Starter:

How is this deep sea fish adapted to its environment?

Theories of Evolution
Evolution is a gradual process by which different species
arise from a common ancestor over time

LESSON OBJECTIVE: Learn about different theories

of evolution.
Jean Baptiste Lamarck
1801
 Use, Disuse and
Inherited Characteristics
• Lamarck believed that characteristics that were
used in an organism would grow stronger.
While characteristics (or organs) that organisms
stopped using would weaken and eventually
disappear.

• Any characteristic of an organism that is

improved through use is passed to its offspring.
Giraffes
• Lamarck explained the lengthening of a giraffe’s
neck by saying that if a giraffe stretched its neck
to reach for high leaves, a ”nervous fluid” would
flow into its neck and make it longer. The
differences in neck length are because of the
need to reach tree tops.

• The offspring would inherit a

longer neck, and continued
stretching would make the neck
longer over several generations.
Lamarck’s Theory

Organisms change
because of a want
or need. Giraffes
need food and when
there is no food
available on the
lower branches,
they have to stretch
to reach the food
higher up.
Lamarck’s Thoughts
• Lamarck thought that organisms responded to
their environment, if their environment changed
then they would change in response to it.
• Organisms became more complex as time went
on.
• Organisms could not become extinct.
• Evolution happens according to a predetermined
plan and the results have already been decided.
How would Lamark explain the fact
that rabbits today have much longer
ears than their rabbit ancestor?

Discuss in pairs and give a written

answer in full detail.
Charles Darwin
1859
Darwin’s Voyage.
• Darwin traveled around the world observing
different species on his ship, the HMS Beagle.
• He noticed that there
was a lot of variety
in species.
• He also observed
fossils of species that
existed long ago.
Darwin’s Giraffe
Due to natural variation, the ancestors of modern
giraffes would have had necks of different length,
some short and some long.

Giraffes with longer necks would have been able to

reach more food than those with shorter necks.

As a result, the long-necked giraffes were

more likely to be healthy and live to produce
more high-quality offspring.

This, in turn, would increase the chances of

their long-necked characteristic (an adaptive
trait) being passed on to future generations.
Darwin’s Theory
• Species gradually changed over time to become
better adapted (more likely to survive and
reproduce) to their environment.
• The theory of natural selection – the species that
are best adapted to their environment survive
and reproduce.
• Only traits that are inherited can be acted on by
evolution.
How would Darwin explain the fact
that rabbits today have much longer
ears than their rabbit ancestor?

Discuss in pairs and give a written

answer in full detail.
Summary Activity
1. Complete the table comparing Lamark and
Darwin

2. Write a short paragraph explaining Lamark’s

and Darwin’s theories of evolution.
 Darwin Lamark

Variation (differences) in characteristics

happen because of different needs of
organisms
Variation (differences) in characteristics occur
naturally ( not because of needs)

Individuals can change during their lifetime

and pass this information to their offspring

In a population of hawks, those with good

eyesight are more likely to survive and
produce offspring with good eyesight. Over
many generations, all the hawks will come to
have powerful eyesight
Wading birds have evolved long legs by
stretching them to keep dry and passing this
characteristic onto offspring
Proposed the theory of natural selection
 Tick the box to say whether the statement is about Darwin or
Lamark

Darwin Lamark

Variation (differences) in characteristics happen x

because of different needs of organisms

Variation (differences) in characteristics occur naturally x

( not because of needs)

Individuals can change during their lifetime and pass x

this information to their offspring

In a population of hawks, those with good eyesight are x

more likely to survive and produce offspring with good
eyesight. Over many generations, all the hawks will
come to have powerful eyesight

Wading birds have evolved long legs by stretching them x

to keep dry and passing this characteristic onto
offspring

Proposed the theory of natural selection x

Proposed the idea of use and disuse x