Senior High School

General Biology 2
Module 6
Evolutionary Thoughts
General Biology 2
Self Learning Module (SLM)
Module 6: Evolutionary Thoughts
First Edition, 2020

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 SHS

General Biology 2
Module 6
Evolutionary Thoughts
Introductory Message
For the facilitator:

Welcome to the General Biology 2 Self-Learning Module (SLM) on Evolutionary

Thoughts.

This module was collaboratively designed, developed and reviewed by educators from
the public high schools of Region 12 to assist you; the teacher or facilitator, in helping
the learners meet the standards set by the K to 12 Curriculum while overcoming
personal, social economic and health-related constraints while pursuing their basic
education.

This learning resource targets to engage the learners into guided, independent
learning activities at their own pace and time. Furthermore, this also aims to help
learners acquire the needed 21st century skills while taking into consideration their
needs, situation and the prevailing circumstances.
In addition to the material in the main text, you will also see this box or notification
in the body of the module:

Note to the Teacher

Hello my dear Facilitator of learning. You are lucky that to have this
learning material which let us easily deliver the lesson for our learners, enhance
their knowledge on specific learning competency and will help them achieve
our learning objectives. Please tell our learners to read, understand, analyze
and answer all the activities and questions seriously as this material is
designed and made for them. Inform also our learners to take some
precautionary measures and some activities needs extra care. Don’t go beyond
our objectives and main goal for our learners. As a facilitator let us be an agent
to let them love learning through this module

.
As facilitator you are expected to orient the learners on how to use this module. You
also need to keep track the learner’s progress while allowing them to manage their
own learning. Furthermore, you are expected to encourage and assist the learners
as they complete and perform the tasks included in this module.

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To the learner:

Welcome to the General Biology 2 Self-Learning Module (SLM) on Evolutionary

Thoughts.

In the course of your activities you somehow get into the situation of tracing the
development of evolutionary thought.

This module diverts from the regular textbook and classroom teaching. It
incorporates interactive and inquiry-based learning experiences which is essential in
learning science. It will develop your critical thinking and let you experience
discovery learning.

So dear learner, enjoy, be an explorer, complete and perform the tasks included in
this module. Great start!

This module was designed to provide you with fun and meaningful opportunities for
guided and independent learning at your own pace and time. You will be enabled to
process the contents of the learning resource while being an active learner.

This module has the following parts and corresponding icons:

What I Need to Know This will give you an idea of the skills or
competencies you are expected to learn in the
module.

What I Know This part includes an activity that aims to

check what you already know about the
lesson to take. If you get all the answers
correct (100%), you may decide to skip this
module.

What’s In This is a brief drill or review to help you link

the current lesson with the previous one.

What’s New In this portion, the new lesson will be

introduced to you in various ways such as a
story, a song, a poem, a problem opener, an
activity or a situation.

What is It This section provides a brief discussion of the

lesson. This aims to help you discover and
understand new concepts and skills.

What’s More This comprises activities for independent

practice to solidify your understanding and
skills of the topic. You may check the
answers to the exercises using the Answer
Key at the end of the module.

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 What I Have Learned This includes questions or blank
sentence/paragraph to be filled in to process
what you learned from the lesson.

What I Can Do This section provides an activity which will

help you transfer your new knowledge or skill
into real life situations or concerns.

Assessment This is a task which aims to evaluate your

level of mastery in achieving the learning
competency.

Additional Activities In this portion, another activity will be given

to you to enrich your knowledge or skill of the
lesson learned. This also tends retention of
learned concepts.

Answer Key This contains answers to all activities in the

module.

At the end of this module you will also find:

References This is a list of sources used in developing this module.

The following are some reminders in using this module:

1. Use the module with care. Do not put unnecessary mark/s on any part of the
module. Use a separate sheet of paper in answering the exercises.

2. Don’t forget to answer What I Know before moving on to the other activities
included in the module.

3. Read the instruction carefully before doing each task.

4. Observe honesty and integrity in doing the tasks and checking your answers.

5. Finish the task at hand before proceeding to the next.

6. Return this module to your teacher/facilitator once you are through with it.

If you encounter any difficulty in answering the tasks in this module, do not
hesitate to consult your teacher or facilitator. Always bear in mind that you are
not alone.

We hope that through this material, you will experience meaningful learning and
gain deep understanding of the relevant competencies. You can do it!

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 What I Need to Know

Hello my dear friend! How are you? Look around you. Is it amazing that you
are able to witness the beauty and complexity of the environment and diversity of
organisms.

