After an abbreviated end to last week during which a late-start (snow) and two all-school activities conspired to limit our classroom time, we decided to start the class period with Jack Horner’s entertaining TED Talk in which he describes his research connecting dinosaurs and chickens.

After the video, we briefly discussed how scientists study embryology, the fossil record, atavisms, and behavior to add to our understanding of evolution.  Students were then released to work with a partner on the Mutation and Selection Gizmo.  Students were instructed to work at least through Activity A of the handout today in preparation for our work tomorrow.