2.2: Misconceptions about Evolution

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Anne E. Pfister

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Misconceptions About Evolution

Format: In-person or online

A commonly used illustration for human evolution that suggests evolution is linear and modern humans are the crowning achievement of that process.

Author: Beth Shook

Source: Inspired by Misconception Quizzes Teach.Genetics.utah.edu. Genetic Science Learning Center. University of Utah

Time needed: 15-20 minutes

Learning Objectives

Identify and clarify misconceptions surrounding evolution and evolutionary forces
Review animal examples illustrating how evolution works

Supplies Needed

Worksheet (provided)
Access to the internet to show a video from learn.genetics.utah.edu

Readings

Introduction

There are many misconceptions about what evolution is and how it works via natural selection to cause changes in species. This brief activity helps students identify any misconceptions they may hold and then helps them to achieve a more accurate understanding of evolution. To do so, they will view a short video and answer a series of questions.

Steps

Students will individually complete the provided worksheet by checking the statements that they believe to be true.
Instructors will show the five-minute video “Things You May Not Know About Evolution” (https://learn.genetics.utah.edu/cont...misconceptions).
Students will check their answers as they watch the video.

Conclusion

The instructor should lead a brief discussion afterwards to see what the most common misconceptions in the class were (based on the most missed questions) and clarify any questions that students may have from the worksheet or film.

Adapting for Online Learning

If this is an in-person lab, rank how adaptable to online learning it would be(mark in bold):

1 Not adaptable 2 Possible to adapt 3 Easy to adapt

This worksheet can be provided for students to complete asynchronously and they can watch the video either on their own or in a synchronous class section. The later option would allow for a brief instructor-led discussion.

For Further Exploration

References

Marks, Jonathan. 2019. “Chapter 2: Evolution.” In Explorations: An Open Invitation to Biological Anthropology, edited by Beth Shook, Katie Nelson, Kelsie Aguilera, and Lara Braff. Arlington, VA: American Anthropological Association. CC BY-NC http://explorations.americananthro.org/

“Misconception Quizzes.” 2011. Teach.Genetics.utah.edu. Genetic Science Learning Center. University of Utah. https://teach.genetics.utah.edu/content/evolution/files/misconceptionquiz_key.pdf

“Things You May Not Know About Evolution” 2011. Learn.Genetics.utah.edu. Genetic Science Learning Center. University of Utah. https://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/evolution/misconceptions

Image Attributions

Human evolution by Tkgd2007 is used under a CC BY-SA 3.0 License.

Misconceptions About Evolution Worksheet

For each number, check the statement that is true.

1. ☐ Organisms are perfectly structured for their environment.

☐ Organisms have many traits that are not perfectly structured, but function well enough to give an organism a competitive advantage.

2. ☐ Natural selection favors the development of new traits.

☐ Natural selection often modifies existing structures but must work within the limits of what is available.

3. ☐ Evolution is climbing a ladder towards perfection.

☐ Evolution may cause the loss of beneficial or complex traits.

4. ☐ Some species and some genes remain largely unchanged over millions of years.

☐ Natural selection always favors change.

5. True or False? The process of natural selection can only work on structures that are in use.

☐ True.

☐ False.

6. ☐ Evolution is a theory, which is a well substantiated explanation for observable facts.

☐ Evolution is a theory, which means it is a guess.

7. ☐ In order to accept evolution as a valid explanation, you cannot believe in God.

☐ The theory of evolution and religion can be compatible.

8. ☐ The complexity of an organism determines the size of its genome.

☐ The complexity of an organism has no correlation with the size of its genome.

9. ☐ Humans are the ultimate achievement of evolution.

☐ Humans are less complex than other organisms in many ways.

10. ☐ Evolutionary patterns look like the branches on a tree.

☐ Evolution is linear.