Exploring Extinction Resource Package

Exploring Extinction Resource Package This resource package is intended to supplement the Science 10 Natural Selection unit focusing on extinctions. This resource will require students to reflect on previous knowledge of natural selection, evolution, adaptation, adaptive radiation, and of course, extinctions throughout geological time, and apply them to biodiversity in an inquiry based, student-centered way. Each handout has an adapted version with scaffolding for those with IEPs or requiring additional assistance. Adapted handouts are labeled “Version B”.

Included Materials Curriculum Links .......................................................................................................................................................................... 1 Time Traveling Paleontologist ................................................................................................................................................ 3 Disasters, Extinctions, & Fossils, Oh My! ............................................................................................................................. 8 Exthink this! ................................................................................................................................................................................. 12 Additional Links .......................................................................................................................................................................... 16 Answer Keys................................................................................................................................................................................ 17

Curriculum Links Big Idea: Genes are the foundation for the diversity of living things Suggested Unit: Natural selection Topics: Adaptive radiation, species adaptations & extinctions, biodiversity Curriculum Competencies: • • • • •

• • • • •

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Experience and interpret the local environment Make observations aimed at identifying their own questions, including increasingly complex ones, about the natural world Collaboratively and individually plan, select, and use appropriate investigation methods, including field work and lab experiments, to collect reliable data (quantitative and qualitative) Use knowledge of scientific concepts to draw conclusions that are consistent with evidence Communicate scientific ideas, claims, information, and perhaps a suggested course of action, for a specific purpose and audience, constructing evidence-based arguments and using appropriate scientific language, conventions, and representations Analyze cause-and-effect relationships Exercise a healthy, informed skepticism and use scientific knowledge and findings to form their own investigations and to evaluate claims in secondary sources Transfer and apply learning to new situations Contribute to finding solutions to problems at a local and/or global level through inquiry Express and reflect on a variety of experiences, perspectives, and worldviews through place

Created for Beaty Museum Educational use by Toshita Sanghvi,education practicum student. All photos and drawings © Beaty Biodiversity Museum, 2018 unless otherwise noted

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Connect scientific explorations to careers in science Demonstrate a sustained intellectual curiosity about a scientific topic or problem of personal interest

Content Objectives: • • • • • • •

Gain an understanding about extinction Know the 5 major extinctions over geological time and how they occurred Understand how major extinctions impact species and ecosystems Understand the significance of extinction in adaptive radiation and biodiversity Understand the importance of fossils in understanding past events of significance on the geological time scale Understand the impact of humans on extinction Understand the importance of source reliability and where to find them

Language Objectives: • • • • • • •

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Describe how mass extinctions can occur Explain the impact of humans on extinction Explain the significance of extinctions in relation to adaptive radiation, adaptations, and natural selection and how they impact biodiversity of an ecosystem Describe the importance of understanding the fossil record and its relation to the biodiversity we see around us Define and appropriately apply academic vocabulary (extinction, mass extinction, adaptive radiation, biodiversity, species, ecosystems, geological time scale, fossil record, natural selection) Identify the 5 major extinctions on the geological time scale Reading and understanding the source to identify where the information is coming from and the motivations behind the information


Time Traveling Paleontologist This worksheet is designed to be completed at the Beaty Biodiversity Museum and looks at the five (5) major mass extinctions over geological time (time, species lost/survived, etc.), highlighting the importance of fossil evidence in scientific inquiry and understanding. Students will engage in a scavenger hunt throughout the museum to complete the worksheet, focusing on the Dinosaur Trackways, the timeline exhibit, the fossil collection, and the Cowan tetrapod collection. Information about each exhibit can be found at the Beaty Biodiversity Museum’s website: Fossil Collection: http://beatymuseum.ubc.ca/research-2/collections/fossil-collection/ Cowan Tetrapod Collection: http://beatymuseum.ubc.ca/research-2/collections/cowan-tetrapod-collection/ Dinosaur Trackway: http://beatymuseum.ubc.ca/whats-on/exhibitions/permanent-exhibitions/dinosaur-trackways/ Timeline Exhibit: http://beatymuseum.ubc.ca/whats-on/exhibitions/permanent-exhibitions/timeline-exhibit/ Suggested time for activity: 45 – 60 minutes.

