Using the Simulation to Investigate Natural Selection • The teacher can provide a question for the students to investigate, or students can develop their own question. The Cottontail portion uses the PHET simulations. Welcome to the Natural Selection Simulation! “Quakers and Cottontails” is published by the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI). Students can make predictions and/or ask questions prior to running the simulation. Natural Selection and Adaptations Adaptation Simulation This adaptation simulation from The Science Education for Public Understanding Department at UC Berkley is an amazing tool for teaching how organisms change over time and how those changes affect the population. The other two environments will be created for you. This simulation supports instruction and learning for all students by providing students with the opportunity to control a simulation that models a real world scenario of bunnies with different physical characteristics surviving in different environments. Experiment B • Add a friend and a brown fur mutation to the bunny population. • Add the (natural) selection factor of food after F3 offspring appear. Comments about Including the Crosscutting Concept Observe and record on the Student Sheet the changes that have occurred in you assigned area. However, there are several lesson plans posted on the website. The simulation provides students with the opportunity to visually observe how for example, changing the environment (arctic vs. equator) over time leads to a population dominated by bunnies that are well suited to survive in that environment. While there are many other changes that could be occuring in the environment and the bird populations, they are not shown in this simulation. This simulation provides students with the opportunity to manipulate and explore the interaction of factors leading to evolution, and observe how natural selection leads to adaptation, i.e. Discuss with your group which birds are more likely to be most fit and least fit in each new environment. What happens to the population sizes of both phenotypes over the next 10 generations? Teachers need to select appropriate pedagogical strategies from their own repertoire to encourage students to express their thinking and present their ideas to others for peer and teacher feedback as they are working through the simulation. The simulation provides students with the opportunity to visually observe how for example, changing the environment (arctic vs. equator) over time leads to a population dominated by bunnies that are well suited to survive in that environment. The questions in the first section introduce students to the basic process of natural selection, including key concepts and vocabulary. You will begin by selecting three birds that will represent phenotypes for several traits in one population that lives in the southwest portion of the island. A humorous but powerful tool for simulating evolution. The simulation builds on students’ prior knowledge, as most students should be familiar with animals blending into the background to avoid being eaten by predators (wolves in this simulation). Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include other mechanisms of evolution, such as genetic drift, gene flow through migration, and co-evolution. It is the individual organism that … The teacher should use questioning strategies to help students understand cause and effect relationships within this simulation. While students have not developed the model underlying the simulation, they can use it to investigate factors (the potential for a species to increase in number, the heritable genetic variation of individuals in a species due to mutation and sexual reproduction, competition for limited resources, and the proliferation of those organisms that are better able to survive and reproduce in the environment) that influence the process of evolution. There is an option to see a pedigree when the user clicks on an individual bunny moving within the environment (equator or arctic). Teachers should explicitly probe for students’ understanding of this aspect during instruction. All of these connections require that the teacher purposefully facilitates students’ use of the simulation, so that students make meaning of what they are observing. • What happens to the population sizes of the two phenotypes after several more generations? For example, pairs of students could prepare a presentation that includes the question they investigated, the evidence they collected when they ran the simulation, and their evidence-based explanation answering the question they asked. This illustrates for students that the differential survival and reproduction of bunnies in a population that are better camouflaged leads to an increase in the proportion of these bunnies in future generations and to a decrease in the proportion of bunnies that are not well camouflaged. Dr. Kettlewell. Here is a list of my favorite natural selection and evolution activities: 1. Construct an explanation based on evidence that the process of evolution primarily results from four factors: (1) the potential for a species to increase in number, (2) the heritable genetic variation of individuals in a species due to mutation and sexual reproduction, (3) competition for limited resources, and (4) the proliferation of those organisms that are better able to survive and reproduce in the environment. To help students learn, in a more concrete way, how natural selection operates, I came up with an activity that simulates evolution by natural selection. Battle of the Beaks- This lab is always a hit! • The teacher can provide a question for the students to investigate, or students can develop their own question. How to Play. The teacher could also use the simulation with the whole group and ask questions to check for understanding. Check out the worksheet that goes along with the game (courtesy of Mrs. Theresa Hartz) Check out another worksheet that goes along with the game, courtesy of Ms. Julie Olson! A humorous but powerful tool for simulating evolution. Teachers should embed this simulation into their instructional sequence where they feel it best fits. This represents your environment. Teachers should embed this simulation into their instructional sequence where they feel it best fits. This resource appears to be designed to build towards this performance