Lesson summary for...

Darwin's "extreme" imperfection?

Author/Source: Evolution: Education and Outreach
Overview:Darwin used the words "extreme imperfection" to describe the gappy nature of the fossil record - but is this really such a problem? This article delves into the topic of transitional fossils and explores what we have learned about them since Darwin's time.
This article appears at SpringerLink.
Concepts:This lesson covers the following concepts:
  • Present-day species evolved from earlier species; the relatedness of organisms is the result of common ancestry.
  • The fossil record provides evidence for evolution.
  • The fossil record contains transitional forms.
  • Evolution does not consist of progress in a particular direction.
  • 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.
Grade Level:9-12
Time:40 minutes
Teacher Background:Explore these links for additional information on the topics covered in this lesson:
Teaching Tips:This article comes with links to additional examples, supplementary information, and classroom tips. It is also available as a pdf at http://www.springerlink.com/content/934652024q2677m1/fulltext.pdf