Charles Darwin left England aboard the H.M.S. Beagle in 1831.

The theory of evolution states that organisms have gradually “evolved,” more and more complex organisms arising slowly over time, through a process called “natural selection.” British naturalist Charles Darwin is considered the father of evolutionary theory. In 1831, he set out on a five-year voyage to survey plants and animals in a wide variety of locations. His visit to the Galápagos Islands in the Pacific proved particularly valuable, as their remote location offered Darwin the opportunity to observe an ecosystem that was relatively undisturbed.

During his voyage aboard the Beagle, Darwin gained knowledge about a wide variety of plants and animals, and this knowledge proved instrumental in the development of his theories. In 1859, he produced his groundbreaking text, On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection. It was Darwin’s determination that the mechanism by which species evolve involves favorable and unfavorable genetic variations. If an organism is born with a characteristic that is favorable, that organism is more likely to survive and breed, passing the favorable characteristic on to its offspring, and thus, over time producing entirely new species.

Darwin’s theory of evolution sparked great controversy at the time, and the debate between creationism and evolutionary theory continues to this day. Some religious believers argue that species were created as they are, rather than having evolved from simpler organisms. Although Darwin has been described as a "reverent agnostic," he did not consider himself an enemy of religion, and believed that there was no essential incompatibility between religious faith and evolution.

Science NetLinks
Comparing Theories: Lamarck and Darwin (9–12) provides an opportunity for students to compare the theories of two historically important evolutionary scientists: Jean Baptiste Lamarck and Charles Darwin. In this lesson, students explore the basic principles behind Darwin's mechanism of natural selection. They then extend their understanding of Lamarck's and Darwin's models by using them to explain phenomena and by comparing them to one another.

In The History of Evolutionary Theory (9–12), students have the opportunity to examine how evolution has been scientifically explained historically. In doing so, students examine the arguments and theories set forth by three historically important scientists: Jean Baptiste Lamarck, Alfred Russel Wallace and Charles Darwin.

Introduction to Natural Selection (9–12) helps students develop an understanding of natural selection, specifically, how it unfolds from generation to generation.

Xpeditions
In Leatherback Sea Turtles and Their Special Compasses (K–2), students will learn some basic information about leatherbacks and hypothesize why individual leatherbacks were able to find their way from Costa Rica to the Galápagos Islands without any obvious navigational aids.