Evolution by Natural Selection
Module 07 — The Arms Race
Target Phenomenon
Why did Addie nearly die from MRSA? Antibiotic resistance as real-time evolution.
NGSS Standards
- HS-LS4-1 — Communicate scientific information that common ancestry and biological evolution are supported by multiple lines of empirical evidence. (Fossil evidence)
- HS-LS4-2 — Construct an explanation based on evidence that the process of evolution primarily results from four factors: potential for a species to increase in number, heritable genetic variation, competition for resources, and proliferation of organisms better able to survive and reproduce. (Natural selection)
- HS-LS4-4 — Construct an explanation based on evidence for how natural selection leads to adaptations of populations. (Adaptation)
- HS-LS4-5 — Evaluate the evidence supporting claims that changes in environmental conditions may result in increases in the number of individuals of some species, the emergence of new species over time, and/or the extinction of other species. (Environmental change → evolution)
Lesson Breakdown
| Lesson | Title | Focus | NGSS Practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| L01 | The War Zone | What drives natural selection? (Selection pressure basics) | Developing & Using Models |
| L02 | The Superbug | Antibiotic resistance as evolution in action | Analyzing & Interpreting Data |
| L03 | The Peppered Moth | Industrial melanism — classic evidence for natural selection | Analyzing & Interpreting Data |
| L04 | The Beak | Darwin’s finches and how variation drives adaptation | Planning & Carrying Out Investigations |
| L05 | The Chase | Predator-prey dynamics and speed as an adaptation | Engaging in Argument from Evidence |
| L06 | The Road | Cliff swallows and rapid evolution near roads | Constructing Explanations |
| L07 | The Big Picture | Cumulative assessment — natural selection across contexts | All practices |
Total: 7 lessons
Recommended Prior Module
M05 — Bad Blood (Genetics)
Notes
Retooled from legacy Addie unit, compressed from 13 → 7 lessons. Phenomenon fatigue fixed by alternating between MRSA micro-stories and mechanism-building activities.