Unlocking Dinosaur Family Secrets: An Introduction to Cladistics

Biology Grades High School 1:13 Video
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Lesson Description

Explore how scientists use cladistics to determine evolutionary relationships between dinosaurs, revealing their fascinating family tree.

Video Resource

How Do We Know Which Kind of Dinosaurs Were Most Closely Related?

American Museum of Natural History

Duration: 1:13
Watch on YouTube

Key Concepts

  • Cladistics: a method of classifying organisms based on shared characteristics to determine evolutionary relationships.
  • Phylogenetic Tree (Cladogram): a branching diagram showing the evolutionary relationships among various biological species.
  • Shared Derived Characteristics: traits that are shared by a group of organisms and were inherited from a common ancestor.

Learning Objectives

  • Students will be able to define cladistics and explain its use in determining evolutionary relationships.
  • Students will be able to interpret a cladogram and identify common ancestors and shared derived characteristics.
  • Students will be able to explain how shared anatomical features provide evidence for evolutionary relationships.

Educator Instructions

  • Introduction (5 mins)
    Begin by asking students what they know about dinosaurs and how scientists study them. Briefly discuss the concept of evolution and family trees.
  • Video Viewing (5 mins)
    Show the YouTube video "How Do We Know Which Kind of Dinosaurs Were Most Closely Related?" from the American Museum of Natural History.
  • Discussion (10 mins)
    Lead a class discussion using the discussion questions to clarify the key concepts presented in the video.
  • Cladogram Activity (15 mins)
    Students will complete the cladogram activity, constructing or interpreting a cladogram based on given dinosaur characteristics.
  • Wrap Up (5 mins)
    Summarize the key concepts of cladistics and its application to understanding dinosaur evolution. Preview future lessons on evolution.

Interactive Exercises

  • Dinosaur Cladogram Challenge
    Provide students with a list of dinosaur characteristics (e.g., presence of feathers, bipedalism, size of teeth) and ask them to create a simple cladogram showing the evolutionary relationships between different dinosaur species. Students can work in groups to collaborate on this activity.
  • Case Study: T. Rex's Relatives
    Research a case study about T. Rex to explore what evolutionary relationships scientists have uncovered through cladistics.

Discussion Questions

  • What is cladistics, and how is it used to determine evolutionary relationships?
  • What is a shared derived characteristic, and how does it help us understand evolutionary relationships?
  • How does the video example of the human, mouse, and lizard illustrate the principle of cladistics?
  • How do computer algorithms assist scientists in creating cladograms?

Skills Developed

  • Critical Thinking
  • Data Analysis
  • Scientific Reasoning
  • Collaboration

Multiple Choice Questions

Question 1:

What is cladistics?

Correct Answer: A method of classifying organisms based on shared characteristics to determine evolutionary relationships.

Question 2:

What is a cladogram?

Correct Answer: A branching diagram showing evolutionary relationships.

Question 3:

What does a branching point on a cladogram represent?

Correct Answer: The common ancestor of the groups branching from that point.

Question 4:

What is a shared derived characteristic?

Correct Answer: A trait that is shared by a group of organisms and inherited from a common ancestor.

Question 5:

Which of the following is used to create a family tree of animals?

Correct Answer: Computer Algorithms

Question 6:

According to the video, what is one attribute that links humans and mice together?

Correct Answer: Hair

Question 7:

What is the 'shortest path' when finding the evolutionary relationship between animals?

Correct Answer: The least evolutionary steps

Question 8:

According to the video, which dinosaurs are Tyrannosauridae members?

Correct Answer: Albertosaurus

Question 9:

According to the video, which group do the giant sauropods belong to?

Correct Answer: Saurischia

Question 10:

Which animals did the video use to describe cladistics?

Correct Answer: Human, Mouse, Lizard

Fill in the Blank Questions

Question 1:

The primary technique used to understand relationships among dinosaurs is called ___________.

Correct Answer: cladistics

Question 2:

Cladistics looks at the number of __________ in an animal to determine evolutionary relationships.

Correct Answer: attributes

Question 3:

The 'shortest path' refers to the least _____________ steps.

Correct Answer: evolutionary

Question 4:

A branching diagram that represents evolutionary relationships is called a ____________.

Correct Answer: cladogram

Question 5:

Shared derived characteristics are traits that were inherited from a common ___________.

Correct Answer: ancestor

Question 6:

Cladistics look at the number of _______ in an animal

Correct Answer: attributes

Question 7:

According to the video, cladistics looks for the _______ path through attributes

Correct Answer: shortest

Question 8:

The video uses a _______, _______ and _______ to describe cladistics

Correct Answer: human, mouse, lizard

Question 9:

The video states _______ originated once

Correct Answer: hair

Question 10:

Computer __________ go through the matrix and find the shortest path through it

Correct Answer: algorithms

Educational Standards

B.LS4.1:Communicate scientific information that common ancestry and biological evolution are supported by multiple lines of empirical evidence. B.LS4.2:Construct an explanation based on evidence that biological diversity is influenced by (1) the potential for a species to increase in number, (2) the heritable genetic variation of individuals in a species due to mutation and sexual reproduction, (3) competition for limited resources, and (4) the proliferation of those organisms that are better able to survive and reproduce in the environment. B.LS4.4:Construct an explanation based on evidence for how natural selection leads to adaptation of populations.

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