MS - LS4 - Evolutionary history and relationships FINAL (CJT 3-25-14)

Module: Evolutionary History and Relationships

DCI: LS4.A (B) Anatomical similarities and differences between various organisms living today and between them and organisms in the fossil record, enable the reconstruction of evolutionary history and the inference of lines of evolutionary descent.

PE: MS-LS4-2 Apply scientific ideas to construct an explanation for the anatomical similarities and differences among modern organisms and between modern and fossil organisms to infer evolutionary relationships

[Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on explanations of the evolutionary relationships among organisms in terms of similarity or differences of the gross appearance of anatomical structures.]

The basic content of the standard seems to be as follows.

- We can reconstruct evolutionary histories by comparing anatomies of living things and long dead things.

The PE implies that kids have to be able to use evidence of anatomical similarities to reconstruct evolutionary histories.