Charles Darwin

• Both genetic variation and environmental factors are causes of evolution and diversity of organisms.
• Charles Darwin used reasoning in reaching his conclusion that natural selection is the mechanism of evolution.
• Independent lines of evidence from geology, fossils, and comparative anatomy provide the bases for the theory of evolution.
• A simple branching diagram can be used to classify living groups of organisms by shared derived characteristics and can be expanded to include fossil organisms.
• Extinction of a species occurs when the environment changes and the adaptive characteristics of a species are insufficient for its survival.

• Earth processes today are similar to those that occurred in the past and slow geologic processes have large cumulative effects over long periods of time.
• The history of life on Earth has been disrupted by major catastrophic events, such as major volcanic eruptions or the impacts of asteroids.
• The rock cycle includes the formation of new sediment and rocks and that rocks are often found in layers, with the oldest generally on the bottom.
• Evidence from geologic layers and radioactive dating indicates Earth is approximately 4.6 billion years old and that life on this planet has existed for more than 3 billion years.
• Fossils provide evidence of how life and environmental conditions have changed.
• Movements of Earth's continental and oceanic plates through time, with associated changes in climate and geographic connections, have affected the past and present distribution of organisms.
• Significant developments and extinctions of plant and animal life can be explained on the geologic time scale.

Patricia Ware

Manhattan Beach Middle School

1501 Redondo Beach Avenue

Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

310.318.7345 ext. 3105