• [What is science?: Grades 9-12] Science is both a body of knowledge and the process for building that knowledge. (NOS5)
• [What is science?: Grades 9-12] Science works only with testable ideas. (P2, P3, NOS2)
• [What is science?: Grades 9-12] Scientists strive to test their ideas with evidence from the natural world; a hallmark of science is exposing ideas to testing. (P3, P4, P6, P7, NOS2)
• [What is science?: Grades 9-12] Scientific knowledge is open to question and revision as new ideas surface and new evidence is discovered. (P4, P6, NOS3)
• [What is science?: Grades 9-12] Science is ongoing; answering one scientific question frequently leads to additional questions to be investigated. (P1)
• [How science works: Grades 9-12] The process of science involves observation, exploration, testing, communication, and application.
• [How science works: Grades 9-12] Scientists test their ideas (hypotheses and theories) by figuring out what expectations are generated by an idea and making observations to find out whether those expectations are borne out. (P4, P6)
• [How science works: Grades 9-12] Scientists test their ideas using multiple lines of evidence. (P6, NOS2)
• [How science works: Grades 9-12] Scientists often try to generate multiple explanations for what they observe. (P7)
• [How science works: Grades 9-12] Scientists use multiple research methods (experiments, observational research, comparative research, and modeling) to collect data. (P2, P3, P4, NOS1)
• [How science works: Grades 9-12] Scientists look for patterns in their observations and data. (P4, P5, NOS2)
• [How science works: Grades 9-12] Different scientists may interpret the same data in different ways. (P7)
• [How science works: Grades 9-12] Researchers share their findings with the scientific community through scientific publications. (P8)
• [Hypotheses and theories: Grades 9-12] Hypotheses are proposed explanations for a narrow set of phenomena. (P6)
• [Hypotheses and theories: Grades 9-12] Hypotheses are usually inspired and informed by previous research and/or observations. They are not guesses. (P6)
• [The social side of science: Grades 9-12] Science depends on communication within the scientific community. (P7, P8)
• [The social side of science: Grades 9-12] Scientists scrutinize each other's work through peer review and other processes. (P7, NOS5)
• [The social side of science: Grades 9-12] Science relies on the accumulated knowledge of the scientific community to move forward. (NOS5)

• NOS Matrix understanding category 2. Scientific knowledge is based on empirical evidence.
• NOS Matrix understanding category 3. Scientific knowledge is open to revision in light of new evidence.
• NOS Matrix understanding category 5. Science is a way of knowing.
• Science and Engineering Practice 1. Asking questions and defining problems
• Science and Engineering Practice 2. Developing and using models
• Science and Engineering Practice 3. Planning and carrying out investigations
• Science and Engineering Practice 4. Analyzing and interpreting data
• Science and Engineering Practice 5. Using mathematics and computational thinking
• Science and Engineering Practice 6. Constructing explanations and designing solutions
• Science and Engineering Practice 7. Engaging in argument from evidence
• Science and Engineering Practice 8. Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

Though this is a multi-day lab, it is worth the investment in time as it engages students in the process of science while also reinforcing multiple evolutionary concepts.

Students should have a basic understanding of how to read and interpret phylogenetic trees.

• Exploration and discovery
• Hypotheses/theories
• Process of science
• Scientific arguments/evidence/testing ideas