U N I T 7

FOUR CORNERS!

REMEMBER THE RULES

Four Corners Game - How to Play• Team A vs. Team B• One team stands - 15 seconds to choose A, B, C, D.• Each member standing in the right corner = 1 point• Don’t know the answer? Break up the team (ex.

could be A or B? split up!)• 10 seconds to return to seat or it is minus 1 point

per person standing - PENALTY FLAG!

• Winning team = PRIZE :)

TEAM AWhich of these answers best describes a fossil?

A. thick layers of rockB. organism from which other organisms are descendedC. body of an organism that died recently but has not decomposedD. remains of a once-living organism found in layers of rock or amber

TEAM B

Which of these statements is true of the fossil record?

A. The fossil record contains a complete record of every extinct organism. B. The fossil record contains mostly soft organisms that had no hard bones or outer shells.C. Newer layers contain organisms more similar to modern-day organisms than do older layers.D. Older layers contain organisms more similar to modern-day organisms than do newer layers.

TEAM AThe diagram below shows a portion of the fossil record in sedimentary rock. Different rock layers and fossils are clearly visible.

Which of these statements is true of the fossils and rock layers shown in the diagram?

• A. Layer B contains the second-oldest fossils.

• B. Layer A contains the most recently formed fossils.

• C. The fossils in layer B are older than those in layer D.

• D. The fossils in layer D are the most recently formed.

TEAM B

Alex is studying a group of five modern-day species. He examines many samples from the fossil record that have many different ages. After looking at all the fossils, he states that the five modern-day species are descended from one species that lived long ago. Which of these statements is true about Alex’s statement?

A. It is a fact.B. It is a hypothesis based on genetic evidence.C. It is a hypothesis based on fossil evidence.D. It is an assumption not based on any real evidence.

TEAM A

• A scientist described two modern-day species as sharing a common ancestor. What does it mean when two species share a common ancestor?

• A. The two species are actually the same species.• B. One of the species evolved into the other

species.• C. Both species are descended from one species

that lived in the past.• D. One species cannot be traced to an ancestor,

so it is grouped with a similar modern-day species.

TEAM B

Which of these answers best describes the relationship between a human’s forearm and a bat’s wing?A. similar physical structures with similar functionsB. similar physical structures with different functionsC. different physical structures with similar functionsD. different physical structures with different functions

TEAM A

William discovered that two modern-day species have very similar DNA. He concludes that the two species are closely related. What type of evidence did William most likely use to reach his conclusion?

A. fossil evidenceB. genetic evidence C. structural evidenceD. evidence from developmental patterns

TEAM B

Tara studies worms in her laboratory. She studies two species of worms that have very similar patterns of development. How do similar patterns of development provide evidence for evolution?

A. Similar patterns mean the worms have identical DNA.B. Similar patterns mean the worms are found in the fossil record.C. Similar patterns mean the worms probably share a common ancestor.D. Similar patterns mean the worms use their organs for different functions.

TEAM A

• What is an adaptation?• A. a group of organisms that are closely related

and can mate to produce fertile offspring• B. a process by which inherited characteristics

change over generations such that new species sometimes arise

• C. a process by which individuals that are better adapted to their environment survive and reproduce

• D. a characteristic that improves an individual’s ability to survive and reproduce in a particular environment

TEAM B

What is artificial selection?A. the process by which inherited characteristics change over generations so that new species ariseB. the process by which humans breed a species for certain characteristicsC. the process by which individuals that are better adapted to their environment survive and reproduceD. the process by which Charles Darwin noted the differences in finches while visiting the Galápagos Islands

TEAM A

Which of these scenarios is an example of natural selection?A. Farmers crossbreed two types of cows to produce a breed of cow that has high-quality beef and can tolerate a hot climate.B. Giraffes that have longer necks survive a dry season by eating leaves from the tops of trees. Those giraffes breed more successfully that year.C. Dogs of the same breed that have a desirable coat color are bred with one another to produce more puppies with that same coat color.D. Rattlesnakes that rattle when approached by humans are killed, but rattlesnakes that remain silent are not killed. The quiet snakes survive and breed.

TEAM B

When Charles Darwin observed finches on the Galápagos Islands, he noted differences in the shapes of the birds’ beaks. He observed that finches that ate insects had longer, narrower beaks than finches that crushed and ate seeds.

Which finch shown is most likely adapted to eating seeds?

A

B

C

D

TEAM AWhich statement best describes why the mouse population changed over time?A. The light mice are preyed upon more than the dark mice because they are more visible to the hawks.B. The light mice are more attractive to the other mice and therefore reproduce more successfully than dark mice.C. The dark mice are selected less than the light mice because they are less tasty to the hawks.D. The dark mice are easily spotted by hawks, so dark mice reproduce more rapidly to maintain the population size.

TEAM B

Individuals within a population have slightly different traits. How do these differences improve the likelihood that the population will survive?A. Variation allows the population to produce offspring that will survive into adulthood.B. Variation allows the population to create new genes to survive a significant change in the environment.C. Variation allows the population to survive changes in the environment because traits that are suited to the new environment already exist in the population.D. Variation allows individuals who are very different from the rest of the population to reproduce more successfully than “normal” individuals.

TEAM A

Environmental changes may lead to the evolution of a species. Polar bears live in the Arctic. Ice in the Arctic is melting fast, reducing the range where the polar bear can live. If polar bears do not have adaptations that allow them to survive these changes, what may happen to the polar bears?A. They may become extinct.B. They may overpopulate.C. They may change the environment.D. They may become another species.

TEAM B

Within a population, variation affects the likelihood of an individual to survive and reproduce. Most of the variation within a population is caused by what source?A. mass extinctionB. genetic materialC. artificial selectionD. environmental change

TEAM A

A species of rodent is living in a moist forest climate. Over time, the climate becomes drier and more desert-like. Which of these adaptations likely will improve the rodent’s chances of survival in its changing environment?

A. The rodent is active only at night.B. The rodent eats only a specific type of berry.C. The rodent lives aboveground in damp areas.D. The rodent has dark hair, small ears, and is active during the day.

TEAM B

Which of the following is a situation that could lead to extinction of a species?A. increased competitionB. increased food supplyC. increased habitatD. increased population size

TEAM A

Which of the following species of organisms is most likely to become extinct?

A. a species that is well adapted to its environmentB. a species that is not adapted to its environmentC. a species that has few offspring within a life cycleD. a species that has many offspring within a life cycle

TEAM B

Environmental change is causing a lush, grassy area to become arid and desert-like. What characteristics will allow a species to survive such environmental change?A. larger body sizeB. smaller body sizeC. less genetic variationD. more genetic variation