UNIT OVERVIEW

Evolution by natural selection explains why there are so many different kinds of living things on Earth. It also explains why organisms fit their environments so well.

This topic connects directly to what you learned about genetics in Term 1. The genetic variation you studied (mutations, meiosis, sexual reproduction) provides the raw material that makes evolution possible.

What you will learn:

By the end of this unit, you will be able to:

• Explain how ideas about evolution developed over time (Lamarckism, Darwinism, Punctuated Equilibrium)
• Describe different types of evidence that support evolution
• Explain the difference between a hypothesis and a theory in science
• Use Darwin's theory to explain how organisms adapt and how new species form
• Give examples of evolution happening today (like antibiotic resistance)
• Explain how populations become unable to interbreed (reproductive isolation)
• Discuss examples of artificial selection in animals and crops

What you should already know:

• Grade 10: Fossils, how fossils are dated, biogeography, biodiversity
• Grade 12 Term 1: DNA structure, genes, alleles, meiosis, genetic variation

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