals. They research certain examples of animal hybrids as a springboard to analyzing a zoo's potential exhibit of animal hybrids.
Curated OER
Our Universe: Designed or Evolved?
Students brainstorm and write arguments for Evolution and Intelligent Design. They research the history of each of these ideas. They also examine the controversy of teaching one or both ideas in schools.
Curated OER
Diversity and Adaptation
Tenth graders explore structure, function and variation among species. Through field observations, lab activities and homework, 10th graders observe and record examples of adaptation and variation.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Adaptive Radiation: Darwin's Finches
Finches on the Galapagos Islands have evolved to exploit almost every possible niche. This diagram shows the range of food sources available on the island and the different beak shapes adapted to exploit each of them. Includes background...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Being Darwin's Finches
In this biology activity, young scholars will be investigating evolution by "competing" for food like Darwin's finches might have competed. Each student group is given a different type of "beak" to work with and there are also different...
New York Times
New York Times: Charles Darwin and Evolution
An outstanding collection of materials for learning about Charles Darwin and Evolution. There are many different lessons on the topics of evolution, paleontology, biodiversity, and adaptation. Each lesson is paired with an actual New...
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Finch Beak Data Sheet [Pdf]
This graphic from Ecology and Evolution of Darwin's Finches by Peter Grant presents data from the Galapagos Islands, showing that a severe drought put selective pressure on the population of Darwin's finches and resulted in a change in...
Vision Learning
Visionlearning: Biology: Charles Darwin Iii: Descent With Modification
Instructional module focusing on Charles Darwin's theory of Descent with Modification. Discusses how slight changes from parent to offspring create variation and potentially create new species over time. Site also includes an interactive...
PBS
Pbs Nova: Explore the Galapagos
Using the interactive, multimedia map, see the Islands as they exist today and learn how they inspired Darwin, who pointed to them as the "origin of all my views." You can trace the trip of Darwin and hear from biologists at each spot....
Other
The Rise of Evolutionary Biology: Darwin's Ideas
These pages are part of a site called "Evolution," that accompany a textbook by the same name. Mark Ridley is the author. This section is about Darwin, his travels, and his observations that led to "On The Origins Of Species."
Vision Learning
Visionlearning: Biology: Galapagos Finches
Interactive animation illustrates how Charles Darwin used his study of finch beaks to explain evolution. A phylogenetic tree diagram shows how the birds' color and beak shape changed over generations.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Life Science: Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Do you ever wonder why some birds are big like ostriches and some birds are small like robins? Or why a lion has a mane while a leopard has spots? In the 19th...
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Life Science: 4.1 Theory of Evolution
Discover how Charles Darwin developed the theory of evolution through his observations in the Galapagos Islands.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Activity: The Voyage of the Beagle
In this activity, you'll learn how to interpret images and maps in order to extract information about Darwin's trip to the Galapagos Islands. Links provided for a gallery of images and a worksheet.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Gallery: Voyage of the Beagle
The HMS Beagle, carrying Charles Darwin, sailed for five years and circumnavigated the world. Darwin recorded his observations in journals and later published them in 1839. This site contains pictures related to this expedition.
Read Works
Read Works: Two Sets to Build Difference
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about Charles Darwin's research on trait variations in the Galapagos Islands. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Episd: Biogeography
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Why connect biology and geography? This module will provide resources for students to understand continental drift theory, human population and its distribution, and...
PBS
Pbs Nova: What Is Evo Devo?
Scientists can still be surprised! The genetic ingredients that assemble us are similar to those that assemble a fly. NOVA explains the emerging science of evolution developmental biology. This is the science that studies genes at the...
Wikimedia
Wikipedia: Adaptive Radiation
This encyclopedia article from Wikipedia on adaptive radiation discusses what it is, lists some examples, and distinguishes between the three different types of adaptive radiation.
Curated OER
Darwin's Finch
In this personal site find 28 large high-quality pictures of the islands nature - huge turtles, iguanas, exotic birds, sea cats, and of course perfect landscapes. It's an interesting photo cruise to Galapagos islands.
Read Works
Read Works: When Fish First Walked
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about natural selection and its role in the theory of evolution. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.