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Earth and Life Science

Quarter 2 – Module 1
THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT
OF THE CONCEPT OF LIFE

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Earth and Life Science – Grade 11/12
Quarter 2 – Module 1: The Historical Development of the Concept of Life

Republic Act 8293, section 176 states that: No copyright shall subsist in any work of
the Government of the Philippines. However, prior approval of the government agency or office
wherein the work is created shall be necessary for exploitation of such work for profit. Such
agency or office may, among other things, impose as a condition the payment of royalties.

Borrowed materials (i.e., songs, stories, poems, pictures, photos, brand names,
trademarks, etc.) included in this book are owned by their respective copyright holders. Every effort
has been exerted to locate and seek permission to use these materials from their respective
copyright owners. The publisher and authors do not represent nor claim ownership over them.

Regional Director: Gilbert T. Sadsad

Assistant Regional Director: Jessie L. Amin

Development Team of the Module

Writers: ATHINA L. CAMILA

MARILOU O. SILVA

Editors: HELEN Z. CORNELIO

IRENE V. DE JESUS
MARISOL D. ANDRADA

Reviewers: HELEN Z. CORNELIO

IRENE V. DE JESUS
MARISOL D. ANDRADA

Layout Artist: JASON O. SALVADORA

Cover Illustration: RAYMOND T. TORALDE

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MOST ESSENTIAL LEARNING COMPETENCY

Explain the evolving concept of life

based on emerging pieces of evidence.

S11/12LT-IIa-1

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 Supplementary Learning Module for Senior High School Learners

LESSON
THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE CONCEPT OF LIFE

It took Earth nearly one billion years to cool enough

for the first life forms to appear. Scientists have been
studying living things and the world around us for several
hundred years, but only in the last few decades have we
really begun to understand how the world around us
came to be the way it is.

Earth is much older than life. Based on radioactive decay studies of rocks, it
was revealed that Earth is around 4.5 billion years old – 1 billion years older than the
oldest fossils. So how did life begin? Where did it come from?

In this module, you will learn about the evolving concept of life based on
emerging pieces of evidence.

This module will help you understand the

historical development of the concept of
life and enjoy different learning activities.

At the end of this module, it is expected

that you will be able to:
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1. Explain the evolving concept of life based on emerging

pieces of evidence.

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 TRY THIS!

Directions: Multiple Choice.

Select the best answer on the possible explanations on how life could have begun.

1. The hypothesis explaining that life originated on another planet outside our
Solar System is ___________.
A. Extraterrestrial Origin B. Panspermia
C. Divine Creation D. Origin from nonliving matter
2. The theory presuming that the “seed” of life exists all over the universe and can
be propagated through space, and that life on Earth originated from those
seeds is ___________.
A. Extraterrestrial Origin B. Panspermia
C. Divine Creation D. Origin from nonliving matter
3. It is believed that life was put on Earth by divine forces is called __________.
A. Extraterrestrial Origin B. Panspermia
C. Divine Creation D. Origin from nonliving matter
4. It is believed that life arose on Earth from inanimate matter after Earth had
cooled is called __________.
A. Extraterrestrial Origin B. Panspermia
C. Divine Creation D. Origin from nonliving matter

Hi! How did you find the test?

Please check your answers at the answer

key section and see how you did. Do not
worry, if you got a low score, this just
means that there are more things that
you can learn from this module.
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 PROBLEM-SOLVING-EVOLUTION
DO THIS!

You are a prominent scientist and radioactive-dating technique

is your expertise. One day, two newly excavated fossils were
presented to you in your laboratory. One fossil is an animal footprint
Made through and the other is a human jawbone.
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Both fossils were found close to each other at the bottom of a

deep valley stream. The paleontologists who presented you the fossils believe that the
footprints were those of dinosaurs and they are conclusive in stating that humans and
dinosaurs lived together at the same time.

To confirm their beliefs, you dated the samples. When you tested the jawbone,
you found out that it now contains 1/16 the amount of carbon-14 contained when alive.
How old do you think is the jawbone?

