Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Biodiversity and Evolutionary Trees
Compare what shells look like on the outside with what makes that happen on the inside. Scholars begin by sorting an various seashells by their physical characteristics into phylogenetic trees. They then conduct a DNA comparison of...
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Using Amino Acid Sequences to Show Evolutionary Relationships
Junior biologists compare the amino acid sequences from fragments of five different globin molecules. They count the letter differences between each species pair. They construct a graphic representation of the evolutionary relationships...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Using DNA to Explore Lizard Phylogeny
In a fun and interactive two-day lesson, learners sort anole lizard pictures by appearance. Next, they watch a video about the anoles and re-sort based on the information in the video. In addition to physical characteristics, budding...
Curated OER
An Automobile Phylogenetic Tree
Students study a list of cars and trucks and think about characteristics that can be used to show an "evolutionary relationship". From the characteristics they identity, students construct a phylogenetic tree to show how the automotive...
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Trees of our Forests
Young scholars use a field guide in order to identify trees. In this trees lesson plan, young scholars classify the trees that they identify based on their relationships. Young scholars take a trip outdoors to look at trees.
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Using Amino Acid Sequences to Show Evolutionary Relationships
Compare protein fragments, count amino acids, and use the information to explore common ancestry. The resource mentions a student worksheet, however, a separate printable worksheet is not provided. The exercises are written into the...
Curated OER
Evolutionary Relationships Based Upon Comparative Genetics
High schoolers investigate the protein cytochrome c in an attempt to use its genetic chemistry to study possible evolutionary relationships between organisms. The lesson integrates technology with the use computers to perform DNA analysis.
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Classification/Taxonomy/Statistics Review
"Does King Phillip Cry Over Flimsy Grass Stems?" You might not answer that question with this exhaustive instructional activity, but your biology class will get the full scoop on the hierarchy of biological classification with this...
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Constructing a Phylogenetic Tree
Students are given the opportunity to analyze DNA sequence differences between organisms in order to establish a reasonable picture of the evolutionary relationships between them (Phylogenetic Tree). In the simulation form they are...
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Using Cytochrome-C to Explore Evolutionary Relationships
Students analyze protein sequences. In this instructional activity on determining evolutionary relationships, students use the Internet tools BLAST and Biology Workbench to look at protein sequences. Students will compose an essay that...
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Embryology as Evidence of Evolution
Students observe the two major developmental pathways (protostome and deuterostome). They analyze data regarding differences in nucleotide sequences and construct a phylogenetic tree. They observe the similar evolutionary history shared...
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Vertebrate Dioramas
Students are able to describe the development of their chosen form of vertebrate life from the past to the present in a four to six page typed paper. They explain the use of phylogenetic tree. Students use the phylogenetic tree to...
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Vertebrate Dioramas
Learners describe the development of their chosen form of vertebrate life from the past to the present in a four to six page paper. They explain the use of a phylogenetic tree, and use this to exemplify an organism's evolutionary change...
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Constructing a Phylogenetic Tree Using DNA Sequence Data
Students analyze DNA sequence differences between organisms in order to establish a reasonable picture of the evolutionary relationships between them. They take the role of molecular biologists and make genetic changes and constructing...
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Fun with Phylogenetic Trees
Tenth graders differentiate angiosperms and gymnosperms. In this biology lesson, 10th graders construct a musical phylogenetic tree from information they gathered on resource websites. They present their project in class.
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Molecular Biology and Primate Phylogenics
By counting differences in amino acids, biology stars examine the relationships between different primates. With information gleaned, they map out a phylogenic tree and discover common ancestry. You will need to create printable versions...
Computer Science Unplugged
Phylogenetics
Introduce your class to the concept of creating phylogenetic trees by playing a game of Telephone. Participants create a mixed-up message and through the use of distance matrices, the evolution of the message is recreated.
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Molecular Biology and Primate Phylogenetics
Pairs of high school biologists compare amino acid differences in the beta hemoglobin of different primates. They use the information collected to construct a phylogenic tree. Follow-up discussion questions are provided. This is a...
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Relationships and Biodiversity Lab Practice
In this biodiversity worksheet, students determine the relationship and complete the evolutionary tree for the plants listed. Students review genetic code and DNA sequencing. This worksheet has 1 graphic organizer, 8 multiple choice, and...
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Making Cladograms
Students construct cladograms (evolutionary trees), showing how shared derived characters can be used to reveal degrees of relationship. They interpret and analyze cladograms, and determine where unclassified vertebrates would fit on a...
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Examining the Fossil Record
Students create an evolutionary tree based on fossil morphology and their ages. In this fossil record lesson plan, students are given 23 pictures of fossil. They study their morphology and arrange the fossils by age and structures on a...
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Applied Evolution: How Will We Get There from Here?
Young scholars explore the basic process of natural selection and how people can manipulate that process today. The consequences of natural selection on daily life and the implications of evolutionary biology in basic and applied science...
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An Automobile Phylogenetic Tree
High schoolers construct a phylogenetic tree for various automobiles and trucks after considering important characteristics of these "organisms". They work in small groups to construct the trees and complete a set of questions then they...
Curated OER
A Tree of Life Activity
Students solve a mystery of the identification of a unknown organism by comparing its morphological characteristics to those in a tree of life classification poster. They compare the observable characteristics of the specimen and...