Inherited Traits and Animal Variation

Explain how fossils form in rock layers and what they reveal about life on Earth millions of years ago.

Analyse how famous paleontologists made fossil discoveries and reconstruct ancient timelines.

Examine causes of extinction and how fossils reveal past climates and habitats.

Identify anatomical similarities and differences between fossils and modern living creatures.

Recognise that living organisms produce young of their own kind that share fundamental characteristics.

Identify and measure variation in physical traits among animals of the same species.

Observe, measure, and record variation in plant structures, seeds, and flowers.

Distinguish features determined purely by genes from those influenced by diet, climate, and lifestyle.

Identify structural adaptations that allow animals to survive in different environments.

Explain how animal actions, migrations, hibernations, and nocturnal habits ensure survival.

Investigate how plants survive in deserts, rainforests, aquatic environments, and cold mountains.

Analyse evolutionary arms races between predators and prey in ecosystems.

Explain how shifting climates, pollution, and new competitors put pressure on populations.

Synthesise concepts of variation, adaptation, and natural selection to explain evolution over generations.

Compare artificial selection by humans with natural selection and explore modern genetic science.