1. Why is multicellularity significant?

2. What’s an example of a specialization in body form and what is its benefit?

3. 545 mya there was an explosion of life called the Cambrian Explosion. Name two groups of organisms which appeared during this time period and list one living relative of the group.

4. Are there known living descendants to all of the early organisms present during this explosion?

5. What body plan originated during this time?

6. What are five functions for hard parts on organisms?

Paleozoic Era

1. List at least four highlights of the Paleozoic Era.

Diversity in the Sea

1. Life in the seas diversified during this time. Some organisms became specialized to specific habitats. What are characteristics of organisms found in the following habitats?

open water-
sea floor
reef-
rocky shore-

2. Describe one organism found in the Paleozoic seas.

3. Why are brachiopods important to science?

4. How are insects and trilobites similar?

5. How are fish related to humans?

6. What is a human characteristic which is seen in tunicates?

7. Have sharks changed very much since 450 mya?

Leaving the water

1. Why do bacteria evolve quickly?

2. Describe how natural selection acted upon the peppered moth in England?

3. What are two theories about why amphibians began to colonize land?

4. What group did amphibians evolve from?

5. What environmental changes needed to occur for plants to grow on Earth?

6. How did this change occur?

7. Describe the characteristics that plants and animals evolved which enabled them to live on land?

Forests and Flight

1. What advantages did the evolution of flight produce for insects?

2. Are insects successful?

3. What two adaptations allowed reptiles to take up life on land?

4. Why are eggs with shells and seeds important?

5. What caused the Permian Extinction around 250 mya?

6. What percent of species went extinct during this time?