Grade 8: Evolutionary History, Lesson 10
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Science Learning Packet
Grade 8:
Evolutionary History, Lesson 10
Suggested science learning activities for SPS students during the COVID-19 school closure.
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Grade 8 Science
Evolutionary History Unit Lesson 10
Instructional Materials for Amplify Chapter 3, Lesson 3.1
Student Name:
School:
Grade Level:__________________________________
Science Teacher: ____
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Evolutionary History, Lesson 10 Student Packet, SPS Science, 4-2020
Hello Families,
We hope you and your family are well and safe during this time. During this unprecedented
out-of-school time, the SPS middle school science team will be offering instructional
opportunities for students that align with the district’s adopted middle school science
instructional materials.
This investigation packet is part of a series of district-aligned lessons for middle school science
developed by AmplifyScience and adopted by SPS in 2019. While Amplify Science lessons are
designed to be done in the classroom with peers, there are some activities that students can
complete at home. In this packet you will find activities to accompany lessons in the unit.
Accompanying lesson videos are posted on the SPS Science webpage under their
corresponding grade level. These lesson videos, developed in collaboration between SPS
teachers, Denver Public Schools teachers, and Amplify Science, feature teachers going through
the information in the lessons. The work in this packet is intended to be completed alongside
the viewing of the video of the corresponding videos. To find the correct lesson videos go to
SPS Science webpage, scroll to your grade level, find the unit you are looking for, and select
the video that matches the lesson you are completing that day.
For students who have access to the internet and the following devices and browsers may
wish to log-in to their AmplifyScience account from home are welcome to do so. Chrome and
Safari are the recommended browsers to use for full functionality of the Amplify digital tools
and features.
Sincerely,
The Seattle Public Schools Science Department
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Evolutionary History, Lesson 10 Student Packet, SPS Science, 4-2020
Lesson 10: Exploring Relatedness
You have done great work studying the similarities and differences among the Mystery Fossil, whales,
and wolves. Now, it’s time to decide where in the museum to place the Mystery Fossil. How can we
tell which species the Mystery Fossil is more closely related to? Today, you will make several models
to help you better understand how paleontologists make decisions about relatedness. Just like them,
you will base your decisions on your understanding of similarities and differences among the
structures you examine in common ancestors and their descendant species.
Unit Question
Why do species, both living and extinct, share similarities and also have differences?
Chapter 3 Question
How can we tell if the Mystery Fossil is more closely related to wolves or to whales?
Vocabulary
body structure
common ancestor population
descendant species
evolution
evolutionary time
paleontologist
related
shared structure
species
Activity 1: Warm-Up
Imagining Changes in New Environments
We now know that when one population is divided into two new environments, the two new populations
might change and become different over time, similar to this evolutionary tree below:
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Evolutionary History, Lesson 10 Student Packet, SPS Science, 4-2020
Imagine that each of the new descendant species was split again into two new environments, and even
more time went by. Now, there are four new environments. Use the tree below to think about the
differences between those four new populations over millions of years, and answer the questions below.
Which group of descendant species is most likely to have body structures that are the most different from the
ancestor population? (Check one)
Descendant Species 1 and 2
Descendant Species A, B, C, and D
Which descendant species is most likely to have body structures that are the most different from Descendant
Species B? (Check one)
Descendant Species 1
Descendant Species C
Descendant Species A
What new features you notice in the second evolutionary tree above?
• Previously, you have worked with evolutionary trees that had only one common ancestor and two
descendant populations, but species can be both a descendant and an ancestor: Species 1 and Species 2
above are descendants of the original ancestor population, but they are also ancestors of the four even
newer descendant species. Any descendant species can also be an ancestor if new species evolve from
it.
What is still the same is that the branching of the tree leading from a common ancestor population to a
descendant species, happen any time populations of a species are separated into different environments.
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Evolutionary History, Lesson 10 Student Packet, SPS Science, 4-2020How can we tell if the Mystery Fossil is more closely related to wolves or to whales? To understand
what “closely related” means, you will need to think about the way that evolutionary trees can branch
again and again.
What does it mean to be related to someone? How would you define the term “related” in your
own words? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Vocabulary:
related: sharing a common ancestor population
Paleontologists use the word related more specifically than we usually do in everyday conversation. This
definition of related helps us understand evolutionary relatedness. On an evolutionary tree, the two
species that branched off more recently are more closely related. Let’s look below at the
evolutionary tree from the Warm-up again.