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Time Traveling Paleontologist- Version A Welcome to the Earth’s history! Throughout history, there have been many natural events that have caused massive damage and quickly changed the environment, forcing ecosystems and organisms to rapidly change or adapt to survive. Such catastrophic events can result in a mass extinctionthe loss of many species. Using previously learned information, the Dinosaur Trackways, the Fossil and Cowan Tetrapod collections, and the timeline exhibit, please answer the following questions: 1. Complete the following table. You may not find all the answers for “reason(s) for species lost,” but that’s okay. Name of mass extinction

When did it occur (approx. Mya)?

Reason(s) for species lost

Example of group(s) lost

Example of surviving group(s)

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

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2. What evidence do we have that organisms different from what we see today existed?

________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ 3. What type of fossils are the dinosaur tracks? What in the museum has the potential to become this type of fossil?

___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 4. What kind of information can we learn from these tracks? Be specific.

___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________

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Time Traveling Paleontologist- Version B Welcome to the Earth’s history! Throughout history, there have been many natural events that have caused massive damage and quickly changed the environment, forcing ecosystems and organisms to rapidly change or adapt to survive. Such catastrophic events can result in a mass extinctionthe loss of many species. Using previously learned information, the Dinosaur Trackways, the Fossil and Cowan Tetrapod collections, and the timeline exhibit, please answer the following questions: 1.

Complete the following table. You may not find all the answers for “reason(s) for species lost,” but that’s okay. Name of mass extinction





A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

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2. How do we know organisms from the past looked different from the ones we see today?

________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ 3. What type of fossils are the dinosaur tracks? What in the tetrapod collection could become this type of

fossil?

___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 4. What is one thing we can learn from these tracks? Be specific.

___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________

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Disasters, Extinctions, & Fossils, Oh My! This worksheet is designed to be completed at the Beaty biodiversity Museum and at the Pacific Museum of Earth and builds on the handout. It focuses on the causes behind sudden environmental changes that resulted in the big mass extinctions. To complete the handout, students are required to recall information they learned at the Beaty Biodiversity Museum and use the Natural Disasters exhibit at the Pacific Museum of Earth. This worksheet is intended to demonstrate the impact of geological processes on biodiversity and understand how they change the environment in a way that results in species’ extinction or evolution. Information about the exhibit can be found at the Pacific Museum of Earth’s website: Natural Disasters Exhibit: http://pme.ubc.ca/exhibits/natural-disasters/ Suggested time for activity: 30 minutes.

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Disasters, Extinctions, & Fossils, Oh My!- Version A Now that you’ve learned more about why, and which, species are lost/gained during an extinction, and the importance of fossil evidence in understanding this information, let’s take a closer look at what causes extinctions. At the Pacific Museum of Earth, answer the following questions using the Natural Disasters exhibit and what you learned at the Beaty Biodiversity Museum and in class. 1. What are index fossils? Why are they important for understanding Earth’s history?

2. On the previous table, fill in the “reason(s) for species lost” for extinction #3. 3. Which extinction resulted in the highest loss of life on Earth? Why?

4. Describe one other cause of a mass extinction that is not listed in the table in question 1.

5. Why is it difficult to blame mass extinctions on a single event or occurrence?

6. What is one advantage of mass extinctions in relation to biodiversity? Explain your answer.

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Disasters, Extinctions, & Fossils, Oh My!- Version B Now that you’ve learned more about why, and which, species are lost/gained during an extinction, and the importance of fossil evidence in understanding this information, let’s take a closer look at what causes extinctions. At the Pacific Museum of Earth, answer the following questions using the Natural Disasters exhibit and what you learned at the Beaty Biodiversity Museum and in class. 1. What are index fossils? Why are they important for understanding Earth’s history? Index fossils are fossils that

Index fossils help us understand Earth’s history because

2. On the previous table, fill in the “reason(s) for species lost” for extinction #3. 3. Which extinction resulted in the highest loss of life on Earth? Why? Name of extinction: It resulted in the highest loss of life because

4. Describe one other cause of a mass extinction that is not listed in the table in question 1.

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5. Why is it difficult to blame mass extinctions on a single natural event?

