Project: Journey Through Evolution: From Lamarck to Darwin

Contextualization

In order to understand our future, it is necessary to understand the process that has brought us here. In this way, Biological Evolution is one of the most fascinating subjects in science, as it addresses our past and the past of the species with which we share the planet. In this context, evolution is a powerful concept that allows us to understand how life has developed over billions of years.

Evolution is a central pillar in the biological sciences, yet it also relates to other fields of knowledge, such as Geography, History, and Sociology. In this project, you will explore evolution in an interdisciplinary way, understanding how this phenomenon is intrinsically related to the world we live in.

Introduction

Evolution is a key concept that allows us to understand the biological diversity of our planet. It proposes that species evolve over time from a common ancestor, undergoing a series of gradual changes. We will especially explore two main ideas that have marked evolutionary thought: Lamarck's use and disuse theory and Darwin's natural selection.

Jean-Baptiste Lamarck was the first to postulate a theory explaining how species could change over time, with the law of use and disuse and the inheritance of acquired characteristics. On the other hand, after extensive research, Charles Darwin proposed the idea of natural selection, in which only the organisms best adapted to their environment would be able to survive and reproduce.

Although these ideas may seem similar at first glance, they are significantly different and have different implications for our understanding of the history of life. In this project, you will explore these two ideas in depth, assimilating the importance of evolution to biological diversity.

As educational resources to deepen your knowledge, we recommend reading Charles Darwin's book "On the Origin of Species" and Jean-Baptiste Lamarck's "Zoological Philosophy". Also, consult Wikipedia pages on Lamarck and Darwin to better understand the lives of these two very important scientists. The biology teaching website can also be a useful tool to introduce the concept and guide class discussions.

Hands-on Activity: "Journey Through Evolution: From Lamarck to Darwin"

Project Objective:

The objective of this project is to provide students with a more comprehensive and integrated understanding of Lamarck's and Darwin's evolutionary theories. In addition, it aims to enhance socio-emotional skills through teamwork, time management, effective communication, and problem solving.

Project Description:

Groups will have to create a presentation (either a video, dramatization, podcast, or even a comic book) detailing the journey of evolutionary theory from Lamarck to Darwin.

Students should pay attention to:

1. Lamarck's and Darwin's fundamental ideas.
2. The differences and similarities between the two.
3. Evidence to support Darwin's ideas.
4. The importance of biological diversity and how it relates to evolutionary theory.

This project must be carried out in groups of 3 to 5 students and should take more than 12 hours to complete. This time includes research, planning, implementation, and writing the final report.

Required Materials:

1. Access to the internet for research.
2. Materials for creating the presentation (depending on the chosen format, they may need a camera, editing software, paper, pens, etc.).
3. Material for preparing the final report (computer with word processor).

Step by Step Project:

1. Organization of groups: Divide the class into groups of 3 to 5 students.

2. Study and research: Each group should delve into the concepts of evolution proposed by Lamarck and Darwin.

3. Presentation Planning: The group should plan how they will represent the evolution of theories, whether through video, podcast, dramatization, comic book, etc.

4. Presentation Production: In this phase, students create the presentation according to the plan developed in the previous step.

5. Presentation Review: Before presenting the work, the group should check all the points and make any necessary adjustments.

6. Project presentation: Each group will present their project to the class.

7. Report Preparation: After presenting, each group should write a report on the process, outcome, and conclusions of the project.

Project Deliverables:

1. Practical presentation: The presentation should creatively and interactively show the history of the evolution of Lamarck's and Darwin's theories. It should be easy to understand and engage the audience.

2. Written report: The final report should be submitted in written text form and should contain the following topics:

• Introduction: At this point, students should contextualize the theme of evolution, introduce Lamarck and Darwin, and explain the relevance and objectives of this project.
• Development: Here, students should explain the theory behind Lamarck's and Darwin's concepts of evolution. In addition, they need to describe the activity in detail, the methodologies used, and present the results obtained.
• Conclusion: Students should revisit the main points of the project, make explicit the lessons learned, and the conclusions drawn about the project.
• Bibliography: Students should indicate the sources on which they based their work on this project, such as books, web pages, videos, etc.