Module 9 - Life Science: Genetics and Evolution

Activity 1 : : Activity 2 : : Activity 3 : : Activity 4 : : Activity 5 : : Activity 6

Activity 5:  Guiding Questions and Competence Builder

Answer the following questions using information gained through the readings, Thinkwell, CourseCompass, and websites.  Enter answers and thoughts on the topics in your notebook.

1. Why is it important for cells to go through two cell divisions in meiosis?
2. How does meiosis provide genetic diversity and a mechanism for evolution?
3. Describe Mendel’s laws of inheritance.
4. Why do some mutations have a greater impact on an organism’s phenotype than other mutations?
5. How did Lamarck’s theory of evolution differ from Darwin’s theory of evolution?
6. How did the work of Charles Lyell and Thomas Malthus influence Charles Darwin?
7. Why is natural selection the driving force of evolution?
8. What lines of evidence support evolution?

Competence Builder

• Go to the Natural Science Learning Community and click on the blog post “Genetics and Evolution”.  Post a message sharing your thoughts on evolution.   
• Read through the messages under the “Genetics and Evolution” blog and respond to one message.