Download File - Mrs. Lucier and Mrs. Magagna Life Science Class

Unit 8: History of Life on Earth
Lesson 1 – Origin of Life on Earth
Vocabulary:
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Cyanobacteria: oldest known organism based on the fossil record
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The Earth is about 4.6 billion years old.
Cyanobacteria are the oldest known organisms based on the fossil record.
o Scientists believe that it was formed about 2.5 billion years ago.
o Lightning struck the early ingredients (Primordial Soup) of earth’s atmosphere and created
amino and nucleic acids.
o Cyanobacteria were and are photosynthetic and pumped oxygen into the atmosphere.
Stanley Miller, in 1953, placed the primordial soup ingredients into a flask, sent a spark through it
and a week later, it had amino acids in it.
Notes:
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Let’s Practice!
True or False. If false, write the correct answer.
1. The Earth is about 1 thousand years old.
2. Cyanobateria is the oldest known organism based on fossil record.
3. Cyanobacteria were and are photosynthetic and pumped helium into
the atmosphere.
4. Mrs. Shepard, in 1953, place the primordial soup ingredients into a flask
and sent a spark through it.
5. Scientist believe that cyanobacteria was formed about 2.5 billion years ago.
Unit 8: History of Life on Earth
Lesson 2- The Theory of Evolution
Vocabulary:
 Theory: an explanation or model of related natural events that can be tested by observations or
experiments
 Evolution: the process by which an organism changes over time
 Natural Selection: process by which individuals that are better adapted to their environment
survive and reproduce more successfully than less well adapted individuals do
Notes:
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Jean-Baptiste Lamarck suggested that during an organism’s life, it acquires changes and then passes
on those changes to its offspring.
o He called this evolution by Acquired characteristics.
o This hypothesis was rejected because there was no evidence to support it.
Charles Darwin was a British naturalist that formed the Theory of Evolution by means of natural
selection.
o Galapagos Islands: Darwin sailed to the Galapagos Islands where he made observations and
collected data on the animals on the island.
o Darwin specifically studied the finches. He found that although they are all from the same
species, they had different characteristics depending on which island/environment they were
living in. He hypothesized that populations had all changed over time.
Unit 8: History of Life on Earth
Let’s Practice!
Match the definition to its word or Name by drawing a line connecting them.
Evolution
Individuals that are better adapted to their
environment survive and reproduce more
successfully than less well adapted.
Charles Darwin
Process by which an organism
changes over time.
Theory
British naturalist that formed the Theory
of Evolution by means of natural
selection.
Natural Selection
Explanation or model of related natural
events that can be tested by observations.
Unit 8: History of Life on Earth
Lesson 3- Natural Selection
Vocabulary:
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Natural Selection: process by which individuals that are better adapted to their environment
survive and reproduce more successfully than less well adapted individuals do
Overproduction: more offspring are produced than will live
Variation: all species have differences that enable them to meet challenges or not
Survival of fit individuals: those with traits better fitted to the environment survive better than
those that do not
Adaptations: traits that allow organisms to survive in their environment
Let’s Practice!
Fill in the blank with appropriate term.
1. ___________________ are traits that allow organisms to survive in their environment.
2. All species that have differences that enable them to meet challenges or not are called
______________.
3. When more offspring are produced than will live is called __________________.
4. The process by which individuals that are better adapted to their environment survive and reproduce
more successfully than less well adapted individuals do is called ___________ ______________.
5. __________ ___ ___ ______________ is when those with traits better fitted to the environment
survive better than those that do not.
Word Bank: Adaptations
Overproduction
Survival of fit individuals
Variations
Natural Selection
Unit 8: History of Life on Earth
Lesson 5- Origin of a New Species
Vocabulary:
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Biological species: a group of interbreeding organisms that can produce fertile offspring.
Speciation: the origin and formation of a new species
Notes:
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Species Scientific Name
1. Genus and Species (Example: Homo Sapien)
Carolus Linnaeus: created the binomial nomenclature
Speciation
1. Populations become totally separated.
2. They cannot interbreed.
3. They adapt to the different environment over long periods of time. They become so different
they can no longer produce fertile offspring.
Let’s Practice!
Use the terms above to answer the following questions.
1. What are the two parts of a species scientific name?
2. Who created the binomial nomenclature?
3. What is the term for a group of interbreeding organisms that can produce fertile offspring?
4. The origin and formation of a new species is called
Unit 8: History of Life on Earth
Lesson 6- Development of Life
Notes:
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The four major eras of Life on Earth are:
1. Cenozoic
2. Mesozoic
3. Paleozoic
4. Precambrian
The oldest is the Precambrian and it lasted for 4.1 billion years.
Plants colonized the land and fish/amphibians developed during the Paleozoic Era.
The Mesozoic Era is known as the age of reptiles.
The current era that we are in is the Cenozoic Era and it is known as the Age of Mammals.
Let’s Practice!
Number the four eras in order that the occurred, with 1 occurring first, and 4 being the present era.
Precambrian
Mesozoic
Paleozoic
Cenozic