Module 4 Intro

Module 4—Mechanisms of Population Change

Lesson 2—Developing Theories to Explain Change

Get Focused

If your parents and friends had to explain why your taste in music evolved from punk rock in January to classical jazz in September, they would have to make a theory based on their observations. Since your parents like classical jazz, perhaps they think your taste in music came from them. Meanwhile, your friends may observe that you lost your punk rock collection and had to resort to listening to whatever music your parents had. Which theory do you think best explains your situation?

Evolutionary scientists, such as Charles Darwin and Jean Baptiste Lamarck, used their observations to explain the phenomenon of evolution. What scientist ended up making the correct conclusions?

In this lesson you will explore the following essential questions:

• How do theories explaining evolutionary change compare?
• What theories attempt to explain the pace of evolutionary change?

Module 4: Lesson 2 Assignment

Your teacher-marked Module 4: Lesson 2 Assignment requires you to submit a response to the following:

• TR 2. Answering Darwin’s Questions 
• TR 3. The Pace of Evolution
• Reflect and Connect: Applying and Comparing Theories of Evolution

You can access your Module 4: Lesson 2 Assignment. You can print off the assignment or save the download to your computer. Your answers can be saved on this document to your course folder.

You must decide what to do with the questions that are not marked by the teacher.

Remember that these questions provide you with the practice and feedback that you need to successfully complete this course. You should respond to all the questions and place those answers in your course folder.