Year 10 Science · Unit 1 · Lesson 19

Evidence-Based Argumentation in Genetics and Evolution

Foundation Worksheet

Name

Date

Class

Learning Goals

Identify the three components of the CER framework: Claim, Evidence and Reasoning.
Sort statements about genetics and evolution into claim, evidence or reasoning categories.
Recognise common misconceptions about evolution that can be corrected using CER.

Warm Up

Match each CER component to its definition

Draw a line connecting each CER component on the left to its definition on the right. Or write the matching letter next to each term.

CER component	Your answer	Definition
Claim		A. The scientific principles, laws or mechanisms that explain why the evidence supports the claim. This is where you show you understand the science.
Evidence		B. A clear, testable statement that answers the question being investigated. It states what you think is true without explanation.
Reasoning		C. Specific, measurable data from an experiment, graph, published study or observation that supports the claim.

Worked example, label each part of this CER argument:

"MRSA bacteria have evolved resistance to methicillin."	C / E / R
"AURA 2022 data shows MRSA bloodstream infection rates remain above 1 per 10,000 patient days in Australian hospitals."	C / E / R
"Bacteria with random mutations that block methicillin had a survival advantage; natural selection favoured these variants, which reproduced and passed on the resistance gene."	C / E / R

Your Turn

Sort it!

Write each statement from the pool into the correct category: Claim, Evidence or Reasoning.

Humans and chimps share 98.8% of their DNA Evolution is just a theory, so it is not reliable DNA similarity reflects recency of common ancestry Antibiotic resistance supports evolution by natural selection MRSA rates in Australian hospitals declined 38% from 2016 to 2020 Humans evolved from chimpanzees When bacteria with resistance mutations survive antibiotic treatment, they pass on resistant genes to offspring Tiktaalik fossil shows features of both fish and tetrapods Fossil evidence supports the claim that fish evolved into land animals

Claim

Evidence

Reasoning

Show What You Know

1. Explain why "evolution is just a theory" is a misconception. What does the word "theory" mean in science?

Recall 2 marks

2. Correct the misconception: "humans evolved from chimpanzees." Write the accurate scientific claim.

Recall 2 marks

Wrap Up

In one sentence, what was the main idea of this lesson?