expectation, though the resource developer has not explicitly stated so. While students have not developed the model underlying the simulation, they can use it to investigate factors (the potential for a species to increase in number, the heritable genetic variation of individuals in a species due to mutation and sexual reproduction, competition for limited resources, and the proliferation of those organisms that are better able to survive and reproduce in the environment) that influence the process of evolution. (3 reviews), 1 This simulation gives students an opportunity to observe and describe how the increase in number of bunnies (“add a friend” in the simulation starts the bunnies reproducing), genetic variation of individual bunnies (click on mutation in the simulation and then observe the phenotype of the bunnies populating the environment), competition for food and predation by wolves leads to the proliferation of those bunnies that are better able to survive in the environment. Let the simulation continue to run until it stops, and then discuss what happens. I have used this interactive in the past and it is very powerful. Light Forest. • What variables are you able to manipulate in this simulation? How to Play. 1. This simulation gives students the opportunity to see what happens to the phenotypes of bunnies over several generations when manipulating selection factors. Their light wings are “peppered” with small dark spots. The functionality is directly related to learning about natural selection. Activity: Simulate Natural Selection . Using your knowledge of natural selection, explain how extinction occurs. This simulation provides students with the opportunity to manipulate and explore the interaction of factors leading to evolution, and observe how natural selection leads to adaptation, an example of a cause and effect relationship. Natural Selection In this simulation you will investigate populations of birds living on an island. Empirical evidence is required to differentiate between cause and correlation and make claims about specific causes and effects. Students participate in trials using different utensils, recording the results of their trials and reflecting on these results. The simulation itself does not come with instructions or a lesson plan. A bird, You will observe how phenotypes and number of birds, Predator Icon: If present, the size represents the, Population count (pink means it's declining), Resource Icons: The size represents the ability, With your group, discuss how the bird populations changed over the course of 500,000 years. Natural Selection. Free access - The right to view and/or download material without financial, registration, or excessive advertising barriers. Instead, after students describe what is happening to the populations of bunnies as they run different trials with different settings, teachers should ask what that means, and ask students to collaboratively develop and defend an explanations based on evidence they collected when running the simulation. This illustrates for students that the differential survival and reproduction of bunnies in a population that are better camouflaged leads to an increase in the proportion of these bunnies in future generations and to a decrease in the proportion of bunnies that are not well camouflaged. Check out the worksheet that goes along with the game (courtesy of Mrs. Theresa Hartz) Check out another worksheet that goes along with the game, courtesy of Ms. Julie Olson! Teachers should make sure that students do not just “play” with the simulation, or just “observe” what happens. Topics Covered: Natural selection, variation, adaptation, selective pressures, evolution, directional selection, stabilizing selection, disruptive/diversifying selection, fitness, etc. Natural Selection is the scientific theory that organisms are more likely to pass on traits that increase chance of survival. 12. Choose a forest for your experiment. Peppered Moth – An Activity in Natural Selection Peppered moths are common insects living in England, Europe and North America. Teachers should spend considerable time working with the simulation prior to teaching students. Here is a list of my favorite natural selection and evolution activities: 1. Natural selection explains how genetic traits of a species may change over time. Examples of evidence could include mathematical models such as simple distribution graphs and proportional reasoning. Find out how the peppered moth surprised naturalists in England. Work with your group to create the Northeast environment. NOTE: I gave this 1 Star because this interactive CANNOT be used by students on chromebooks or iPads (unless they have a java emmulator)! The theory of natural selection was explored by 19th-century naturalist Charles Darwin. Students get to simulate Darwin's finches by having different "beaks" (tweezers, clothespins, etc) and feeding on different foods. The user can also edit genes (select whether the mutation for fur color, tail length and teeth length is dominant or recessive). You have one minute to eat as many moths as you can. Quick summary: In this activity students will model ‘natural selection’ by using different utensils to pick up food. An example question to investigate with the simulation found in the Cottontail lesson plan is: “A population of short-toothed and long-toothed bunnies is living in the Arctic. Assessment does not include other mechanisms of evolution, such as genetic drift, gene flow through migration, and co-evolution. Using the Simulation to Investigate Natural Selection • The teacher can provide a question for the students to investigate, or students can develop their own question. • Based on this evidence, students should write and share an evidence-based explanation that answers their question. Learn how Dr. Kettlewell put natural selection to the test. This interactive simulation allows students to explore natural selection in bunnies by controlling factors in the environment (equator or arctic environment), selection factors (wolves, food), and characteristics of the bunnies (fur color, tail length and teeth length). Natural Selection Simulation. Teachers should keep in mind that simulations have benefits and limitations, and that is that important to not exclusively teach natural selection through simulation, but also use data sets from field work, or other real-life