Charles Darwin was a British naturalist who developed the theory of evolution by natural selection. He observed that over generations, animal traits gradually change through a process where individuals with traits better suited to the environment tend to survive and reproduce more. Darwin's book "On the Origin of Species" introduced the scientific theory that all species of life have evolved over time from common ancestors through this process of natural selection. The document provides background on Darwin and examples of how giraffes, horses, and peppered moths evolved over time to develop traits better suited to their environments.

1. Charles Darwin
The Theory of Evolution

2. When was he born?
What were his hobbies/ interests?
What did he study?What was his book called?
Where did he visit?
What was he famous for?
Where was he born?
What was the name of the ship
he travelled on?
Did he get married?
What did he study?
When did he die?

3. • Lesson Objective: To be able to explain Darwin’s
‘Theory of Evolution’.
• Context: By explaining how different animals have
changed over time.
• Success Criteria:
I understand the ‘Theory of Evolution’.
I can explain how an animal has changed over
time.
I can explain why an animal has changed over
time.

4. Watch the following clip and think about how the
giraffes have changed and why they have changed.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/clips/z4vfb9q

5. Task
In your envelope you have a selection of
pictures and explanations.
In pairs you need to match the text with the
right picture and then put them in chronological
order.
You should then have the story of how and
why your animal has changed over time.

6. The first known giraffes
did not have the long neck
that they have today. They
were no taller than
elephants or antelopes.
These short necked giraffes
could not compete with all
the other animals for food.
All the plants and trees that
they could reach were being
eaten before they could get
there.
Over time, some giraffes
were born with slightly
longer necks than all the
others. These giraffes were
able to reach the leaves that
were higher up.
The giraffes with the
longer necks survived
and reproduced as they
had lots of food. The
giraffes with the shorter
necks started to die out
as they did not get
enough food.
Over millions of years, the giraffes
with the slightly longer necks were
able to survive and reproduce.
This meant gradually the necks of
the giraffes being born were
getting longer until the modern
day giraffe that we recognise
today had evolved.

7. Over 60 million years ago,
the first known horses
were dog sized creatures
that lived in rainforests.
They had three large toes
which helped them walk
across the forest floor.
About 20 million years ago
the climate (weather)
changed. This meant large
grasslands began to grow.
The small dog-sized horses
moved out of the forests and
onto the grasslands to feed.
As a result of moving onto
the grasslands, the three
large toes which helped
them walk across the forest
floor evolved into single-
toed hooves more suited for
running over open country.
The horses were less protected in
the open grasslands than they were
when they lived in the forest. The
horses with longer legs were able to
run away from predators whilst the
shorter legged horses were caught
and eaten. Over time the shorter
legged horses began to die out and
the longer legged horses increased
in numbers.
The modern day horses that we
recognise today evolved around 1
million years ago. They have
changed a lot from the small dog-
sized animals they once were.
Their hooves have changed to
help them walk across the
grasslands and their legs have
become longer to help them run
away from predators.

8. 1700 Peppered moths are
a pale brown colour. They
like to rest on the trunks
of trees where they are
well camouflaged.
Occasionally there is a
mutation in the colour of the
peppered moth and it is
born a darker colour. When
this darker moth rests on the
white tree trunk it is spotted
by a bird and eaten.
1850 The industrial
revolution has started.
Factories are producing huge
amounts of pollution and the
trees are going black.
The pale peppered moths are no
longer camouflaged resting on the
dark tree trunks. Their numbers
decline. However, the mutant black
moths are now better adapted and
are camouflaged on the tree trunks.
Their numbers increase.
Once the factories stop producing as
much pollution, the trees return to
their natural, pale colour. Again this
changes which colour moth has the
advantage. The pale moths are now
camouflaged and the darker moths
are easily spotted by predators. The
moths have evolved twice in 300
years, both times adapting to their
environment.

9. Has your partner included-
• How your animal has changed. Eg: the necks
got longer, the legs got longer, their feet
changed, their colour changed.
AND
• Why your animal has changed. Eg: to reach
more food, to escape predators, to adapt to
their environment.