Lesson Summary: How to survive a mass extinction: The work of David Jablonski

Lesson summary for... How to survive a mass extinction: The work of David Jablonski Author/Source: UC Museum of Paleontology

Overview:	Through detailed analysis of patterns in the fossil record, scientist David Jablonski reconstructs the rules that helped dictate who lived and died in past mass extinctions. This research profile describes his surprising discoveries and their disturbing implications for the biodiversity crisis today.
Concepts:	This lesson covers the following concepts: During the course of evolution, only a small percentage of species have survived to today. Background extinctions are a normal occurrence. Rates of extinction vary. Mass extinctions occur. The fossil record documents the biodiversity of the past. The fossil record documents patterns of extinction and the appearance of new forms. Random factors affect the survival of individuals and of populations. Scientists pose, test, and revise multiple hypotheses to explain what they observe. Scientific claims are subject to peer review and replication. Science is a human endeavor. The story of the evolution of living things is always being refined as we gather more evidence. Scientists use fossils (including sequences of fossils showing gradual change over time) to learn about past life. As with other scientific disciplines, evolutionary biology has applications that factor into everyday life.
Grade Level:	9-12
Time:	40 minutes
Teacher Background:	Explore these links for additional information on the topics covered in this lesson: Nature of Science History of Life Relevance
Teaching Tips:	This article challenges stereotypes of paleontologists and the misconception that hypotheses about past events cannot be tested. For an advanced biology course, the side trip on levels of selection will provide a new way to look at natural selection. The article comes with a set of discussion questions for classroom use.