Year 10 Science · Unit 1 · Lesson 19

Evidence-Based Argumentation in Genetics and Evolution

Apply Worksheet

Name

Date

Class

Learning Goals

Identify flaws in a student CER argument about evolution.
Construct a complete CER argument with specific data values and scientific mechanism.
Apply the CER framework to the question of antibiotic resistance as evidence for evolution.

Warm Up

Find the flaw

Read this student CER argument. Three errors are highlighted in brackets. For each error, write what the problem is and how to fix it.

Student's CER argument

Claim: "Evolution happens." [Error 1, vague claim]
Evidence: "There is evidence that species change over time." [Error 2, no specific data]
Reasoning: "This is because of natural selection." [Error 3, no scientific mechanism explained]

Error	What is wrong	How to improve it
Error 1: Vague claim
Error 2: No specific data
Error 3: No mechanism

Your Turn

Investigation question

"Does antibiotic resistance in bacteria support the theory of evolution by natural selection?"

Use what you know from this unit to write a complete CER argument. You must include: a clear claim (what do you conclude?), at least one specific piece of evidence with a data value, and reasoning that explains the biological mechanism.

(a) ClaimWrite a clear, testable statement that answers the investigation question.

Apply 1 mark

(b) EvidenceWrite two specific pieces of evidence with data values. (Hint: AURA report data, MRSA timelines, or resistance mutation rates.)

Apply 2 marks

(c) ReasoningExplain the scientific mechanism: how does natural selection lead to antibiotic resistance? Use the terms: mutation, selection pressure, survival advantage, reproduction.

Apply 3 marks

Show What You Know

1. Why is reasoning the most important part of a CER argument in science? What does good reasoning require that a claim and evidence alone do not provide?

Apply 2 marks

Wrap Up

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