Instructional Video

When Rodents Rafted across the Ocean

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet
This When Rodents Rafted across the Ocean instructional video also includes:

You think mice can be a nuisance, wait until you meet the capybara! An installment of the PBS Eons series traces the genetic background of a large group of rodents known as the Caviomorpha. Fossil evidence indicates they originate in South America but came from ancestors in Africa. 

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CCSS: Adaptable
Additional Tags
Instructional Ideas
  • Have learners develop their own hypotheses of the connection between the South American and African rodents before presenting the information in the video
  • Use images of the fossil evidence to create a timeline of the evolution of the rodents to use as a reference during the lesson
Classroom Considerations
  • Expects an understanding of the evolution of genetic traits
  • This video is hosted on YouTube
Pros
  • Presented in a way that holds viewers' attention
  • Includes several images of real fossils to support claims
Cons
  • None