Fundamentals of Life Science

Activity 2: Investigation on the Theories of the Origin of Life

Group: ________ Team ________ Names _________________________________________________

Introduction:

The details of the origin of life are unknown, but the basic principles have been
established. There are basically two schools of thought that are further divided into
many about the origin of life. One suggests that organic components arrived on
Earth from space, while the other argues that they originated on Earth.

Instructions:
1. The teacher will form 10 teams with 3-4 students on each team.

2. The teacher will assign one of the following theories of the origin of life to
each team:
a) Theory of special creation
b) Organic Evolution
c) Materialistic theory
d) Theory of consecutive creations
e) Clay theory
f) Spontaneous Generation
g) Endosymbiosis
h) Cosmogenia
i) Biopoesis
j) Panspermia

3. During class, each team will investigate their theory and make a power point
presentation with the following information: Title of their theory, what the
theory states, what evidence is the theory based on, and who proposed the
theory, as well as references used. The presentations should include pictures
and include from 6 to 8 slides. Information can be found in the following web
site: http://www.smashinglists.com/top-10-theories-on-beginning-of-life-
on-earth/2/ . At least two other sources should be used as well.

4. The team will then upload their presentation in discussion board in the space
provided.

5. Each team will present their power point presentations in the following class
that should last about 4 minutes.

6. For homework and or during the presentations, each student on the team
will choose three theories and comment on the similarities and differences
from the theory that they studied. That means that each team should
comment on each theory.
Evaluation Rubric:
25 points 20 points 15 points 0 points
Procedure Students Students Students works Students
worked worked collaboratively, didn´t follow
collaboratively, collaboratively, but they didn´t any of the
and correctly and followed correctly instructions.
followed the some of the followed the
instructions instructions instructions
for the for the and nor did they
investigation, they finished complete the
and they their work on work on time.
finished their time
work on time
Power point The The The The
presentation presentation presentation presentation presentation
contained all of contained contained was not
the most of the some of the given as per
information information information instructions.
solicited, and solicited, and solicited, and
was presented was presented was presented
in the allotted in the allotted in the allotted
time, with all time, with all time, without
members of members of all members of
the team the team the team
participating. participating. participating.
References More than 2 2 references One reference No
references were used was used references
were used were given
Comments Each member Each member Some of the Students
of the team of the team students didn´t
commented on commented on commented on comment on
3 different at least 2 some of the the theories
theories. different theories
theories