Evolution at Warp Speed

A good wrap-up to the evolution unit by tracking how SARS-CoV-2 variants rose and fell (2020–2022), letting students see variation, differential reproduction, and competitive displacement play out on a real time-series graph — the same mechanism seen over millions of years in horse fossils and 37 years in finch beaks, compressed into six weeks.

Data and Resources

Additional Info

Field Value
Subject Area Biology
Grade Band 9-10
Technology Tool CODAP
Class Time Estimate 2
Data Science Focus
  • 9-10.C.5.1a Recognize that bivariate relationships between numerical features can be examined using both linear and non-linear associations.
  • 9-10.C.5.1b Investigate real-world examples where correlation does not imply causation.
Standards Alignment
  • HS-LS4-2
  • HS-LS4-4
  • HS-LS4-5
Prerequisites Understanding of natural selection, variation, heritability, differential reproduction already established; reading a line graph (y-axis as %, x-axis as time)
Version 1.0
Date Created July 7, 2026
Last Updated July 7, 2026