Most Essential Learning Competency:

The learners shall be able trace the development of evolutionary thought.

(STEM_BIO11/12-IIIc-g-11)

After going through this module, you are expected to:

a. enumerate the scientists and cite their respective contributions in the
b. development of evolutionary thought;
c. describe Jean Baptiste Lamarck’s hypothesis on evolutionary change;
d. discuss Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection; and
e. explain the Modern Synthesis as the unified theory of evolution

What I Know

Direction: Choose the letter of the correct answer. Write the letter of the correct
answer on a separate sheet of paper.

1. Which idea stems from the theory of evolution?

A. The earth is relatively young.
B. Each organism is specially created.
C. Species are related by common descent.
D. A mix of fossils in a region indicates that a local catastrophe occurred.

2. Which of the following statement describes what adaptation promotes?

A. The chance to survive, and but cannot reproduce
B. The chance to survive, and reproduce in the future
C. The chance to survive, but die later due to weak immunity
D. The chance to reproduce, but not in succeeding generation

3. It is a criterion used to distinguish between two species.

A. time
B. geography
C. physical features
D. reproductive traits

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4. Which of the following statements does NOT describe Darwin’s theory of natural
selection?

I. Members of a population will compete.

II. Members of a population have heritable variation
III. Populations tend to reproduce in small numbers.
IV. All members of a population have adaptive traits

A. I only
B. II only
C. II and III only
D. I and IV only

5. Which of the following describes indirect evidences for evolution?

A. Felt by the senses
B. Consists of actual observation
C. Actually observed or seen
D. Is something that does not involve actual observation but for which can
infer that evolution has taken place

6. Does mutation cause a gene pool for two population?

A. Yes, because of a common descendant.
B. No, because of different environment.
C. No, because their descendants vary also
D. Yes, there are similarities among the members of the population.

7. Which of the following describes mutation?

A. A result of inbreeding.
B. Any change in the structure of chromosomes.
C. Change in gene pool due to unpredictable situation.
D. Differential survival and reproduction of organisms.

8. Which of the following is NOT an evolutionary change that can result to a

population whose members are alike in appearance, fitness and lifestyles?

I. Inbreeding II. Genetic drift

III. Gene flow IV. Mutation

A. I and II only
B. III and IV only
C. I, III and IV only
D. II, III and IV only

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9. What is genetic drift?
A. A change in gene pool due to chance alone.
B. The differential survival and reproduction of organisms.
C. A mechanism that increases variations in the population.
D. A change in the structure of chromosomes and gene composition.

10. Which type of speciation does not require a geographical barrier?

A. Allopatric
B. Convergence
C. Divergence
D. Sympatric

11. What does it mean by direct evidence for evolution?

A. Consists of observations of actual evolution
B. Is something that is actually observed or seen
C. Does not involve direct observation of evolution
D. Is something that is not actually observed or seen

12. In which topic should vertebrate forelimbs are most likely to be studied?
A. Ecology
B. Embryology
C. Biogeography
D. Comparative anatomy since it is part o

13. Which is NOT true of fossils?

A. They indicate that life has a history.
B. They are evidences of life in the past.
C. The older the fossils, the less they resemble modern day species.
D. They look exactly like modern-day species, regardless of their age.

14. During the usual process of speciation, a species is first isolated

A. Behaviorally
B. Genetically
C. Geographically
D. Reproductively

15. Which type of speciation does NOT require a geographical barrier?

I. Allopatric II. Parapatric

III. Divergence IV. Sympatric

A. I only
B. II and III only
C. III and IV only
D. II and IV only

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 What’s In

Directions: Try to remember the different concepts that cause biodiversity in

evolution; answer the following questions.

A. Define speciation ________________________________________________________

B. Enumerate the different modes of speciation._____________________________
C. Define evolution? _______________________________________________________

What’s New

This lesson will take you to a historic voyage that has changed our view of life
history. Come and join me in this exploration and discover what Charles Darwin has
written about how species evolve through the course of time! This will allow you to
understand how organisms evolve to what they are today.

To give you an idea for the new lesson;

Directions: Write 1 to 2 sentences about this following questions:

A. Is there an animal that survived mass extinction?

__________________________________________________________________________________
B. How Dinosaurs Went Extinct?
__________________________________________________________________________________

1. Is it possible to resurrect an organism (by cloning) whose DNA was sucked

by the mosquito?

