Comparative Anatomy
We jumped into our first unit right away this semester and dove into the world of evolution. We learned about the different processes of evolution, read a book relating to evolution (my book was Undeniable, by Bill Nye), and we dissected six different organisms to compare their internal and external anatomies. We first dissected a sponge, then a jellyfish, squid, worm, perch, and finally a frog. Throughout and in between the dissections, we learned about the characteristics of each phylum the organisms belonged to. We also learned about how the traits of each phyla would eventually lead to the modern human. The most vital thing we have learned in this unit is that all organisms share a common ancestor and that evolution through natural selection has lead to the biodiversity of the different populations of our planet. Read on to learn more about the phyla porifera, cnidaria, mollusca, annelida, and chordata.