Table 1.
Alignment of student activities with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).
| NGSS Dimension | NGSS Topics & Codes | Student Activities |
|---|---|---|
| Science and Engineering Practices | ● Developing and using models ● Analyzing and interpreting data ● Constructing explanations ● Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information |
● Construct phylogenetic trees as a visual representation of the evolutionary relationships among organisms. ● Search online bioinformatics resources (NCBI website) to collect genetic data. ● Use online phylogenetics software (Phylogeny.fr) to align DNA sequences and construct molecular phylogenies. ● Make a prediction about the evolutionary relationships among present-day animals, and then test it using genetic data and phylogenetic analyses. ● Evaluate the impact of new data by adding a “Discovery” species to the phylogenetic tree. ● Compare the advantages of different types of data (morphological vs. molecular) for determining the evolutionary relationships among organisms. |
| Crosscutting Concepts | ● Patterns ● Systems and system models ● Structure and function ● Stability and change |
● Group organisms based on their shared characteristics. ● Construct phylogenetic trees to model evolutionary relationships. ● Explain the relationship between DNA and protein production. ● Compare if/how the phylogenetic tree changes with the addition of new data (the “Discovery” species). |
| Disciplinary Core Ideas | ● Structure and function (LS1.A) ● Variation of traits (LS3.B) ● Evidence of common ancestry and diversity (LS4.A) ● Natural selection (LS4.B) ● Adaptation (LS4.C) |
● Explain the relationship between DNA and protein production for the hemoglobin molecule used in the phylogenetic analyses. ● Evaluate the variation in nucleotide sequences across the different animals on the Alignment page of Phylogeny.fr. ● Observe that the nucleotide sequences for the hemoglobin gene vary among species, but that there are also many overlaps. ● Identify the shared, derived characteristics among a group of organisms that make them adapted to their particular environments. ● Consider how similar environments and lifestyles may lead to the evolution of similar phenotypic characteristics among distantly related species through the process of convergent evolution. |