6. What is one advantage of mass extinctions in relation to biodiversity? Explain your answer. Advantage:

Because:

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Exthink This! This activity is designed to be completed outside the museum, preferably in the classroom, and may be used as an extension (post-museum) activity or as a stand-alone research activity and requires access to computers. Students will research the idea of the 6th mass extinction occurring today and focuses on the students’ interpretation of information they gather from different sources. They will also investigate local research on the Beaty Biodiversity Museum’s “Researchers Revealed” webpage relating to the current biodiversity conservation, and how they themselves can participate to help preserve the biodiversity around us. Information about current local UBC research and where students should look for their assignment is provided below: Researchers Revealed: http://beatymuseum.ubc.ca/researchers-revealed Suggest time for activity: 30 minutes

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Exthink This! Many think the 6th mass extinction is occurring right now. Part One: Using the internet, research why the scientific community feels this way and answer the following questions: 1. Why do scientists think we are experiencing the 6th mass extinction right now? Be specific.

2. Do you agree that a 6th mass extinction is occurring right now? Why or why not?

3. Describe one way mass extinctions can be beneficial and one way they are detrimental to biodiversity. a. Beneficial:

b. Detrimental:

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Part Two: Using the following website (http://beatymuseum.ubc.ca/research2/research/researchers-revealed/), answer the following questions. 1. Other than fossils, what is another way to know which organisms lived in an area in the past, before written records or photographs existed?

2. There are many reasons for the rapid decline in biodiversity. Using the link, research what some local scientists think. You may also want to google their name and visit their personal research page for more information. Scientist 1

Scientist 2

What do they research?

What do they suggest might be a problem associated with human impacts?

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3. What are some things you can do as an individual to help reduce human impact on ecosystems in BC?

4. Write down some ideas on what everyone can do as a community to preserve biodiversity.

5. What are some feasible (and realistic) things we can do as a population?

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Additional Links Did you know the Pacific Museum of Earth is located across the street from the Beaty Biodiversity Museum? Tour 4.5 billion years through the evolution of Earth, touch a real dinosaur bone, be informed about the hazards of natural disasters, gaze at dazzling mineral and gem displays, and learn about the mineralogical guts of your smartphone. Check out their site at http://pme.ubc.ca. If your group is interested in paleontology and Earth sciences, check out the Earth Experience offered by the Beaty Biodiversity Museum and the Pacific Museum of Earth (http://pme.ubc.ca/programs/earthexperience/ ). This program allows students to explore the amazing natural forces that shape the earth and how this has influenced the variety of insects, plants, and animals around us.

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Answer Keys

Time Traveling Paleontologist- Version A Welcome to the Earth’s history! Throughout history, there have been many natural events that have caused massive damage and quickly changed the environment, forcing ecosystems and organisms to rapidly change or adapt to survive. Such catastrophic events can result in a mass extinction- the loss of many species. Using previously learned information, the Dinosaur Trackways, the Fossil and Cowan Tetrapod collections, and the timeline exhibit, please answer the following questions: 1.

Complete the following table. You may not find all the answers for “reason(s) for species lost,” but that’s okay. Name of mass extinction

A.

Ordovician

B.

Late Devonian

C.

Permian-




Falling sea-level, habitat loss, ice formation due to temperature dropping, etc. Drop in sea-level, ocean anoxia

Bryozoan, Brachiopod, Craptolites, etc.

251

Flood basalt eruptions, large impact

Insects, corals, land vertebrates, etc.

200

Climate change, volcanic eruption, loss of habitat

Mammals

65

Chicxulub asteriod impact

Ammonites, nonflying dinosaurs

450-440

360-375

Triassic

D.

TriassicJurassic

E.

Cretaceous -Tertiary

Jawed fishes, placoderm, etc.


Coral reefs, land plants and insects, jawed fishes Corals, insects, ferns, etc.

Flying reptiles, mammals, corals, etc. Dinosaurs, flowering plants, etc. Birds, Dawn redwood, etc.

