3. Biological evolution accounts for the diversity of species developed through gradual processes over many generations. As a basis for understanding this concept, students know:

a. both genetic variation and environmental factors are causes of evolution and diversity of organisms.

b. the reasoning used by Darwin in making his conclusion that natural selection is the mechanism of evolution.

c. how independent lines of evidence from geology, fossils, and comparative anatomy provide a basis for the theory of evolution.

d. how to construct a simple branching diagram to classify living groups of organisms by shared derived characteristics, and expand the diagram to include fossil organisms.

e. extinction of a species occurs when the environment changes and the adaptive characteristics of a species are insufficient for its survival.

4. Evidence from rocks allows us to understand the evolution of life on Earth. As the basis for understanding this concept, students know:

a. Earth processes today are similar to those that occurred in the past and slow geologic processes have large cumulative effects over long periods of time.

b. the history of life on Earth has been disrupted by major catastrophic events, such as major volcanic eruptions or the impact of an asteroid.

c. the rock cycle includes the formation of new sediment and rocks. Rocks are often found in layers with the oldest generally on the bottom.

d. evidence from geologic layers and radioactive dating indicate the Earth is approximately 4.6 billion years old, and that life has existed for more than 3 billion years.

e. fossils provide evidence of how life and environmental conditions have changed.

f. how movements of the Earth's continental and oceanic plates through time, with associated changes in climate and geographical connections, havoc affected the past and present distribution of organisms.

g. how to explain significant developments and extinction's of plant and animal life on the geologic time scale.