Then you tested the fossil footprint. True enough, it belongs to a dinosaur. You
discussed that the fresh mud that the dinosaur stepped in was newly covered with a
thin layer of volcanic ash. You found the amount of potassium-40 and argon-40 in the
ash. The ratio showed that 1/10 of one potassium-40 half-life has passed since the
footprint was made. How old is the footprint?

1. Prove or disprove the conclusions made by the finders of the fossils.

___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

2. If they were not correct, how do you explain the fact that they were found together
at the bottom of the valley by the stream bed?

___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

Rubrics:

5 points – complete point of view on both questions.

3 points – citing clear statements only on question number 1 or 2.
1 point – citing unclear statements on both questions.

Reference:
Capco & Yang. You and the Natural World Series Science & Technology - Biology, 297-309

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 ACTIVITY 1: TELL ME THE DIFFERENCE!

EXPLORE Directions: Contrast the four explanations for the

origin of life by giving salient points for each
hypothesis.

ORIGIN FROM
EXTRATERRESTRIAL DIVINE
PANSPERMIA NONLIVING
ORIGIN CREATION
MATTER

- - - -

- - - -

- - - -

- - - -

- - - -

ACTIVITY 2: ARRANGE ME, I’M CONFUSED!

Arrange the following events in chronological order. Write 1-4 on the left side of every
statement, 1 being the 1st to happen, 2 being the 2nd, and so on.

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ACTIVITY 3: MATCH ME

Instruction: Match Column A with Column B. Draw a line between the correct answer.

COLUMN A COLUMN B

1. Life on Earth originated from seeds. A. Divine Creation

2. Life arose on Earth from inanimate B. Extraterrestrial Origin

Matter after the earth had cooled.

3. Life was part on Earth by divine forces. C. Panspermia

4. Life was carried to Earth on meteorite D. Origin from non-living

or an asteriod and colonized earth.
E. None of the given

American chemist Stanley Miller performed an experiment that replicated

early Earth conditions. Together with Harold Urey, he provided proof that amino
acids and other organic molecules could be formed.
The atmosphere that Miller and Urey introduced into the flasks contained
simple molecules that were probably present in the early Earth’s atmosphere:
hydrogen, carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, nitrogen, ammonia, and carbon
monoxide. They heated the mixture zapped it with electrical sparks to stimulate
lighting. Within days, a dark, smelly mixture developed. When this mixture was
analyzed, they found out that many complex molecules had formed, including some
amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins. Using slightly different
combinations of starting molecules, Miller and other scientists were able to
generate many amino acids, RNA and DNA nucleotides, lipids, carbohydrates, and
adenosine triphosphate (ATP).
Reference:
Vengco & Religioso. You and the Natural World – Earth and Life Science, 162-163

There were no witnesses to the origin of life. However, there are possible
explanations that attempt different possibilities on how life could have begun:

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 1. Extraterrestrial Origin – The hypothesis explains that life originated on another
planet outside our Solar System. Life was then carried to Earth on a meteorite or an
asteroid and colonized Earth. However, this hypothesis has not been proven.

2. Panspermia – The theory presumes that the “seed” of life exists all over the
universe and can be propagated through space, and that life on Earth originated from
those seeds.

3. Divine Creation – Many people believe that life was put on Earth by divine forces.
Creation theories are common to many of the world’s religions and cultures.

4. Origin from Nonliving Matter – Scientists believe that life arose on Earth from
inanimate matter after Earth had cooled. They stated that random events probably
produced stable molecules that could self-replicate. Then, natural selection favored
changes in the rate of reproduction, which eventually led to first cell.

The first three possibilities fall outside realm of science, and thus, are not
considered for scientific studies. Scientists hypothesized that life began back when
conditions were quite different from Earth’s current environment.

Earth’s age, as estimated by several independent studies, is about 4.5 billion years.
So far, no fossils have been found in the oldest rocks, which are about 3.8 billion years
old. The oldest fossils that have been discovered were found in 3.5 billion-year-old
rocks that were once sediments on the ocean floor. The tiny fossils that were found in
these ancient rocks were bacteria.

