Understanding Evolution: your one-stop source for information on evolution
Resource library Teaching materials Evolution 101

Lesson summary for:
Viruses and Host Evolution

image

Be the first to rate this resource!

To rate this resource, click a star:

Answer the security question:

7 + 6 =

Overview:
Students learn about natural selection in rabbits by observing the effects of a virus on the Australian rabbit population.

Author/Source:
Chamberlain, Don

Grade level:
9-12

Time:
Four class periods.

Teaching tips:
This activity assumes that students have received information about viral structure, the viral replication cycle, differences between RNA and DNA viruses, and some effects of viruses on living tissues.

Concepts:

  • Evolution results from selection acting upon genetic variation within a population.

  • Inherited characteristics affect the likelihood of an organism's survival and reproduction.

  • Over time, the proportion of individuals with advantageous characteristics may increase (and the proportion with disadvantageous characteristics may decrease) due to their likelihood of surviving and reproducing.

  • Speciation is the splitting of one ancestral lineage into two or more descendent lineages.

  • As with other scientific disciplines, evolutionary biology has applications that factor into everyday life.

Teacher background:

Comment on this resource

Share how you used this resource in your classroom, suggestions for modifying it, and whether you liked using it.

Name (will be displayed with your comment):
Email (optional, will not be displayed):

I am ... (optional, will not be displayed)
 a K-12 teacher      a college teacher      a student      none of the above

Comment:

Security question: 2 + 2 =

 

<< Back to search results