2. What period did most dinosaurs become extinct? How could a dinosaur
possibly escape the fate suffered by other organisms?2. What period did
most dinosaurs become extinct? How could a dinosaur possibly escape the
fate suffered by other organisms.

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 What Is It

The Origins of Evolutionary Thought

How did life forms occur?

There are many different theories which explain how different life forms exist.
In the mid- 18th century, most people believed in creationism. Creationism held the
idea that all forms of life were created in its present form and they remain unchanged
since the beginning. Do you know that even the famous Carl von Linnaeus, the
Father of Taxonomy, believed in the fixity of species? George Louis Leclerc, known
as Count Buffon, was a French naturalist who first described descent with
modification such as environmental influences, migration, geographical isolation and
the struggle for existence. However he was hesitant in sharing his idea to the public.

In the late 18th century, Georges Cuvier, a vertebrate zoologist and

palaeontologist proposed the theory of catastrophism. One day he had observed that
a particular region showed a succession of life forms in the soil layers. His
observation seemed to contradict with his belief in special creation of each species.
Cuvier explained that there might have been violent and sudden natural
catastrophes such as great floods, tectonic earthquakes, and rapid formation of
mountain chains, which resulted to death and extinction of most plants and animals.
After each catastrophe, God created new sets of life forms.

In contrast to catastrophism, James Hutton and Charles Lyell believed that

natural forces now changing the shape of the earth’s surface have been operating in
the past much the same way. This idea is known as uniformitarianism - large
geological changes occurred not in catastrophic events but by gradual accumulation
of small geological changes over long period of time.

Jean Baptiste de Lamarck was the first biologist to believe that life forms
evolve. He proposed the Inheritance of Acquired Characteristics, which is also called
Lamarckian Evolution. He believed that every organism has the will to survive, and
that will has allowed us to change to more advantageous traits that suit us to the
environment. The acquired traits are then inherited by the next generation. One
example that Lamarck gave is the elongation of giraffes’ necks over time because
animals stretched their necks to reach for food and then passed on a long neck to
their offspring. Today, Lamarck’s idea was proven to be incorrect. Phenotypic
changes acquired during an organism’s lifetime cannot pass onto next generations
common ancestor. Because we all share a common ancestor, we are all related to one
another no matter how different we are. The relationships among organisms can be
illustrated on a family tree. Look at the illustration below.

Who is Charles Darwin? How did he think species evolve?

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 Charles Darwin was only 22 years old when he got a chance to set sail aboard
the Beagle, to travel around the world and map the coasts of South America. He was
an assistant for Captain Robert Fritz Roy. His Beagle voyage allowed him to develop
a theory that would contradict the special creation of every organism and imply that
all species evolve from common ancestors through a process called natural selection.

While on his visit to Galapagos Islands, he had observed that organisms are
geographically distributed and isolated on the separate islands. He noted that similar
animal types show distinct differences in body form and functions from island to
island. He explained that these differences represent adaptations to differing
environment living organisms sit like leaves at the tips of the branches of the Tree of
Life. Living things share a common ancestor. All organisms are related to one another
no matter how different they seem.

Theories related to Evolution

Creationism is the idea that living things are created and remains unchanged
since the beginning.

Catastrophism is the idea that violent and sudden natural catastrophes have
resulted to death and extinction of most plants and animals. After each catastrophe,
God created new sets of life forms.

Uniformitarianism claims that large geological changes occurred not in

catastrophic events but by gradual accumulation of small geological changes over
long periods of time

EVIDENCES OF EVOLUTION

Evidences of evolution

Fossils are remains of ancient organisms trapped in rocks, tar pits, frozen in
ice or embedded in amber. The activities and behavior of ancient life forms also left
behind fossil traces (such as footprints, dungs, gastric stones, nests and burrows)
which scientists can study. The records found in the rocks show a gradual
evolutionary descent from simpler to more complex life forms. Paleontologists use
the fossils found in rocks to track the evolutionary history of many organisms..

As the climate changed to drier conditions, foliage plants were replaced by

grass fields. Those with the characteristics suited for this (tooth structure fit for
eating hard, dry grass) survived better. The forced grazers also became runners (with
longer leg bones and lesser toes) to be able run more efficiently in the hard ground
and to escape from predators

Evidences from structure

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 Structures in different organisms can be compared to infer common lineage.

HOMOLOGOUS STRUCTURES are structures with the same set of bones that
presumably evolved from a common ancestor. They appear different and may have
varied functions.

ANALOGOUS STRUCTURES are structures that perform the same function

but have very different embryological development or set of structures like bones
VESTIGIAL STRUCTURES are structures or attributes that have lost most of its
ancestral function in more recent species.