1. Which two species are most closely related among Descendant Species A, B, and C?
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2. Describe how the branches of the evolutionary tree help you know this.
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Evolutionary History, Lesson 10 Student Packet, SPS Science, 4-2020Even though Descendant Species B and C are very near each other on the tree, this doesn’t make them
more closely related. To see which species are more closely related, we need to look at how long ago the
species branched off from each other. You can do this by following the tree to the left (backward) to see
where the most recent common ancestor is.
We’re getting close to being able to place the
Mystery Fossil in the museum. We’ve learned
that each exhibit in the museum has a group
of closely-related species. In order to tell if
the Mystery Fossil is more closely related to
wolves or to whales, we have to understand
what it means for two species to be more
related.
Activity 2: Modeling Evolutionary Relationships with K'NEX
In this activity, we participate in a physical modeling activity in order to understand that multiple branch points on
an evolutionary tree result in uniquely shared structures between more closely related species. We will be
analyzing this imaginary evolutionary tree to help decide how paleontologists might create real evolutionary trees.
This will help you think about how a common ancestor population might have evolved into the Mystery Fossil
species, the wolf, and the whale.
Imagine that the right end of the tree represents the present day. The time scale at the top of the evolutionary tree
spans 80 million years. The left end of the tree represents 80 million years before the present day. So, several
populations on the tree have separated from one another at different points, over a very long time period of time.
Features of this evolutionary tree:
• The four species on the right side (H, I, J, and K) are currently alive and the rest of the species are extinct.
• Three species (A, F, and G) were left blank.
• Two species (D and E) resulted in no descendant species. Highlight the fact that even if a species comes
earlier in the timeline, it isn’t necessarily the ancestor of another species.
Part 1
Create Species A, F, and G by using body structures that each species probably had. Look at the descendants and/or
common ancestors of each missing species to figure out the likely body structures. (Hint: There is more than one
possible way to build Species F and G.)
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Evolutionary History, Lesson 10 Student Packet, SPS Science, 4-2020Completing the K’NEX Species Structures Table below:
• To prepare to figure out some possible structures for Species A, F, and G, carefully observe and analyze the
four living species on the tree (H, I, J, and K) using this table.
• After completing the table, think about how you could use K'NEX pieces to create the missing species (A, F,
and G). Hint: Think about one structure at a time before adding the description of that structure to the table.
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Evolutionary History, Lesson 10 Student Packet, SPS Science, 4-20208 Evolutionary History, Lesson 10 Student Packet, SPS Science, 4-2020
Part 2
1.Which species (I, J, or K) is the closest relative to Species H? What is your evidence?
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Which species (H, I, or K) is the closest relative to Species J? What is your evidence?
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Digital Activity - Activity 3: Modeling Shared Structures in Common Ancestors
Goal: In this activity, we model shared structures in common ancestors and to organize them in evolutionary trees.
If you have access to the internet and an Amplify Science-compatible device at home, log-in to Amplify and
find this modeling activity in Evolutionary History Lesson 3.1, Activity 3.
Do:
1. Three blank species spaces: There are three blank spaces where Species C, D, and E can be placed.
2. Show where imaginary species C, D, and E can should be placed on the model.
3. New structure space: One body structure can be selected to indicate when and where on the tree that
structure appeared.
4. Show which pair of species are more closely related
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Evolutionary History, Lesson 10 Student Packet, SPS Science, 4-2020Digital Tool Instructions. Point out and press INSTRUCTIONS in the Modeling Tool. Read the instructions aloud, and if students are using
Investigation Notebooks, have them turn to page 83 to follow along. Encourage students to use the instructions while they create their models.
Explain that they can annotate their models, using the screenshot on their Amplify Science screens (after they press HAND IN), or can write
about their model in their Investigation Notebooks.
Where would you place the species on the model?
• Species inherit their body structures from their ancestor populations.
• Body structures that are shared between two species are evidence that these two species inherited
the shared structures from a common ancestor population.
Which body structures would be helpful in determining the correct placement of the species and which
pair of species is more closely related for Species C and E? _________________________________
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Which body structures would be helpful in determining the correct placement of the species and which
pair of species is more closely related for Species D? _________________________________
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When trying to decide the relationships between species, paleontologists look for structures that
are shared by one pair or group of species that are not shared by other species. They sometimes
call these diagnostic shared structures because they help scientists make decisions about relatedness.