Table 1. The major events showing how life originated on Earth since 4.5 BYA.
Major Events Time
Rapid diversification of animals; plants and fungi appear; origin
0.5 BYA
of humans (about two million years)

Earliest animals; first multicellular organisms; diverse protists 1.0 BYA

First eukaryotes 1.5 BYA
Diverse and abundant bacteria 2.0 BYA
Photosynthesis begins 2.5 BYA
Bacteria diversify 3.0 BYA
First bacteria appear 3.5 BYA
Oldest rocks 4.0 BYA
Earth forms 4.5 BYA

Reference:
Vengco & Religioso. You and the Natural World – Earth and Life Science, 162-167

As time went by, scientists questioned the early beliefs on the origin of life and began to
explore an opposing idea, biogenesis. It is the belief that life originates from preexisting life.
Since then, several experiments have been conducted to prove these contracting beliefs to
know how life came about.

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 1. Francisco Redi’s Experiment – in 1668, he disproved the theory of spontaneous
generation. His experimental setup involved disproving spontaneous generation using
maggots that arose in decaying meat.

2. John Needham’s Experiment – in 1784, he challenged Redi’s experiment. It was a

common knowledge at that time that boiling could kill microorganisms. Needham’s experiment
tested whether or not microorganisms can appear spontaneously after boiling. He concluded
that life in the broth was caused by spontaneous generation. In actuality, he did not heat it
long enough to kill all the microbes in the broth.

3. Lazzaro Spallanzani’s Experiment – in 1767, he challenged Needham’s experiment.

He concluded that life occurred from something that entered the unsealed flask and that it was
the one responsible for life to grow. The results were not taken completely by the believers of
abiogenesis who even stated that Spallanzani excluded air from his sealed flasks, which they
believed was needed for spontaneous generation to occur.

4. Louis Pasteur’s Experiment – it was only in 1861 through Pasteur’s experiment that
most scientists were convinced that spontaneous generation could not occur. Pasteur
designed an experiment to test the idea that a vital element from air was necessary for life to
occur. His experiment supported the theory of biogenesis and disproved spontaneous
generation, this evidence suggests that new bacteria appear only when they are produced by
existing bacteria.

Reference:
Olivar & Ramos. Exploring Life Through Science Series, 99-101

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 APPLY WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED

Directions: Using a flowchart, trace the evolution of life on Earth from the earliest
species to the present species. Use the major events in the box below to create
your flowchart.

Earth forms Earliest animals appeared Rapid diversification of animals

First eukaryotes Diverse and abundant bacteria Photosynthesis begins

Bacteria diversify First bacteria appeared Oldest rocks

Now, be ready to dig further on

how life begun. Do the next
activities.

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 TRY THIS!

TIME ME IN. Compare and contrast the different experiments of Redi, Needham,
Spallanzani, and Pasteur on the origin of life.

Rubrics:

10 points – the statements are complete

8 points – the statements are good but lacks one experiment
5 points – the explanation is incomplete

Think of a common animal. What was the animal you thought of?
The animal you thought of was probably a vertebrate. Vertebrates are the most
familiar to us, not only because we are vertebrates but because most land
animals bigger than your first are vertebrates.

List the defining characteristics of the animal you thought of. Try to trace from
which organisms the animal evolved from. Explain your answer.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

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 EXPLORE

ACTIVITY 1: Q & A PORTION. Identify what is being asked.

1. How do prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells differ?

____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________

2. Explain the importance of cyanobacteria in the development of new life forms.

____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________

“Life is for each man a solitary cell whose walls are mirrors.” - Eugene O Neill

In 1665, an English scientist Robert Hooke examined a thin slice of cork under
the microscope. He observed that the piece of cork was composed of many tiny
compartments which resembled little rooms with surrounding walls.

Hooke named these compartments cells. The cells that Hooke observed were
not living. He concentrated his study on the structure, particularly the cell wall and did
not pursue his investigation of the cell content.

In 1674, the Dutch inventor Anton van Leeuwenhoek observed red blood cells,
sperms, and a myriad of single-celled organisms in pond water. He discovered free
cells and observed the nucleus within some red blood cells.

