Name: ___________________________SBI3U Introduction to EvolutionNotes Handout

What is a Scientific Theory?- In science, a theory is a statement that makes and explains

_____________ about a group of _______________ and ______________- It explains observations and allows us to make predictions about the

natural world- Scientific theories are not _______________: they can be revised in the

light of new evidence - Examples of theories: ___________________________

Theory of Evolution:- A scientific theory that helps us to understand the ___________________

and ___________________ of life on Earth- Evolution is not a theory about the origin of life. It is a theory

explaining ____________________________________________________________________________________

-- Considered to be a “unifying” theory

because it answers many of our questions: o Why do humans have an appendix if

we don’t use it?o Why is there fossil evidence of

organisms that no longer exist?

Evolution is not linear...- Evolution is a complex, meandering tree of

variable _________________- These populations branch and change over

_________________________________.- Modern species do not evolve into other

modern species, but rather split repeatedly into multiple lineages.

Evolution & Catholicism • Misconception:

__________________________________________________________.• Evolution is regarded by scientists (of Catholic and other religious

beliefs) as scientific fact, just as gravity is…• The Church has openly accepted that evolutionary theory in no way

challenges the belief that God is ultimately responsible for all life• Pope Francis, 2014: “[Evolution] does not contradict the divine

intervention… the evolution in nature is not opposed to the notion of

Creation, because evolution presupposes the creation of beings that evolve.” 

Some Common Misunderstandings:

FALSE: Humans are descended from monkeys.

TRUE: _________________________________________________________________________

- Humans and chimpanzees share more than 90% of their __________________________

- Scientists believe this common ancestor existed 5-8 millions years ago, when the species diverged into 2 separate lineages; one evolving into _____________________________, the other into ___________________________(____________________).

FALSE: Evolution is the progressive improvement of species

TRUE: ________________________________________________________________________.

- Evolution does not create ____________________________ and eliminate the weak.

- Rather, there are many organisms that are not perfectly adapted to their environment.

- For example, sharks do not have a gas bladder to control their buoyancy in the water.

- Evolution can only randomly favour the ______________________________________________________________!!!

Scientific Investigation Activity:- See the worksheet titled “Scientific Investigation Activity” provided.- Video link: https://www.pbs.org/video/deep-look-lizards/