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Evolutionary History, Lesson 10 Student Packet, SPS Science, 4-2020Look at the “New Structure” box and notice that species share diagnostic structures because they are all
descendants from a common ancestor with this structure.
• Back limbs (legs) are the structure that is shared by Species C and E but not shared by
Species D. Back limbs (legs) could be called a diagnostic shared structure because they help us
diagnose that Species C and E share a more recent common ancestor with each other than
with Species D.
• The tail is the structure that helps tell us where to place Species D on the evolutionary tree
because it is not shared by Species C or E, so it must have been separated from those species.
How did these new species evolve?
Long ago, the common ancestor—Species A—must have separated into two different populations with
different environments. In one environment, a back leg evolved and was helpful for survival, so that
structure was passed down to all species (B, C, and E) in that branch of the tree.
In the other environment, a tail was helpful for survival, so when that structure evolved it was passed
down to Species D. Back legs and tails are structures that can help us diagnose where species fit on the
evolutionary tree because of how they were passed down from common ancestor populations.
From species C, D, and E, which pair of species is most closely related? Explain how you know.
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Evolutionary History, Lesson 10 Student Packet, SPS Science, 4-2020Homework
How can you know that two species are more related to each other than to a third species?
Which model do you think is correct?
Model 1
Model 2
Explain how the two trees are different and why you think the model you indicated above is the correct one. (Hint:
Use these words in your explanation: shared structure, related, inherit, descendant species, ancestor population.)
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Evolutionary History, Lesson 10 Student Packet, SPS Science, 4-2020____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Reading: “Comparing Embryos: Evidence for Common Ancestors”
Read the “Comparing Embryos: Evidence for Common Ancestors” article to learn about how paleontologists
examine embryos—animals that are in the early stages of development—to better understand evolution of all
living things on Earth. Annotate the article as you read, then answer the questions below.
Active Reading Guidelines
Use red pencil (or other color) to underline evidence
Use green pencil (or other color ) to circle unit glossary words and unfamiliar words
Write definitions above circled words
Write in the margins to identify questions, impactful ideas, and “a-ha!” moments
Think carefully about what you read. Pay attention to your own understanding.
As you read, annotate the text to make a record of your thinking.
Highlight challenging words and add notes to record questions and make connections to your own
experience.
Examine all visual representations carefully. Consider how they go together with the text.
After you read, discuss what you have read with others to help you better understand
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Evolutionary History, Lesson 10 Student Packet, SPS Science, 4-2020Comparing Embryos: Evidence for Common Ancestors
People have been comparing the embryos of different types of animals for thousands of years. This historic chart compared the
embryos of different species. The top row shows a chicken embryo developing over time. The second row shows a tortoise embryo,
the third row shows a salamander embryo, and the bottom row shows a fish embryo.
If you saw an animal before it was born, would you be able to tell what kind of animal it was? Maybe not:
many animals that aren’t similar at all when they’re fully developed are very similar when they’re still
developing. Unborn animals that are still in the early stages of development are called embryos (EM-bree-
ohs). People have been studying embryos to understand animal development for more than 2,000 years!
The similarities between animal embryos have also helped paleontologists understand how animal species
have changed over time through the processes involved in evolution.
A fully developed chicken looks very different from a fully developed fish, salamander, or tortoise.
However, as you can see in the picture, the early stages of the embryos of these four types of animals are
very similar—they have the same basic shape and many of the same parts, including parts they won’t have
when they grow up! For example, both fish embryos and chicken embryos have parts called gill slits at a
certain stage of development. However, only the fish actually grow gills to allow them to breathe. In
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Evolutionary History, Lesson 10 Student Packet, SPS Science, 4-2020chickens, the gill slits go away and lungs develop instead. As animals grow, they develop features that
make them different from one another.
The similarity of different types of embryos is evidence that many species that are very different today
share common ancestors from the past. Comparing embryos shows us that organisms of different species
can be very similar in the early stages of development even if the fully developed versions of the species
are very different.
Why do paleontologists study embryos? ________________________________________________________________________________
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What is one way that fish and chickens have similar structures as embryos but different structures once
they are born? Why do they have similarities like these?
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Evolutionary History, Lesson 10 Student Packet, SPS Science, 4-2020You can also read