Evidences from embryology

Embryology is the study of the development of an organism from an embryo

to its adult form. Common structures are shared in the embryo stage and disappear
by the time the embryo reaches the juvenile or adult form.

Evidences from molecular biology

Many organisms have similar molecules of life (RNA, DNA, proteins) that
suggest descent from a common ancestor with modifications. The near universality
of the genetic code reflects an evidence of common ancestry and relatedness and can
be inferred from the similarities in the DNA sequences between and among
organisms. Biogeography is the study of geographical distribution of fossils and living
organisms. Organisms usually arise in areas where similar forms already exist.
Similar organisms may also be found I different locations which could mean that the
two places were previously connected.

What’s More

How did the data from biogeography, comparative morphology, comparative

embryology, helped in making a unified theory of evolution?

What I Have Learned

Give the contributions of these early scientists in shaping and developing

evolutionary thoughts;

A. Carolus Linnaeus
__________________________________________________________________________________

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B. Thomas Malthus
__________________________________________________________________________________
C. Georges Cuvier
__________________________________________________________________________________

D. James Hutton
__________________________________________________________________________________

E. Charles Lyell
_________________________________________________________________________________
.

What I Can Do

Directions: On a separate piece of paper (1 whole short bond paper) explain

Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection. Make sure that you will be
able to include the following in your discussion:

a. Descent with modification

b. Existence of variation
c. Struggle for existence
d. Artificial selection, natural selection and adaptation

How do evidences happening in recent times support Evolutionary ideas?

1. COVID virus believe to have evolve from other Respiratory viruses

2. Antibiotic Resistance in Bacteria

Rubrics for rating your answer:

Criterion Excellent (5) Very Satisfactory (4) Satisfactory (3)

Answers are not
Answers are Answers are partial or
comprehensive or
comprehensive, incomplete. Key
completely stated.
Content accurate and points are not clear.
Key points are
complete. Question not
addressed, but not
adequately answered
well supported.
Key ideas are
Displays one to three
clearly stated, Displays one to three
errors in spelling,
Organization explained, and errors in spelling,
punctuation.
well supported. punctuation
Well organized.

Writing Well organized, Displays two to three Displays more than

conventions coherently errors in spelling, three errors.

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 developed, and punctuation,
easy to follow grammar, and
grammar, and sentence structure.
sentence
structure.

Assessment

Directions: Choose your answer from the given choices. Write your answer on a
piece of paper.

1. Which of the following statements does NOT describe Darwin’s theory of natural
selection?

I. Members of a population will compete.

II. Members of a population have heritable variation
III. Populations tend to reproduce in small numbers.
IV. All members of a population have adaptive traits

A. I and II only
B. II and III only
C. III and IV only
D. I and IV only

2. Which of the following describes indirect evidences for evolution?

I. Consist of inferred observation

II. Consists of actual observation
III. Those actually observed by old folks
IV. Something that does not involve actual observation of
evolution but consist of inferred observation

A. I only
B. II only
C. I and III only
D. II and III only

3. Does mutation cause a gene pool for two population?

A. Yes, because of a common descendant.
B. No, because of different environment.
C. No, because their descendants vary also
D. Yes, there are similarities among the members of the population.

4 Which of the following describes mutation?

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 A. Change in gene pool due to unpredictable situation
B. A result of inbreeding and chromosomes were destroyed
C. It is a change in the structure of chromosomes due to external factors
D. It is a differential survival due to continuous reproduction of organisms

5. What agent of evolutionary change can result to a population whose members

are alike in appearance, fitness and lifestyles?

I. Inbreeding II. Gene flow

III. Hybridization IV Cross pollination

A. I and II only
B. III and IV only
C. I, III and IV only
D. II, III and IV only

6. What is genetic drift?

A. A change in gene pool due to chance to be alone.
B. The differential survival and reproduction of organisms
C. A mechanism that increases variations in the population
D. A change in the structure of chromosomes and gene composition

7. Which type of speciation requires a geographical barrier?

I. Allopatric II. Convergence

III. Divergence IV. Sympatric

A. I only
B. II only
C. I and II only
D. III and IV only

8 What does it mean by direct evidence for evolution?

A. Consists of observations of actual event of evolution
B. Does not involve direct observation of evolution
C. Is something that is not actually observed
D. Something that is actually observed

9. Catastrophism, meaning the regular occurrence of geological or meteorological

disturbances(catastrophes), was Cuvier's attempt to explain the existence of
A. Evolution
B. The fossil record
C. Uniformitarianism
D. Process of natural selection

10. Which of the following represents an idea that Darwin learned from the writings
of Thomas Malthus?

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 A. Environment is responsible for natural selection.
B. Earth changed over the years through a series of catastrophic
upheavals.
C. Populations tend to increase at a faster rate than their food supply
normally allows.
D. Technological innovation in agricultural practices will permit
exponential growth of the human population into the foreseeable
future.

