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The Making of a Theory: Fact or Fiction

Photo of a manatee with bone structure superimposed

Topic

  • Evolution
  • Natural Selection
  • Scientific Skills & Literacy
  • Explanations & Argumentation

Resource Type

  • Activities
  • Lessons

Level

High School — GeneralHigh School — AP/IB
Saved By
22 Users
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Description

This activity supports the viewing of the film The Making of a Theory. Students evaluate and discuss several claims relating to the history and evidence that led to the theory of evolution by natural selection.

Before watching the film, students evaluate and discuss claims based on their prior knowledge. They then watch a 30-minute film about Darwin and Wallace’s discoveries and revisit those claims using information and evidence presented in the film.

The activity can serve as an anticipation guide to focus students on several key concepts covered in the film, such as the natural origin of species and natural selection and adaptation. It can also be used as a pre- and post-assessment.

Student Learning Targets

  • Evaluate claims based on information and evidence presented in a film.
  • Participate in a collaborative discussion of evidence and its interpretations.

Estimated Time

One to two 50-minute class periods.

Key Terms

Alfred Russel Wallace, Charles Darwin, fossil, species, variation

Terms of Use

The resource is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International license. No rights are granted to use HHMI’s or BioInteractive’s names or logos independent from this Resource or in any derivative works.

Accessibility Level (WCAG compliance)

PDF files meet criteria.

Version History

Date Published 04.21.14
Date Updated 07.09.20

NGSS (2013)

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

AP Biology (2019)

EVO-1.C, EVO-1.E, EVO-1.M, EVO-1.O, EVO-3.A, SYI-3.D; SP1, SP6

IB Biology (2016)

5.1, 5.2

AP Environmental Science (2020)

Topic(s): 2.6
Learning Objectives & Practices: ERT-2.H, SP3

IB Environmental Systems and Societies (2017)

3.1

Common Core (2010)

ELA.WHST.9–12.1

Vision and Change (2009)

CC1; DP1

Materials

Educator Materials (PDF) 326 KB
Student Handout (PDF) 267 KB

Use This Resource With

Video Resource
The Origin of Species: The Making of a Theory

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