2. How do we know organisms from the past looked different from the ones we see today? Fossils______________________________________________________________

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3. What type of fossils are the dinosaur tracks? What in the museum has the potential to become this

type of fossil? The dinosaur tracks are trace fossils. Birds’ nests, and egg shells are types of specimens that have a potential to become this type of fossil. 4. What kind of information can we learn from these tracks? Be specific. Progression of evolution, size of organism, solitary vs herd/colony organism(s), location/migration patterns, habitat, interactions with other organisms, age of footprints, which continents were originally connected and when, etc.

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Answer Key Time Traveling Paleontologist- Version B Welcome to the Earth’s history! Throughout history, there have been many natural events that have caused massive damage and quickly changed the environment, forcing ecosystems and organisms to rapidly change or adapt to survive. Such catastrophic events can result in a mass extinction- the loss of many species. Using previously learned information, the Dinosaur Trackways, the Fossil and Cowan Tetrapod collections, and the timeline exhibit, please answer the following questions: 1.

Complete the following table. You may not find all the answers for “reason(s) for species lost,” but that’s okay.

Name of mass extinction


A. Ordovician

450-440

B. Late Devonian

360-375

C. PermianTriassic

251

D. Triassic-

200

Jurassic E. Cretaceous -Tertiary

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Falling sea-level, habitat loss, ice formation due to temperature dropping, etc. Drop in sea-level, ocean anoxia

Bryozoan, Brachiopod, Craptolites, etc.

Flood basalt eruptions, large impact

Insects, corals, land vertebrates, etc.

Climate change, volcanic eruption, loss of habitat

Mammals

Chicxulub asteriod impact

Ammonites, nonflying dinosaurs

Jawed fishes, placoderm, etc.


Coral reefs, land plants and insects, jawed fishes Corals, insects, ferns, etc.

Flying reptiles, mammals, corals, etc. Dinosaurs, flowering plants, etc. Birds, Dawn redwood, etc.

2. How do we know organisms from the past looked different from the ones we see today? Fossils______________________________________________________________

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3. What type of fossils are the dinosaur tracks? What in the museum has the potential to become this

type of fossil? The dinosaur tracks are trace fossils. Birds’ nests, and egg shells are types of specimens that have a potential to become this type of fossil. 4. What is one thing we can learn from these tracks? Be specific. Steps of evolution, size and type of organism(s), whether they are solitary of herd animals, how they interact with their environment and each other, etc.

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Disasters, Extinctions, & Fossils, Oh My!- Version A Now that you’ve learned more about why, and which, species are lost/gained during an extinction, and the importance of fossil evidence in understanding this information, let’s take a closer look at what causes extinctions. At the Pacific Museum of Earth, answer the following questions using the Natural Disasters exhibit and what you learned at the Beaty Biodiversity Museum and in class. 1. What are index fossils? Why are they important for understanding Earth’s history? Types of fossils used to look at the age of the Earth and used to age sedimentary beds globally to reconstruct the history of life on Earth. They are important because they types of species, their size and abundance is recorded in these rocks, essentially providing us with a timeline of their existence. 2. On the previous table, fill in the “reason(s) for species lost” for extinction #3. 3. Which extinction resulted in the highest loss of life on Earth? Why? Permian- Triassic, because 96% of marine life and 70% of terrestrial vertebrate species were lost. 4. Describe one other cause of a mass extinction that is not listed in the table in question 1. An example could be the assembly of supercontinents. When continents come together, they meet at their costal edges, resulting in the lost of the coast and continental shelf. Since many marine species require the shallow habitats only available along the coast and continental shelfs, without them, they die. 5. Why is it difficult to blame mass extinctions on a single event or occurrence? Lack of supporting evidence in the rock record; catastrophic events, such as volcanic eruptions, are not isolated events. They are sometimes caused by other large events, etc.

________________________

6. What is one advantage of mass extinctions in relation to biodiversity? Explain your answer. It increases habitat availability and reduces competition, allowing adaptive radiation to occur, creating new species to fill the empty niches available.