11. In the mid-1900s, the Soviet geneticist Lysenko believed that his winter wheat
plants, exposed to ever-colder temperatures, would eventually give rise ever
more cold-tolerant winter wheat. Lysenko's attempts in this regard were most
in agreement with the ideas of
A. Cuvier
B. Darwin
C. Hutton
D. Lamarck

12. Which of the following ideas is not included in Darwin’s theory?

A. All organisms that have ever existed arose through evolutionary
modifications of ancestral species.
B. Great variety of species live today resulted from the diversification of
ancestral species.
C. Natural selection drives some evolutionary change.
D. Natural selection preserves favorable traits.

13. Which of the following statements is not compatible with Darwin’s theory?
A. Evolution occurs in individuals rather than in groups.
B. Evolution has altered and diversified ancestral species.
C. All organisms have arisen by descent with modification.
D. Evolution occurs in because some individuals function better than
others in a particular environment.

14. Which of the following must exist in a population before natural selection can act
upon that population?
A. Physical Mutation
B. Sexual reproduction.
C. Genetic variation among individuals
D. Variation among individuals caused by environmental factors

15. Which of the following had the LEAST contribution to the study of evolution?

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 I. Fossil records
II. Sexual identification
III. Comparative embryology
IV Inheritance of acquired characteristics

A. I only
B. II only
C. I and III only
D. II and III only

Additional Activities

Direction: In a one whole sheet of paper research and give a short reflection about
“The Theory of Darwin and Natural Selection”.

Rubrics for rating your answer:

Criterion Excellent (5) Very Satisfactory (4) Satisfactory (3)

Answers are not
Answers are Answers are partial or
comprehensive or
comprehensive, incomplete. Key
completely stated.
Content accurate and points are not clear.
Key points are
complete. Question not
addressed, but not
adequately answered
well supported.
Key ideas are
Displays one to three
clearly stated, Displays one to three
errors in spelling,
Organization explained, and errors in spelling,
punctuation.
well supported. punctuation
Well organized.

Well organized,
coherently Displays two to three
developed, and errors in spelling,
Writing Displays more than
easy to follow punctuation,
conventions three errors.
grammar, and grammar, and
sentence sentence structure.
structure.

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 13
References
What’s In
1. A
2. D
3. A
4. B
5. A
What I Know
1. A 6. D 11. A
2. A 7. B 12. A
3. D 8. A 13. D
4. B 9. A 14. C
5. D 10. D 15. D
What I have learned
A. Carolus Linnaeus – order in the diversity of life; hierarchy of taxonomic
categories
B. Thomas Malthus – ‘Essay on the Principle of Population’
C. Georges Cuvier – fossils, paleontology and the theory of Catastrophism
D. James Hutton – theory of Gradualism
E. Charles Lyell – principles of geology
Assessment
1. B 9. B
2. C 10. B
3. D 11. C
4. B 12. C
5. C 13. A
6. A 14. D
7. A 15. B
8. D
Answer Key
CHED-PNU. 2016. General Biology 2 Teachers' Guide. Manila, June.

education, Department of. 2014. EASE Module. Pasig City.

http://www.boundless.com/biology textbook. Accessed 06 08, 2020.

http:/www.evolution/berkeley.edu. Accessed June 2020.

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 DISCLAIMER
This Self-learning Module (SLM) was developed by DepEd SOCCSKSARGEN with the
primary objective of preparing for and addressing the new normal. Contents of this
module were based on DepEd’s Most Essential Learning Competencies (MELC). This
is a supplementary material to be used by all learners of Region XII in all public
schools beginning SY 2020-2021. The process of LR development was observed in
the production of this module. This is version 1.0. We highly encourage feedback,
comments, and recommendations.

For inquiries or feedback, please write or call:

Department of Education – SOCCSKSARGEN Learning Resource Management

System (LRMS)

Regional Center, Brgy. Carpenter Hill, City of Koronadal

Telefax No.: (083) 2288825/ (083) 2281893

Email Address: [email protected]