Darwins Natural Selection Worksheet - Laney Lee - Free Printable

To solve the problem, we need to compare the ideas of Charles Darwin and Jean-Baptiste Lamarck regarding evolution. Let's analyze each statement and determine which scientist (or both) held that particular view.

Table Analysis:

1. Organisms have changed over time.
- Lamarck: Believed in the concept of evolution, stating that organisms change over time.
- Darwin: Also believed in evolution, proposing natural selection as the mechanism.
- Answer: Both

2. Organisms changed because they wanted to survive.
- Lamarck: Proposed the idea of "use and disuse" and "inheritance of acquired characteristics," suggesting that organisms actively adapt to their environment out of necessity.
- Darwin: Did not believe that organisms consciously adapt or "want" to survive. Instead, he proposed that variation and natural selection drive evolutionary change.
- Answer: Lamarck

3. There was variation in a population.
- Lamarck: Recognized that there is variation within populations but did not emphasize it as a driving force of evolution.
- Darwin: Emphasized that variation within a population is crucial for natural selection to occur.
- Answer: Both

4. Certain traits helped organisms survive and reproduce better than other organisms without those traits.
- Lamarck: Did not focus on this idea. His theory did not involve natural selection or the survival advantage of certain traits.
- Darwin: Central to Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection is the idea that advantageous traits increase an organism's chances of survival and reproduction.
- Answer: Darwin

5. Organisms can never become extinct.
- Lamarck: Did not explicitly address extinction. His theory focused more on adaptation and the inheritance of acquired characteristics.
- Darwin: Recognized that extinction is a natural part of evolution, as less fit organisms are eliminated through natural selection.
- Answer: Neither

6. The environment had something to do with why organisms changed.
- Lamarck: Strongly emphasized the role of the environment. He believed that environmental pressures caused organisms to change and adapt.
- Darwin: Agreed that the environment plays a significant role, as it determines which traits are advantageous and thus selected for.
- Answer: Both

7. Parents are able to pass on at least some of their traits to their offspring.
- Lamarck: Believed that acquired characteristics (traits developed during an organism's lifetime) could be inherited by offspring.
- Darwin: Recognized that traits are inherited, but he did not accept the inheritance of acquired characteristics. Instead, he focused on heritable variations present from birth.
- Answer: Both

8. Parents are only able to pass on traits that they were born with.
- Lamarck: Disagreed with this, as he believed that acquired characteristics could also be inherited.
- Darwin: Agreed with this, as his theory was based on the inheritance of pre-existing genetic traits.
- Answer: Darwin

9. Organisms could decide to change something about their body and pass on that change to their offspring.
- Lamarck: Supported this idea, believing that organisms could develop new traits in response to environmental needs and pass them on.
- Darwin: Rejected this idea, as his theory does not involve conscious decision-making or the inheritance of acquired characteristics.
- Answer: Lamarck

10. Organisms are still changing.
- Lamarck: Believed in ongoing evolution and adaptation.
- Darwin: Also believed in ongoing evolution through natural selection.
- Answer: Both

Final Answer:

\[
\begin{array}{|c|l|c|}
\hline
\text{Topic} & & \text{Who's thought is this?} \\
\hline
1. & \text{Organisms have changed over time.} & \text{Both} \\
\hline
2. & \text{Organisms changed because they wanted to survive.} & \text{Lamarck} \\
\hline
3. & \text{There was variation in a population.} & \text{Both} \\
\hline
4. & \text{Certain traits helped organisms survive and reproduce better than other organisms without those traits.} & \text{Darwin} \\
\hline
5. & \text{Organisms can never become extinct.} & \text{Neither} \\
\hline
6. & \text{The environment had something to do with why organisms changed.} & \text{Both} \\
\hline
7. & \text{Parents are able to pass on at least some of their traits to their offspring.} & \text{Both} \\
\hline
8. & \text{Parents are only able to pass on traits that they were born with.} & \text{Darwin} \\
\hline
9. & \text{Organisms could decide to change something about their body and pass on that change to their offspring.} & \text{Lamarck} \\
\hline
10. & \text{Organisms are still changing.} & \text{Both} \\
\hline
\end{array}
\]

\boxed{
\begin{array}{|c|l|c|}
\hline
\text{Topic} & & \text{Who's thought is this?} \\
\hline
1. & \text{Organisms have changed over time.} & \text{Both} \\
\hline
2. & \text{Organisms changed because they wanted to survive.} & \text{Lamarck} \\
\hline
3. & \text{There was variation in a population.} & \text{Both} \\
\hline
4. & \text{Certain traits helped organisms survive and reproduce better than other organisms without those traits.} & \text{Darwin} \\
\hline
5. & \text{Organisms can never become extinct.} & \text{Neither} \\
\hline
6. & \text{The environment had something to do with why organisms changed.} & \text{Both} \\
\hline
7. & \text{Parents are able to pass on at least some of their traits to their offspring.} & \text{Both} \\
\hline
8. & \text{Parents are only able to pass on traits that they were born with.} & \text{Darwin} \\
\hline
9. & \text{Organisms could decide to change something about their body and pass on that change to their offspring.} & \text{Lamarck} \\
\hline
10. & \text{Organisms are still changing.} & \text{Both} \\
\hline
\end{array}
}