California+Channel+Islands

= California Channel Islands, The Galapagos of the North =

Find out why scientists call our local California Channel Islands the Galapagos of the North.

Here are a few things all middle school students should know about islands and evolution by the end of the school year.

As a basis for understanding this concept, students know: a. both genetic variation and environmental factors are causes of evolution and diversity of organisms. b. the reasoning used by Darwin in making his conclusion that natural selection is the mechanism of evolution. c. how independent lines of evidence from geology, fossils, and comparative anatomy provide a basis for the theory of evolution. d. how to construct a simple branching diagram to classify living groups of organisms by shared derived characteristics, and expand the diagram to include fossil organisms. e. extinction of a species occurs when the environment changes and the adaptive characteristics of a species are insufficient for its survival.
 * Evolution**
 * 3. Biological evolution accounts for the diversity of species developed through gradual processes over many generations.**

As the basis for understanding this concept, students know: a. Earth processes today are similar to those that occurred in the past and slow geologic processes have large cumulative effects over long periods of time. b. the history of life on Earth has been disrupted by major catastrophic events, such as major volcanic eruptions or the impact of an asteroid. c. the rock cycle includes the formation of new sediment and rocks. Rocks are often found in layers with the oldest generally on the bottom. d. evidence from geologic layers and radioactive dating indicate the Earth is approximately 4.6 billion years old, and that life has existed for more than 3 billion years. e. fossils provide evidence of how life and environmental conditions have changed. f. how movements of the Earth's continental and oceanic plates through time, with associated changes in climate and geographical connections, have affected the past and present distribution of organisms. g. how to explain significant developments and extinctions of plant and animal life on the geologic time scale.
 * Earth and Life History (Earth Science)**
 * 4. Evidence from rocks allows us to understand the evolution of life on Earth.**

You will study a variety of cells under the microscope and on the Internet. Your job is to learn how they work and how we can protect them.

=California Channel Islands Links= ====Here a few links about the California Channel Islands that I would like you to explore. Fell free to find new CA Channel Islands links and add them to the collection.====

Channel Islands National Park

Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary

=Caught In Action In Science 7 Lab= Your mission is to show off your creativity skills, using Google Earth, Ocean, and/or Sky, to us about the CA Channel Islands and get "Caught in Action".

=California Channel Islands In The News= Find articles about the California Channel Islands in the news and share them in class and online.



=California Channel Islands Critter Paparazzi= ====Add your best photo or movie, of your favorite California Channel Island Critter, to the collection.====



= Play World Without Oil and Other Conservation and Social Innovation Games =

Commander of the Nautilus

Resitient Planet

Eco Defenders