demonstrations. Discuss with your group the changes that occurred and the reasons for the changes. This simulation gives students an opportunity to observe and describe how the increase in number of bunnies (“add a friend” in the simulation starts the bunnies reproducing), genetic variation of individual bunnies (click on mutation in the simulation and then observe the phenotype of the bunnies populating the environment), competition for food and predation by wolves leads to the proliferation of those bunnies that are better able to survive in the environment. Describe what happens to the bunnies this time. Peppered Moth Game. Natural Selection. How does natural selection control the genetic diversity found in populations? This resource appears to be designed to build towards this science and engineering practice, though the resource developer has not explicitly stated so. Instead, after students describe what is happening to the populations of bunnies as they run different trials with different settings, teachers should ask what that means, and ask students to collaboratively develop and defend an explanations based on evidence they collected when running the simulation. • What happens to the population sizes of the two phenotypes after several more generations? Follow the peppered moth’s life cycle from birth to death - all in one year! The simulation itself does not come with instructions or a lesson plan. There is an option to introduce mutations, which causes bunnies with brown fur, long tail, or long teeth to appear. What happens if you never “add a friend?? In this minds-on, hands-on activity, students develop their understanding of natural selection by analyzing specific examples and carrying out a simulation. Students will master the concepts of evolution by natural selection as they become predators in this lab simulation. This part of the simulation represents 500,000 years. An example question to investigate with the simulation found in the Cottontail lesson plan is: “A population of short-toothed and long-toothed bunnies is living in the Arctic. The simulation itself does not come with instructions or a lesson plan. Predators of the peppered moth include flycatchers, nuthatches, and the European robin. Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on using evidence to explain the influence each of the four factors has on number of organisms, behaviors, morphology, or physiology in terms of ability to compete for limited resources and subsequent survival of individuals and adaptation of species. These can be body structures, processes, or behaviors. The Cottontail portion uses the PHET simulations. Explain Count out 20 black beans and 20 white... Make sure the beans are mixed thoroughly into the environment. PhET Simulation - YouTube • Add the (natural) selection factor* of wolves after F3 offspring appear. See the natural selection blog post for additional discussion of the activity. Procedure Fill the shallow pan half way with white rice. Using a simple machine learning genetic algorithm, this simulation demonstrates how populations evolve towards surviving as long as possible, with the player acting as the … This will give you a snapshot of the major changes in the bird populations and the environment during that time. Many students can recite a definition of natural selection, but they may have trouble visualizing how the process actually works. In this activity you worked with a model to simulate natural selection. Over time, species develop beneficial traits called adaptations. 2. Depending on where in the unit teachers are when using this simulation, the following directions and prompts can be helpful in supporting students to make progress toward meeting the Performance Expectation. 3 Do you have a suggestion for improving NGSS@NSTA? The graph at the bottom of the simulation will show that bunnies with long teeth seem to have an advantage when food is a selection factor. These lesson plans are from authors independent of the authors of the simulation. 8. • Start the simulation by clicking the “PLAY” button. Select from these resources to teach your classroom about this subfield of evolutionary biology. In what ways did this activity model natural selec-tion well? As students are making sense of the phenomenon (proportion of different bunnies changing, depending on the variable in the simulations that students change), they are engaged in several practices as well as the crosscutting concept of cause and effect, as they are building their understanding of the disciplinary core idea. This review is limited to reviewing the PHET natural selection simulation, and not any of the lesson plans from outside authors. Activity 11 Natural Selection. The bunnies in the default setting in the simulation have white fur, short tail, and short teeth. You will begin by selecting three birds that will represent phenotypes for several traits in one population that lives in the southwest portion of the island. Fortunately, with the help of a simulation we can study how natural selection works in a relatively short time. Click on the moth to eat it. Comments about Including the Science and Engineering Practice However, the teacher could easily implement the simulation in a way to monitor students’ progress. • Start the simulation by clicking the “PLAY” button. Visit the Resources page for a Word document or the Google Drive for a fully digital format. Students often struggle with distinguishing what happens to the individual as opposed to the population over time when studying natural selection. Simulate natural selection with the “Candy Dish Selection” lab. Using the Simulation to Investigate Natural Selection Battle of the Beaks- This lab is always a hit! Activity 1 Our Global Community Activity 2 Life in Other Countries Activity 3 Sustainability Case Studies Activity 4 Ecological Footprint Activity 5 Jaffrey City's Problem Activity 6 Jaffrey City's Master Plan Like most moths, This resource appears to be designed to build towards this crosscutting concept, though the resource developer has not explicitly stated so. • Add a friend. The simulation in the next part will stop every 50,000 years beginning at 500,000 years and ending at 1,000,000 years. What happens to the population sizes of both phenotypes over the next 10 generations? • Add a friend. SEPUP Simulation: Natural Selection. Introduction to the Simulation Overview - Students will model natural selection by using various utensils to "capture food" . Materials (most of these I leech from the dissecting equipment drawer). The second section includes a simulation activity, data analysis, and questions to deepen students' understanding of natural selection, including the conditions that are required for natural selection to occur. This review is limited to reviewing the PHET natural selection simulation, and not any of the lesson plans from outside authors. Many aspects of the simulation are not explained or intuitive and there is no guidance for the teacher on how to support students. Natural Selection—Lesson 2.1—Activity 2 Reproduction in the Sim (continued) Parent color-trait level Parent color-trait level Offspring color-trait level Trial 1 Trial 2 Ostrilopes with adaptive traits: • Select and follow an ostrilope that blends into its … Examples of evidence could include mathematical models such as simple distribution graphs and proportional reasoning. Teachers should explicitly probe for students’ understanding of this aspect during instruction. Due to harsh conditions food becomes limited. When you “add a friend”, the two bunnies will start to reproduce. The simulation output includes a chart with the population of bunnies (number of bunnies) on the y-axis, plotted against time on the x-axis. Were your ideas about the fitness of each phenotype you selected correct. The Natural Selection Simulation App allows users to simulate natural selection on a population of bouncing balls, or individuals, right at their fingertips! Use of the simulation provides opportunities to address the practices of using a model, planning and carrying out investigations, and analyzing and interpreting data, as well as describing the cause and effect relationships that are part of the mechanisms of natural selection. Click on the link above to go to the Natural Selection simulation. • Based on this evidence, students should write and share an evidence-based explanation that answers their question. Natural selection in action. Choose plumage, body size, and beak traits for each bird. Lab activities Physical natural selection simulation (Clipbirds) The Clipbirds simulation is based on a procedure developed by Janulaw and Scotchmoor ().Briefly, during three timed “seasons” students act as birds competing for … Play Game. Students get to simulate Darwin's finches by having different "beaks" (tweezers, clothespins, etc) and feeding on different foods. Teacher questioning and support of students is dependent on student background knowledge of the concept and their familiarity with simulations. These questions/prompts are adapted from a related resource “Quakers and Cottontails” https://www.nms.org/Portals/0/Docs/FreeLessons/BIO_Quackers%20and%20Cottontails_web.pdf. An example question to investigate with the simulation found in the Cottontail lesson plan is: “A population of short-toothed and long-toothed bunnies is living in the Arctic. Bags of beans (northern or lima) Trays for holding the beans; Clothespins; Plastic spoons, plastic forks, plastic knives NGSS Science and Engineering Practices: ... Repeat the simulation, but this time place the beans into a new environment composed of wild rice. The questions in the introductory section introduce students to the basic process of natural selection, including key … Watch a trait evolve and experiment with the effects of mutation rate and the strength of selection. Teachers should make sure that students do not just “play” with the simulation, or just “observe” what happens. Due to harsh conditions food becomes limited. There is a lesson option for this activity. Otherwise I would give it a 5. Dr. Kettlewell. A hurricane has hit the island and some of your birds have been blown to three new areas! However, there are several lesson plans posted on the website. For additional evolution data collection, check out the population genetics simulation. They are small moths, only 1 ½ to 2 ½ inches across. Students often struggle with distinguishing what happens to the individual as opposed to the population over time when studying natural selection. Write a detailed report that illustrates the similarities between your simulation of natural selection in a bird For many years biologists have used simulations as a tool for understanding ecological and evolutionary processes. Selection Simulation Activity: Natural selection. Peppered Moth. a population of bunnies suited to survive and reproduce in the environment that students selected by manipulating the settings. This activity shows all the steps of natural selection in entertaining style, but generates real simulation … Explain why you think this occurred? • What variables are you able to manipulate in this simulation? This simulation provides students with the opportunity to manipulate and explore the interaction of factors leading to evolution, and observe how natural selection leads to adaptation, an example of a cause and effect relationship. (If teachers are using the Quaker portion of the NMSI lesson plan as well, it is important to discuss the limitation of the Quaker simulation, so students do not walk away with misconceptions). Teachers should monitor for student understanding throughout the activity, and use some form of large-group share-out to make sure that all students are making progress toward the performance expectation. “Quakers and Cottontails” is published by the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI). This simulation provides students with the opportunity to manipulate and explore the interaction of factors leading to evolution, and observe how natural selection leads to adaptation, i.e. In Primer‘s fifth video on evolution, Justin Helps creates a blender and python-powered natural selection simulation, testing for variations on food availability along with the creatures’ speed, sizes, and their ability to sense food. Using the Simulation to Investigate Natural Selection HS-LS4-2 Construct an explanation based on evidence that the process of evolution primarily results from four factors: (1) the potential for a species to increase in number, (2) the heritable genetic variation of individuals in a species due to mutation and sexual reproduction, (3) competition for limited resources, and (4) the proliferation of those organisms that are better able to survive and reproduce in the environment.