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 Another scientist, a Scottish botanist named Robert Brown, made a general
conclusion in 1831. He discovered that this structure is a fundamental and constant
component of the cell.

In 1835, a French biologist Felix Dujardin found out that living cells contain an
internal substance. Not knowing exactly what this substance was Dujardin gave it the
name sarcode. It was Bohemian physiologist, Jan Evangelista Purkinje, who made a
thorough investigation of this internal material. He gave it the name protoplasm, a term
coined for the colloidal substance in the cell.

In 1838, Matthias Schleiden, a German botanist stated that all plants are
composed of cells. After him in 1839, Theodore Schwann, a German zoologist
concluded that all animals are composed of cells. Jointly, Schleiden and Schwann
came out with the theory that all living things are composed of cells.

Twenty years later, in 1858, a German biologist, Rudolph Virchow, theorized

that all living cells come from pre-existing living cells. His conclusion arose from
observing, dividing cells during his work.

These observations became the major components of the cell theory. The cell
theory states that (1) all living things are composed of one or more cells and cell
product, (2) all living cells come from other living cells by the process of cell division;
and (3) cells are the basic units of structure and function of organisms.

Cells may be classified as prokaryotic or eukaryotic. Prokaryotic cells have their

nuclear materials mixed with the protoplasm. The nuclei of eukaryotic cells are
enclosed by a nuclear membrane.

The life processes of a living cells are nutrition, digestion, absorption,

biosynthesis, excretion, egestion, secretion, movement, irritability, respiration, and
reproduction.

Reference:
Capco & Yang. You and the Natural World Series Science & Technology – Biology, 53-67

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 APPLY WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED

FIGURE ME OUT. Differentiate Eukaryotic Cell and Prokaryotic Cell through drawing.

EUKARYOTIC CELL PROKARYOTIC CELL

Rubrics:
Check if it was observed and get the total points. (Perfect Score is 15 points)
• Both drawings look similar to what was observed and/or taught – 5 points ____
• Both drawings include many details and is accurately labeled – 5 points ____
• Both drawings are legible and are large enough to see all details – 5 points ____

Congratulations for finishing the

module. Hope you enjoy and learned
a lot from the tasks given.

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For the last time, share your insights and queries.

Things I have learned today

___________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
I wish to ask about
___________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

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 REINFORCEMENT

Directions. Research on how the Earth looked like before life began. Construct a
model of Earth using indigenous materials available in the house showing the
conditions required for the origin of life. Be ready to explain how life began through
your model.

Paste picture of your model here.

Explanation:_________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

RUBRICS:

5 points – model of the earth looked like before life began using indigenous materials
with a brief explanation but depicting at least 2-3 theories of the origin of life.

4 points – model of the earth looked like before life began using indigenous materials
with a brief explanation but depicting at least 1 theory of the origin of life.

3 points – model of the earth looked like before life began using drawing material with
brief explanation.

2 points – model of the earth looked like before life began using drawing material
without brief explanation.

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 WORD BANK

1. Bacterial Cells – are cells surrounded by a slime layer of varying thickness. This
gelatinous coat may protect the cell from unfavorable environmental conditions and
enable it to stick to the surface of a food supply or to a host cell or organism.

2. Cell Theory – it states that (1) all living things are composed of one or more cells
and cell product, (2) all living cells come from other living cells by the process of cell
division; and (3) cells are the basic units of structure and function of organisms.

3. Divine Creation – it states that many people believe that life was put on Earth by
divine forces. Creation theories are common to many of the world’s religions and
cultures.

4. Extraterrestrial Origin – the hypothesis explaining that life originated on another

planet outside our Solar System. Life was then carried to Earth on a meteorite or an
asteroid and colonized Earth. However, this hypothesis has not been proven.

5. Eukaryotic Cells – are cells enclosed by a nuclear membrane.

6. Origin from Nonliving Matter – it states that scientists believe that life arose on
Earth from inanimate matter after Earth had cooled. They stated that random events
probably produced stable molecules that could self-replicate. Then, natural selection
favored changes in the rate of reproduction, which eventually led to first cell.

