Chapter 14: The History of Life
This chapter focuses on how Earth and life on it have changed over billions of years. Students will learn about the formation of the planet, the origin of life, and the geological time scale. Key concepts include fossil formation, radiometric dating, and major evolutionary events like the Cambrian explosion and mass extinctions. The chapter also examines hypotheses about how simple organic molecules could have led to life and how early life forms shaped Earth’s atmosphere. Understanding this history gives students context for the diversity and complexity of life today.
Chapter 14 Vocabulary Flashcards
Chapter 15: Evolution
Chapter 15 introduces Charles Darwin and the theory of natural selection. Students will explore the evidence for evolution—fossils, anatomy, embryology, biochemistry—and how populations change over time. Core ideas include adaptations, fitness, genetic variation, and the mechanisms of evolution such as gene flow, genetic drift, and sexual selection. By the end of this chapter, students will understand that evolution is not just a theory—it is a unifying principle that explains how life changes and diversifies.
Chapter 15 Vocabulary Flashcards
Chapter 17: Organizing Life’s Diversity
This chapter explores how scientists classify the vast diversity of life on Earth. Students will examine the historical roots of classification, including systems developed by Aristotle and Linnaeus, and learn about binomial nomenclature. The chapter then transitions into modern classification methods, such as phylogenetics and cladistics, which use evolutionary relationships and molecular data to build accurate models of life’s diversity. Finally, students will compare the characteristics of the three domains—Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya—and their six kingdoms. Understanding classification systems helps students see the connections among organisms and appreciate the complexity of life.
Chapter 17 Vocabulary Flashcards
Zoology Chapter
In this final chapter, students take a rapid-fire tour through the animal kingdom, exploring key traits of major animal phyla. Topics include basic animal characteristics, symmetry and body plans, types of reproduction, and the development of tissues. From sponges and jellyfish to worms, insects, fish, and amphibians, students will investigate how body systems adapt to different environments. They’ll also explore evolutionary relationships by comparing invertebrates and vertebrates, learning how complexity increases as we move through the animal groups. This unit connects structure, function, and survival strategies across the animal kingdom — a perfect wrap-up to biology!
Mrs. Ederington 