Classification

Read these instructions and complete all parts.

Part 1 Go to this website:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/nature/classifying-life.html  If you right click and open in a new tab or new window, you can come back to this page by switching windows.  

Go through interactive (click on the launch interactive button) and go through the three types of organisms.  Read the descriptions and try to get it right.  DON’T JUST CLICK!  When you get to the end of each organism, record your score on the paper. 

 

Part 2 You will draw a cladogram:

One kind of family (phylogenic) tree is called a cladogram.  The cladogram shows the relationships of organisms as one kind of difference occurs to each and they branch off. 

This is a cladogram for mammals.  Today you will draw a diagram showing the relationships for one of the following animals: human, eagle, great white shark, octopus, king cobra, or bullfrog. You must include, at least, 4 ancestor organisms and indicate what the difference is that branches it off from the other.  You may use the internet to research relationships.  The site http://tolweb.org/tree/phylogeny.html  is an attempt to show the tree of life for all organisms.  This may be a useful resource.

Evolution and Antibiotic Resistance

This activity is taken from the site http://ourteacherspage.com/mrb/Contact/resistance_5.html . This was originally placed by Mr. Buonagurio, and I thank him.  

Why Does Evolution Matter Now?  

Evolution and Antibiotic and Pesticide Resistance

When people go to the doctor's office, they expect to be cured. They don't like to be told, "Go home, drink lots of fluids and rest, and you will get better." They want a more proactive approach. Often, doctors prescribe antibiotics just to make their patients happy, even if the antibiotics cannot treat the illness at hand. As a result, antibiotics become more prevalent, the microbes they attack are more likely to develop resistance, and over time the antibiotics become ineffective. Learn about why some diseases have become antibiotic-resistant and how you can help address the problem.

Part A: Misuse of Antibiotics
1.	View "Why Does Evolution Matter Now?" Travel inside a Russian prison to see the impact of evolution on the lives of the inmates and the surrounding community. This video describes the transmission of tuberculosis and the evolution of multiple drug-resistant strains of TB.

2.  Answer the following questions about the video segment:

	•	Why is the Russian prison system considered to be "ground zero" in the fight against TB?
	•	What is responsible for the evolution of TB strains that are resistant to multiple drugs?
	•	How does the misuse of antibiotics affect the evolution of disease-causing bacteria? Use the theory of natural selection to explain the growing resistance to antibiotics.
	•	Why should we care about a resistant strain of TB in Russia?