Evolution resources

Students use a diagram showing similar and dissimilar characteristics of reptiles, birds, and mammals, to answer questions regarding these features.

Task: Students classify each of six drawn whales as either toothed or baleen whales. They then divide each group further by using a key. Assessment focus: Interpreting information.

Task: use information and observation skills to identify whether pictures of fish are either bony fish or sharks. Assessment focus: classification, interpreting a Venn diagram.

Students are provided with pictures of birds and fish and then asked to describe how fish and birds look different and how they look similar.

This practical task assesses students' understanding of the different features of the vertebrate groups. Students need to identify the larger group that their animal card belongs too, then work with other students with the same group to write down all the features of that group.

This practical task assesses students' ability to identify the larger animal group that four vertebrate animals belong to and then identify the features that those groups have using labels.

Task: use a key to identify a fish, then complete a key to identify shellfish. Assessment focus: classification keys.

Name the group various animals belong to. Assessment focus: classification.

Task: Sort vertebrate animals according to given classification groups. Assessment focus: classification of animals.

Task: identify features of a spider. Assessment focus: classification of spider.

Task: answer questions about classification of a platypus. Assessment focus: classification features of mammals.

Students explain the differences between the terms; genotype and phenotype; and homozygous and heterozygous.

Students are given a diagram of a fly and are asked to give three reasons why this animal is not a spider.

Students identify which one of the four drawn animals is not an insect, and then give a reason for their choice.

Task: sort pictures into specified groups and identify features that are common to each group. Assessment focus: classification of insects/non-insects.

Task: Students use observation and a key to identify native plants. Assessment focus: Using a classification key.

Students use a key to classify and describe a number of the illustrated insects and spiders.

Task: select which group pictures of animals belong to. Assessment focus: classification of small animals.

Students read a passage about a genetic characteristic found in a family. They use this information to complete a representation of an inheritance diagram by shading in and naming the persons of this family. Lastly a question about dominance and recessiveness is asked.

Decide whether the photographed animals are reptiles or not, and justify responses. (A fact file giving the features of reptiles is given.) Answer a question about why scientists have an agreed way of grouping living things. Assessment focus: using science-based classifications.

Task: use a key to identify which major group 4 plants belong to. Assessment focus: using a key to classify plants.

Students draw a line from each genetic term to its correct definition.

Students answer questions about genotype and phenotype in cats, and explain a breeding result for the genetic characteristic 'taillessness'.

Using characteristics found in peas, students construct two punnet squares and then answer questions on these.

The results of three different crosses between long-haired and short-haired rabbits have been provided. Students state, with a reason which characteristic is dominant and complete a punnet square for one of the crosses.