Item CA010002: If the DNA of jellyfish and insects is more similar than the DNA of jellyfish and plants, then jellyfish and insects share a more recent common ancestor than jellyfish and insects.
If the DNA of jellyfish and insects is more similar than the DNA of jellyfish and plants, what is a reasonable conclusion about the common ancestors of these three groups?
- Jellyfish and insects have a common ancestor, but jellyfish and plants do not.
- Jellyfish and plants have a more recent common ancestor than jellyfish and insects.
- Jellyfish and insects have a more recent common ancestor than jellyfish and plants.
- Similarities in DNA cannot provide information about the common ancestors of jellyfish and insects because jellyfish and insects do not share a common ancestor.
Pre-Test
Answer Choice |
Overall |
Grades |
Gender |
Primary Language |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n = 580 |
6–8 n = 25 |
9–12 n = 514 |
Male n = 254 |
Female n = 286 |
English n = 526 |
Other n = 13 |
||
| A. | Jellyfish and insects have a common ancestor, but jellyfish and plants do not. | 28% | 36% | 27% | 27% | 28% | 28% | 23% |
| B. | Jellyfish and plants have a more recent common ancestor than jellyfish and insects. | 12% | 12% | 12% | 12% | 13% | 12% | 23% |
| C. | Jellyfish and insects have a more recent common ancestor than jellyfish and plants. | 40% | 36% | 40% | 39% | 40% | 40% | 31% |
| D. | Similarities in DNA cannot provide information about the common ancestors of jellyfish and insects because jellyfish and insects do not share a common ancestor. | 20% | 16% | 20% | 21% | 19% | 20% | 23% |
Post-Test (Control)
Answer Choice |
Overall |
Grades |
Gender |
Primary Language |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n = 255 |
6–8 n = 15 |
9–12 n = 195 |
Male n = 97 |
Female n = 119 |
English n = 205 |
Other n = 6 |
||
| A. | Jellyfish and insects have a common ancestor, but jellyfish and plants do not. | 23% | 20% | 24% | 22% | 26% | 23% | 50% |
| B. | Jellyfish and plants have a more recent common ancestor than jellyfish and insects. | 13% | 20% | 13% | 15% | 12% | 15% | 0% |
| C. | Jellyfish and insects have a more recent common ancestor than jellyfish and plants. | 55% | 60% | 53% | 55% | 54% | 54% | 50% |
| D. | Similarities in DNA cannot provide information about the common ancestors of jellyfish and insects because jellyfish and insects do not share a common ancestor. | 9% | 0% | 10% | 8% | 8% | 9% | 0% |
Post-Test (Treatment)
Answer Choice |
Overall |
Grades |
Gender |
Primary Language |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n = 301 |
6–8 n = 8 |
9–12 n = 274 |
Male n = 134 |
Female n = 150 |
English n = 274 |
Other n = 9 |
||
| A. | Jellyfish and insects have a common ancestor, but jellyfish and plants do not. | 10% | 38% | 9% | 13% | 7% | 11% | 0% |
| B. | Jellyfish and plants have a more recent common ancestor than jellyfish and insects. | 14% | 25% | 14% | 12% | 16% | 14% | 22% |
| C. | Jellyfish and insects have a more recent common ancestor than jellyfish and plants. | 66% | 38% | 66% | 62% | 69% | 65% | 67% |
| D. | Similarities in DNA cannot provide information about the common ancestors of jellyfish and insects because jellyfish and insects do not share a common ancestor. | 10% | 0% | 11% | 13% | 9% | 11% | 11% |