#1. Both genetic change and environmental factors are causes of evolution and diversity of organisms. (genetic mutations and environmental changes)
#2. Students know the reasoning used by Charles Darwin in reaching his conclusion that natural selection is the mechanism of evolution. (natural selection)
#3. Extinction of a species occurs when the environment changes and that the adaptive characteristics of a species are insufficient for its survival. (adaptations)
#4. Independent evidence from geology, fossils, and comparative anatomy all provide the basis for the theory of evolution. (evidence for evolution)
#5. Evidence from rocks allows us to understand the evolution of life on Earth. (fossils found in rocks)
#6. The rock cycle includes the formation of new sediment and rocks and that rocks are often found in layers, with the oldest generally on the bottom. (rock cycle)
#7. Fossils provide evidence of how life and environmental conditions have changed. (comparing fossils)
#8. Evidence from geologic layers and radioactive dating indicates Earth is approximately 4.6 billion years old and that life on this planet has existed for more than 3 billion years. (how do we know the earth and rocks we find are that old?)
#9. Students know how to explain significant developments and extinctions of plant and animal life on the geologic time scale. (timelines and extinctions occurring during which eras)
#10. Earth processes today are similar to those that occurred in the past and slow geologic processes have large cumulative effects over long periods of time. (change over time/gradualism/punctuated equilibrium)
#11. The history of life on Earth has been disrupted by major catastrophic events, such as major volcanic eruptions or the impacts of asteroids. (things that have changed earth's surface)
#12. Movements of Earth's continental and oceanic plates through time, with associated changes in climate and geographic connections, have affected the past and present distribution of organisms. (plate tectonics)
#13. Students know how to construct a simple branching diagram to classify living groups of organisms by shared derived characteristics and how to expand the diagram to include fossil organisms. (classification/branching diagrams)
#14. Students select and use appropriate tools and technology (including calculators, computers, balances, microscopes) to perform tests, collect data, and display data.
#15. Students communicate the logical connection among hypotheses, science concepts, tests conducted, data collected, and conclusions drawn from the scientific evidence.
#16. Communicate the steps and results from an investigation in written reports and oral presentations.