Fossils are the mineralised remains of once-living organisms, or of traces left behind by organisms.

An organism is something that is living, or was once living but is now dead.

Naturally occurring chemical compounds of elements such as carbon, calcium, silicon and iron.

An extinct species has no living members.

All the fossils ever found, and their ages, provide a body of evidence called the fossil record.

Fossils show that species change over time

Science

Understanding time scales

Adaptations

Competition

Heritable variation

Natural selection

A model of natural selection

Evolution

Pupils will learn that the fossil record provides evidence of evolution from common ancestors through transitional species to modern species, and that the theory of evolution by natural selection can be used to explain phenotypic changes in populations of species over generations.

Pupils learned that variation (differences in the features of individuals of the same species) can be caused by environmental and genetic factors.

This unit explores variation within and between species, competition, and natural selection. It focuses on asking questions, making predictions, planning scientific enquiries, and testing hypotheses. It also covers analysing results, explaining findings, and identifying new questions that arise.

Adaptations, competition, natural selection and evolution

One billion is one thousand million (1 000 000 000).

One thousand (1000) is equal to 10 × 10 × 10.

One million is one thousand thousand (1 000 000).

The characteristics of species gradually change over time, sometimes forming new species. This process is called evolution.

Extinction is the permanent loss of a species.

An adaptation is a feature that organisms have to help them live in a particular place and survive.

Camouflage is a strategy that organisms use to disguise their appearance, usually by blending in with their surroundings.

Producers make their own food using a series of chemical reactions called photosynthesis.

Living organisms struggle for access to limited resources. This struggle is known as competition.

Differences between organisms of the same species are known as variation.

An adaptation is a feature that helps an organism to function and survive.

A feature that helps an organism to compete more effectively in its habitat gives the organism an advantage in the competition.

Organisms that are the best adapted to their environment are said to be the fittest.

Variation is the term for differences between individuals of the same species.

Differences between individuals that are caused by the environment are known as environmental variation.

Differences between individuals that are caused by the genetic material they inherit are known as genetic variation.

The offspring of a living organism are the young produced following reproduction.

Heritable traits are features that can be passed on from a parent to their offspring via instructions stored in genetic material (DNA).

Reproduction is the process of making offspring.

Organisms that are better adapted to their environment are more likely to survive, reproduce and pass on their genes to their offspring.

Scientists use models as simpler representations of complex things and ideas.

An idea based on observations about how something works.

A scientific prediction is a testable statement about a possible outcome of an experiment.

A general explanation that applies to a large number of situations. Theories are widely accepted by scientists because they have been extensively tested and evidenced.

The process by which the characteristics of species change over many generations, sometimes becoming new species.

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Adaptations, competition, natural selection and evolution

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