7. Panspermia – the theory presuming that the “seed” of life exists all over the
universe and can be propagated through space, and that life on Earth originated from
those seeds.

8. Prokaryotic Cells – are cells that have their nuclear materials mixed with the
protoplasm.

9. Theory – a set of propositions describing the operation and causes of natural

phenomena; a hypothesis assumed for the sake of argument or investigations.

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 ASSESS WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED

Directions: Choose the letter of the best answer for the following questions.

1. The hypothesis explaining that life originated on another planet outside our Solar System is
___________.
A. Extraterrestrial Origin B. Panspermia
C. Divine Creation D. Origin from nonliving matter
2. The theory presuming that the “seed” of life exists all over the universe and can be
propagated through space, and that life on Earth originated from those seeds is ___________.
A. Extraterrestrial Origin B. Panspermia
C. Divine Creation D. Origin from nonliving matter
3. It is believed that life was put on Earth by divine forces is called __________.
A. Extraterrestrial Origin B. Panspermia
C. Divine Creation D. Origin from nonliving matter
4. It is believed that life arose on Earth from inanimate matter after Earth had cooled is called
__________.
A. Extraterrestrial Origin B. Panspermia
C. Divine Creation D. Origin from nonliving matter
5. The only testable hypothesis for the origin of life on Earth is __________.
A. Extraterrestrial Origin B. Panspermia
C. Divine Creation D. Origin from nonliving matter
6. Among the products of Miller’s and Urey’s experiment were_____________.
A. Amino Acids B. Bacterial Cells
C. Ammonia and Hydrogen D. Prokaryotes
7. Scientists estimate that the age of Earth is about __________.
A. 2000 years B. 2 quadrillion years
C. 10 million years D. 4.5 billion years
8. They were the first living things to populate the surface of the land.
A. Plants and fungi B. Bacteria
C. Eukaryotes D. Protists
9. An American chemist who recreated the conditions of the early Earth to show how organic
molecules are formed.
A. Stanley Miller B. Harold Urey
C. Robert Brown D. Thomas Wayne
10. They are also known as true bacteria for they cause disease and decay.
A. Eubacteria B. Archaebacteria
C. Protista D. Cyanobacteria

Congratulations! I hope you got the

perfect score.

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 ANSWER KEY

TRY THIS
1. A
2. B
3. C
4. D

DO THIS
Answers may vary.

ACTIVITY 1: TELL ME THE DIFFERENCE!

ORIGIN FROM
EXTRATERRESTRIAL DIVINE
PANSPERMIA NONLIVING
ORIGIN CREATION
MATTER
- life originated on another - Seeds of life exists all - Life was put - Life arose on earth
planet outside our solar over the universe and on earth by from inanimate matter
system. can be propagated divine forces. after the earth had
through space. cooled.
- life was carried to earth
on meteorite or an - Life on earth originated
asteroid and colonized from those seeds.
earth.

ACTIVITY 2: ARRANGE ME, I’M CONFUSED!

1–2–3–4

ACTIVITY 3: MATCH ME
1-C; 2-D; 3-A; 4-B

APPLY WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED

-Rapid diversification of animals
-Earliest animals appeared
-First eukaryotes
-Diverse and abundant bacteria
-Photosynthesis begins
-Bacteria diversify
-First bacteria appeared
-Oldest rocks
-Earth forms

TRY THIS
Answers may vary.

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DO THIS
Answers may vary.

ACTIVITY 1: Q & A PORTION

Answers may vary.

APPLY WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED

REINFORCEMENT
Answers may vary.

ASSES WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED

1. A
2. B
3. C
4. D
5. D
6. A
7. D
8. B
9. A
10. A

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 REFERENCES

• Vengco, Lilia & Religioso, Teresita. You and the Natural World – Earth and Life
Science. Phoenix Publishing House, 2016.

• Capco, Carmelita & Yang, Gilbert. You and the Natural World Series, Science
and Technology – Biology. Phoenix Publishing House, 2011.

• Olivar, Jose II Tolentino & Ramos, Anna Cherylle Morales. Exploring Life
Through Science Series. Phoenix Publishing House, 2016.

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