The document describes a classroom activity where students make observations about skeletal fossils and drawings of whale ancestors. They are tasked with hypothesizing the identity, habitat, and relationships between the specimens based on their anatomical features. The activity aims to teach students how fossils and anatomical similarities are used as evidence to support the theory of evolution by establishing evolutionary relationships and lines among species.

1. Does Evidence Support the Theory of Evolution? Cartoon: members.aol.com/kiekeben/ darwin.gif

2. Describe this specimen. What do you observe? Is this a terrestrial or marine animal? What anatomical features support your hypothesis? Is this a modern or ancient animal? If ancient, what modern day animal does it resemble? What is this???

3. Describe this specimen. What do you observe? Is this a terrestrial or marine animal? What anatomical features support your hypothesis? Is this a modern or ancient animal? If ancient, what modern day animal does it resemble? What Is It?

4. Describe this specimen. What do you observe? Is this a terrestrial or marine animal? What anatomical features support your hypothesis? Is this a modern or ancient animal? If ancient, what modern day animal does it resemble? What IS it?

5. Describe this specimen. What do you observe? Is this a terrestrial or marine animal? What anatomical features support your hypothesis? Is this a modern or ancient animal? If ancient, what modern day animal does it resemble? What is IT?

6. Describe this specimen. What do you observe? Is this a terrestrial or marine animal? What anatomical features support your hypothesis? Is this a modern or ancient animal? If ancient, what modern day animal does it resemble? WHAT is it?

7. What is it? Describe this specimen. What do you observe? Is this a terrestrial or marine animal? What anatomical features support your hypothesis? Is this a modern or ancient animal? If ancient, what modern day animal does it resemble?

8. Grand Finale…What is it??? All drawings: www.indiana.edu/~ensiweb/lessons/wh.n.mkg.html

10. Whale Evolution PowerPoint and Cooperative Group Activity Middle School 6 th /7 th grade Life Science and 9th grade Biology Learning Outcomes : PowerPoint Presentation (P3): Students will make observations on the skeletal fossils of whale ancestors. They will hypothesize about the identity of the specimen and its relationship to modern animals based on anatomical features. Whale Evolution Group Activity (WEGA): Students will observe similarities and differences between skeletal drawings of ancestral whales, and hypothesize about the relationship between the 6 drawings. Students will understand how fossils and anatomical relationships between organisms are used as evidence to support the theory of evolution. Procedure: P3: With each slide, have students make observations, then use observations to support their hypothesis of animal identity, habitat, mode of transportation, ancient or modern species, related species. WEGA: Groups of 4 students receive all drawings. Goal is to establish relationships between the species based on observed similar anatomical features. At end of activity, reveal the whale evolutionary line to whole class. Follow-up questions: 1. Summarize how anatomy is used as evidence for evolution. 2. Do you think similar anatomical structures are valid data for establishing evolutionary lines? Why or why not? 3. How is the fossil record used to support evolution?

11. Suggestions QCCs Non-anatomical bases for ascribing phylogeny Evidence that fails to support the hypothesis How many similarities, differences? Video clip from Evolution (Gingerich, U Michigan)