Teaching Tools
In Your Inner Fish, Neil Shubin tells the story of evolution by tracing the organs of the human body back millions of years, long before the first creatures walked the earth. By examining fossils and DNA, Shubin shows us that our hands actually resemble fish fins, our head is organized like that of a long-extinct jawless fish, and major parts of our genome look and function like those of worms and bacteria. We have compiled the figures from the book into a deck of PowerPoint slides for use in the classroom.
Chapter 1: Finding Your Inner Fish
Seven slides including the fin-to-limb transition and photographs of the unearthing of Tiktaalik.
Download Chapter 1 Slides
Chapter 2: Getting a Grip
Five slides including the common plan for all limbs and details of Tiktaalik's fin.
Download Chapter 2 Slides
Chapter 3: Handy Genes
Three slides including the ZPA, the developing chicken wing, and genes & DNA.
Download Chapter 3 Slides
Chapter 4: Teeth Everywhere
Two slides including finding dinosaur footprints in Nova Scotia and the similarity between hair, feathers, breasts, and teeth.
Download Chapter 4 Slides
Chapter 5: Getting Ahead
Five slides including the origins of ears, jaws, the larynx and throat and the closest relatives to animal with heads.
Download Chapter 5 Slides
Chapter 6: The Best-Laid (Body) Plans
Five slides including finding our days as a tube within a tube, what we share in common with sea anemones, and the genes we share with flies.
Download Chapter 6 Slides
Chapter 7: Adventures in Body-Building
Two slides: the timeline of life and choanoflagellates and sponges.
Download Chapter 7 Slides
Chapter 11: The Meaning of It All
Four slides including the "Bozo family" tree and the descent of the testes.
Download Chapter 11 Slides