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Disasters, Extinctions, & Fossils, Oh My!- Version B Now that you’ve learned more about why, and which, species are lost/gained during an extinction, and the importance of fossil evidence in understanding this information, let’s take a closer look at what causes extinctions. At the Pacific Museum of Earth, answer the following questions using the Natural Disasters exhibit and what you learned at the Beaty Biodiversity Museum and in class. 1. What are index fossils? Why are they important for understanding Earth’s history? Index fossils are fossils that are used to look at the age of the Earth to reconstruct the history of life on Earth. Index fossils help us understand Earth’s history because the types of species, their size, and abundance is recorded in these rocks, providing us with a timeline of their existence. 2. On the previous table, fill in the “reason(s) for species lost” for extinction #3. 3. Which extinction resulted in the highest loss of life on Earth? Why? Name of extinction: Permian-Triassic It resulted in the highest loss of life because 96% of marine life and 70% of terrestrial vertebrate species were lost. 4. Describe one other cause of a mass extinction that is not listed in the table in question 1. e.g: assembly of supercontinents – when continents come together, they meet at their costal edges, resulting in the lost of the coast and continental shelf. 5. Why is it difficult to blame mass extinctions on a single natural event? Lack of supporting evidence in the rock record; natural events, such as volcanic eruptions, are sometimes the result of another natural event happening at the same time.

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6. What is one advantage of mass extinctions in relation to biodiversity? Explain your answer. Advantage:It increases habitat availability. Because: It opens up previously occupied habitats that the survivors can now inhabit, allowing for adaptive radiation to occur (fitting new ecological niches)

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Exthink This! Many think the 6th mass extinction is occurring right now. Part One: Using the internet, research why the scientific community feels this way and answer the following questions: 1. Why do scientists think we are experiencing the 6th mass extinction right now? Be specific. Increasing habitat loss, warming temperatures due to increased CO2 emissions, hunting/fishing over-consumption, human overpopulation, industry, etc. all contribute to species lost. 2. Do you agree that a 6th mass extinction is occurring right now? Why or why not?

3. Describe one way mass extinctions can be beneficial and one way they are detrimental to biodiversity. a. Beneficial: By removing a large amount of species from specific areas, extinctions increase habitat availability. With these spaces now open, the surviving species can create a new niche as they adapt to their new habitat and role within the ecosystem. An extinction also allows for adaptive radiation, the rapid evolution of a single ancestral species into new species in a relatively short period in time in a specific geographical area, thereby increasing the abundance of species. b. Detrimental: Loss of large number of species, which can collapse ecosystems if keystone species are removed. It also results in a loss of species richness and biodiversity as a large percentage of life is removed for the Earth at a time.

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Part Two: Using the following website (http://beatymuseum.ubc.ca/research2/research/researchers-revealed/), answer the following questions. 2. Other than fossils, what is another way to know which organisms lived in an area in the past, before written records or photographs existed? Soil samples, ratios of plant traces 3. There are many reasons for the rapid decline in biodiversity. Using the link, research what some local scientists think. You may also want to google their name and visit their personal research page for more information. Scientist 1 What is their name?

Dr. Simon Donner

What is the focus of

Their research focuses on

their research?

understanding the way corals

Scientist 2

respond to rising temperatures, specifically looking at the symbiotic relationship between coral and microscopic algae (zooanxthellae) What do they

Increasing global climates, not

suggest might be a

only due to natural causes,

problem associated

but also due to increased

with human impacts?

released of CO2 emissions from increased human use.

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4. What are some things you can do as an individual to help reduce human impact on ecosystems in BC? Avoid bringing plants, insects, animals from other provinces and countries and releasing them into the wild (e.g. stickbugs) as they may end up being an invasive species. Recycle and dispose of garbage appropriately. Avoid removing sea stars, crabs, etc. from their habitat for home displays, etc.

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5. Write down some ideas on what everyone can do as a community to preserve biodiversity. Create open space habitats in school/community gardens (e.g. bee hives, mushroom fairy groove, etc.), create corridors that allow animals to move between habitat patches with minimal interference from humans, etc. 6. What are some feasible (and realistic) things we can do as a population? Reduce carbon footprint by reducing amount of emissions released (walking, biking, transit, etc.), create more green spaces and gardens within populated areas for plants, insects, and small animals, etc.

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