Select an animal or plant that your group is familiar with that is living now. Describe several characteristics of this present day animal or plant. 2. Take this animal or plant and make small changes over long periods of time (thousands/millions of years) in 10 separate steps. The changes should be caused by factors such as pathogens, environmental, competition, climate, etc. Indicate the factor and what change it caused in the animal or plant at each step. Make small changes over long period of time Clearly number your steps. “Think outside the box.” Work as a group.