At the end of the school year, there are certain conceptual understandings that we want our students to have. Achieving these learning goals lays the groundwork for more sophisticated understandings as students proceed through their learning experiences. The Understanding Evolution Conceptual Framework is an effective tool for identifying a sequence of age-appropriate conceptual understandings (K-16) to guide your teaching. The Framework is divided into five strands, and a selection of teaching resources (i.e., lessons and activities) targeting most concepts has been identified.
History of Life concepts for K-2
Life has been on Earth a long time.
Life forms have changed over time.
Many life forms have gone extinct.
Evidence of Evolution concepts for K-2
Today there are many diverse forms of life.
Plants and animals have features that allow them to live in various environments.
Form is linked to function.
Fossils provide evidence of past life.
Living things are alike in some ways and different in other ways.
Mechanisms of Evolution concepts for K-2
There is variation within a population.
Living things have offspring.
Offspring inherit many traits from their parents, but are not exactly the same as their parents.
Siblings are similar to, but not identical to, one another.
Nature of Science concepts for K-2
Scientific ideas may change based on what we observe and experience.
We learn about the natural world using our senses and extensions of our senses.
