Evolution: DNA and the Unity of Life

Evolution: DNA and the Unity of Life is an eight-week, comprehensive curriculum unit that sharply illuminates the underlying role of genetics in evolution by maintaining a conceptual connection to DNA and heredity throughout. Through paper-based and interactive multimedia lessons, the unit aligns with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) by engaging students in questioning, using models, identifying patterns, analyzing skill-level appropriate data from published scientific studies, and constructing evidence-based arguments.

The unit’s lessons are organized into five modules that are each structured round a guiding question. Modules can be used individually or together in sequence. When used in their entirety and in the suggested sequence, the modules establish an understanding of DNA as a blueprint for all living things, and how it underlies variations in traits that are acted upon by natural selection leading to the diversity of life. A scaffolded claims-evidence- reasoning framework is integrated into the unit to incrementally build skill in constructing arguments from evidence over the course of the module sequence.

• Complete Evolution curriculum unit
• NGSS-aligned
• Integration of underlying genetics concepts
• Scaffolded approach to building the skill of Argumentation from Evidence
• Real data, re-packaged in a way that is easy for students to work with

• Living things share biochemical features that are encoded by DNA.
• Proteins underlie the structure and function of living things.
• Living things make proteins the same way.
• Living things make similar proteins.
• The arrangement of DNA building blocks in a gene specifies the order of amino acids in the protein it codes for.

• The similarities among living things suggest relatedness.
• Fossils, anatomy, embryos, and DNA sequences provide corroborative lines of evidence about common ancestry, with more closely related organisms having more characteristics in common.
• DNA underlies the similarities and differences in fossils, anatomy, and embryos.

• Mutation gives rise to variations in genes, called alleles.
• During sexual reproduction, allele shuffling generates new allele combinations.
• Mutation and allele shuffling increase variation within a population.

• Natural selection causes populations to change over time.
• Natural selection acts on existing heritable variations that confer a reproductive advantage.
• Natural selection requires three ingredients: variation, heritability, and reproductive advantage.

• Species differ from one another across multiple heritable traits.
• Mutation, allele shuffling, and natural selection acting on multiple traits over many generations in reproductively isolated populations cause the divergence in characteristics of living things.