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Activity for Your Inner Fish

Computer image of Tiktaalik from the video

Topic

  • Anatomy & Physiology
  • Skin & Musculoskeletal System
  • Evolution
  • Paleobiology
  • Human Evolution

Resource Type

  • Activities
  • Film Activities

Level

High School — GeneralHigh School — AP/IBCollege
Saved By
17 Users
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Description

This activity explores the content and research presented in the documentary film series Your Inner Fish, which describes major transitions in the evolution of vertebrate animals, including humans.

The three films in the series Your Inner Fish trace human evolutionary history starting about 375 million years ago, when our ancestors transitioned from living in water as fish to living on land as four-limbed vertebrates (also known as tetrapods). Each hour of the three-part series concentrates on a major evolutionary transition in the vertebrate lineage that eventually led to the rise of humans: the fish-to-tetrapod transition, followed by the reptile-to-mammal transition and the early primate-to-human transition.

The “Educator Materials” document provides suggested pause points in the film with questions for students, background information, and detailed discussion points; and a list of related resources and references.

Student Learning Targets

  • Explain how multiple sources of evidence contribute to our understanding of the evolution of the tetrapod lineage.

Estimated Time

A variable number of 50-minute class periods, depending on how many episodes of the series are discussed.

Key Terms

evolutionary transition, fossil, hominin, homology, paleobiology, tetrapod, Tiktaalik, transitional fossils, vertebrate

Primary Literature

Shubin, Neil. Your Inner Fish: A Journey into the 3.5-Billion-Year History of the Human Body. New York: Vintage Books, 2009.

Terms of Use

Please see the Terms of Use for information on how this resource can be used.

Version History

Date Published 07.02.15

NGSS (2013)

HS-LS1-1, HS-LS3-1, HS-LS4-1, HS-LS4-5; SEP6

AP Biology (2019)

EVO-1, EVO-3

IB Biology (2016)

5.1, 5.3, 10.3

AP Environmental Science (2020)

Topic(s): 2.6
Learning Objectives & Practices: ERT-2.H

IB Environmental Systems and Societies (2017)

2.1

Vision and Change (2009)

CC1, CC2; DP1

Materials

Teacher Materials (PDF) 3 MB

Use This Resource With

Video Resource
Your Inner Fish
Video Resource
Your Inner Reptile
Video Resource
Your Inner Monkey

Explore Related Content

Other Resources About Tiktaalik

Showing of
Image of the 3D skull from the interactive
3D Models
Tiktaalik Fossil: Skull
Image of the 3D body from the interactive
3D Models
Tiktaalik Fossil: Body
Image of the 3D pectoral fin from the interactive
3D Models
Tiktaalik Fossil: Pectoral Fin
Image of the 3D pelvis from the interactive
3D Models
Tiktaalik Fossil: Pelvis
Image of the 3D humerus from the interactive
3D Models
Tiktaalik Fossil: Humerus
Image from the interactive showing various tetrapods
Click & Learn
Exploring Transitional Fossils
Image of a human skeleton from the interactive
Click & Learn
Explore Your Inner Animals
Photo from the film of Neil Shubin holding a Tiktaalik fossil
Film Activities
Activity for The Origin of Tetrapods
Photo of two girls looking at Tiktaalik
Clips
Young Students Recognize a Transitional Fossil

Other Related Resources

Showing of
Image from the interactive
Click & Learn
Skeletons Reveal Human and Chimpanzee Evolution
Image of the Ardi fossil from the film
Film Activities
Activity for The Origin of Humans
Photo comparing types of teeth from the activity
Click & Learn
Human Origins
Image of a human skeleton from the interactive
Click & Learn
Explore Your Inner Animals
Photo of the head of the Tiktaalik fossil
Short Films
Great Transitions: The Origin of Tetrapods
Photo of Neil Shubin with a monkey on his shoulder
Feature Films
Your Inner Monkey
Image of a human precursor fossil from the film
Short Films
Great Transitions: The Origin of Humans
Screen shot of the quiz
Interactive Videos
Interactive Assessment for The Origin of Humans
Photo of a hawk from the video
Film Activities
Activity for The Origin of Birds
Image of a bird from the film
Short Films
Great Transitions: The Origin of Birds
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