Macroevolution Teacher Resources

AP biology buffs define vocabulary terms and answer critical-thinking questions about evolutionary trends. They compare macroevolution to microevolution, differentiate ploidy possibilities, explain isolation barriers, and more....

Students describe the anatomy of a virus. In this biology instructional activity, students compare and contrast the characteristics of bacteria and viruses. They discover the genetic adaptations of viruses over time.

About 70 percent of the genes of the stickleback fish are the same as humans. In the video, scholars further explore the stickleback fish and its history, from being removed from Loberg Lake to their change and comeback. Over time, these...

Lisa Peters presents macroevolution as a large-scale family tree in her book Our Family Tree: An Evolution Story. She suggests the process from single-celled organisms to modern-day humans, and learners explore new vocabulary...

Students consider two sets of simulated fossils (caminalcules) that are provided as cutouts. They arrange them on two time scales. One set produces a visual example of gradualism, the other shows punctuated equilibria.

Can your young biologists interpret population graphs, match macroevolution patterns and descriptions, and answer multiple choice questions about evolution? Find out with a comprehensive three-page quiz covering some specific examples of...

Evolution is a theory but thank goodness gravity is a law. What is the theory of evolution and what are the facts supporting this theory? Here's a short video that explains how fossils, homologous structures, biogeography, and direct...

Scientists noticed animals with backbones share similar bone structure despite having different forms, such as fins, arms, and wings. Young scientists gain an appreciation for evolution by understanding the history of the theory. They...

Can we really grasp how old we are? Part of a larger series, the humorous video demonstration shows how humans fit into the history of Earth and just how long ago life formed. Viewers explore a timeline that identifies major markers in...

Scholars take off on an interactive spaceship to explore a historical timeline of the big bang theory. They learn about the evolution of mammals and humans, the formation of stars and planets, and the chemical composition of the early...

What evidence supports the big bang theory? Individuals analyze scholarly resources about the the theory and develop arguments backed by evidence. They brainstorm, share ideas, watch a video, and read articles to complete a graphic...

Students compare/contrast the DNA sequence data of the rat GULO gene to the inactive human GULO gene. They translate and align the sequences, and propose a scenario to explain the occurrence of an inactive DNA sequence to that of an...

Young scholars examine why some freshwater populations of stickleback fish.  In this macroevolution lesson students read a study packet then answer questions. 

Normally when two species look similar, they are closely related. However, this doesn't seem to apply to the Triassic animals. Learn why these familiar looking animals are not actually related to today's animals. Viewers come to...

Examples of natural selection over time will make the concept of evolution more clear to your students. This presentation is short but summarizes the mechanisms of isolation and selection clearly.  This presentation would be useful...

Students develop likely phylogenies for seven related populations of lizards living on the Canary Islands using real data. They organize charts, and record the data for geography, geology, morphology, and molecular genetics.

Students compare/constrast DNA sequence data for a portion of the rat GULO gene to the corresponding sequence in the inactive GULO gene in humans, chimpanzees, orangutans, and crab-eating macaques by identifying the shared sequences in...

[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Does evolution only happen gradually through small changes? Or is it possible that drastic environmental changes can cause new species to evolve? Or can both small...

Understand the difference between microevolution and macroevolution.

Review the process of species changing and evolving over time.

The concepts of microevolution and macroevolution are explained and a two-column table that compares them is presented.

Understand the large-scale processes of evolution.

What is evolution? This thorough site provides the basics of evolution focusing on the history of life, processes of evolution, microevolution, macroevolution, and more.