Year 10 - Science
The evolution of new species
Fossil evidence, selective breeding and explaining evolution
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
This unit explores evidence for evolution, including fossils and antibiotic resistance. It covers selective breeding, Darwin and Wallace's contributions to natural selection, and evolution as changes in inherited traits over time. It also examines how scientific theories evolve over time.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to explain how natural selection can lead to the evolution of new species.
Key Notes
- The theory of evolution by natural selection suggests that all modern species evolved from earlier species.
- Natural selection causes each generation of a species to become better adapted to its environment.
- Natural selection can cause common features of a population to change so much that we classify them as a new species.
- Populations of the same species living in different conditions can evolve to become separate species.
- An example of speciation of populations living in different conditions (e.g. Galápagos tortoises).
Vocabulary To Learn
- species: A group of similar organisms that can reproduce and produce fertile offspring.
- speciation: When natural selection causes new species to form.
- natural selection: Organisms that are better adapted to their environment are more likely to survive, reproduce and pass on their genes to their offspring.
- adaptation: A feature that organisms have that helps them live in a particular place and survive.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Students often think that animals choose to adapt themselves to their environment.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the scientific idea in this lesson using two key points.
The theory of evolution by natural selection suggests that all modern species evolved from earlier species. Natural selection causes each generation of a species to become better adapted to its environment.
2. Define this scientific word and use it in context. 'species'
A group of similar organisms that can reproduce and produce fertile offspring. Include the word in a full scientific explanation, not as a single label.
3. Correct this common scientific misunderstanding.
Mistake: Students often think that animals choose to adapt themselves to their environment. Correction: The language in this lesson has been specifically chosen to avoid embedding this misconception and CfUs help expose this misconception in student thinking.
More Lessons In This Unit
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