A theory is a carefully thought-out explanation for something about our world that is based on learning from scientific enquiry.

An adaptation is a feature of a plant or animal that helps them to survive in their habitat.

Evolution is the process by which living things change over time.

Your ancestor lived in the past and is directly related to you.

Secondary sources are texts, images or objects created using information gathered by others.

Evolution: evidence

Science

Where fossils are found (non-statutory)

What fossils can tell us about the past

How living things have changed over time

Human skulls: using evidence from the past (non-statutory)

Offspring: similar but not identical

Family trees (non-statutory)

Inherited characteristics

Animal adaptations

Charles Darwin and finches

Plant adaptations

More about plant adaptations

The survival of the fittest

Evolution: presentation

In this Evolution and inheritance unit, pupils learn that, normally, offspring vary and are not identical to parents. In the Heredity and DNA unit, they will build on this knowledge to learn about how genes and chromosomes work. 

In the New life unit, pupils learnt that animals, including humans have offspring which grow into adults. In this Evolution and Inheritance unit, pupils will build on this knowledge to recognise that living things produce offspring of the same kind, but normally offspring vary and are not identical to parents

This unit explores how living things have changed over time, using fossils as evidence of past life. It covers how offspring vary from parents and how adaptation leads to evolution. Emphasis is on planning scientific enquiries, recording data, and evaluating scientific evidence.

Evolution and inheritance

Subjects which particular individuals may be sensitive to, eg, adoption, migration, bereavement or death, divorce, poverty, deprivation.

Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

The huge variety of living things in the world today is a result of {{}} over time.

living things change gradually over time.

organisms change rapidly over a single generation.

Carrying out research using secondary sources of information.

Carrying out research using fiction texts.

How can we find out more about how living things have evolved over time?

What evidence do scientists have that supports the theory of evolution?

Living things can choose to evolve if their habitats change.

There is no proof to support the theory of evolution.

Only animals can evolve, not plants or micro-organisms.

Evolution happens over time and over many generations of a species.

Which of these statements about evolution is correct?

Tadpoles becoming frogs as they get older.

Birds developing different beaks in different habitats over many generations.

Plants producing one generation of offspring who inherit their adaptations.

Animals shedding a thick winter coat when the weather becomes warmer in spring.

Which of these is an example of evolution?

Living things that have died and are decaying.

The remains or imprints of living things preserved in rock.

Fossils can give us evidence about living things that lived millions of years ago. What are fossils?

They use all the evidence they have from enquiries.

They gather opinions from their friends and family.

They use their intuition and gut feelings.

Which of these people are not one of Alex’s ancestors?

An adaptation is a feature of a living thing that helps it to {{}} in its habitat.

The term 'survival of the {{}}' explains how living things that are better adapted to their habitats are more likely to survive, reproduce and pass their characteristics on to their offspring.

Evolution: evidence

Lesson outcome

Content guidance