Natural Selection

Introduction

At the end of this WebQuest, you will be able to:

  1. Understand and explain natural selection.

  2. Understand Charles Darwin’s idea of natural selection and his study of finches in the Galapagos Islands.

  3. Review the steps of the scientific method and apply them by creating a lab that simulates Darwin’s finches.

  4. Students will create a presentation to show their results to their peers.

How are the two pictures related?

Pic cred: https://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/lonesome-george/galapagos-tortoises-and-evolution

 

These are both shells from tortoises that live in the Galapagos Islands.  There are 20 islands that make up the Galapagos Islands.  

 

 

Task

Why are the shells so different from each other?

The Task:  To find the answer to the question above, you will be researching natural selection and Charles Darwin with your group.  You will need to apply the steps of the scientific method to create a lab or simulation to test how adaptations are helpful to the survival of a species.  Your results will be displayed in google slides to be shared and discussed with your peers.

Process

Each student is responsible for keeping a log of what they did each day.

1. Review the steps of the scientific method in preparation for creating your lab/simulation. 

       https://www.khanacademy.org/science/biology/intro-to-biology/science-of-biology/v/the-scientific-method

2. Research should be completed about natural selection and Darwin’s finches. As you are researching, take notes IN YOUR OWN WORDS.  Any plagiarizing will result in a grade of zero.  Research notes can be recorded on a shared doc or slide.

   Other examples of natural selection that can help with your research are peppered moths, deer mice and giraffe necks. 

   Possible questions to answer:

   *What is and was the habitat like?

   *What food does the organism eat?

   *Where is the food located?

   *What is the shape, size, hardness of the food?

3. Apply the scientific method:

  1. What is the question you want answer in your lab/simulation

  2. Research: should already be done from step 2 above :)

  3. Create a hypothesis that can be tested(you need to make sure you can gather data - so something measurable) Use the If, Then, Because format.

  4. Write a lab, step by step that you can carry out to test your hypothesis.

  5. Carry out the lab

  6. Collect data and analyze

      7.Was your hypothesis correct? Why/why not? How could you use your data to rewrite your and test your hypothesis?

4. Create a presentation that shows your experiment and results.  This can be done as a slides presentation.  The presentation needs to be shared with the teacher or attach it to the assignment in google classroom.

Evaluation

18

13

9

*Scientific Method was applied in creating a lab.  

*Students used great detail in writing the lab.  

*Measurable data was recorded and displayed in graphic form.  

*Students were able to draw a conclusion from their lab and apply it to the idea of natural selection.

*The group created a well developed presentation that showed their process and final results(should be easy to read- bullet points, graphs displayed)

*A student log was completed daily, with detailed notes.

*Scientific Method was applied in creating the lab.

*Students used some detail in writing the lab.  More detail is needed.

*Measurable data was recorded but not displayed in graphic form.

*Students drew a conclusion but did not make connection to natural selection.

*The group created a fairly developed presentation but may be missing some detail/not easily displayed

*A student log was completed daily, with minimal notes.

*Scientific Method was partially applied in creating the lab. Missing steps.

*Students did not use detail writing the lab.

*Measurable data was not recorded

Students did not draw a conclusion. 

*The group lacks a presentation.

*A student log was not completed.
Conclusion

Great job researching natural selection and applying Darwin’s finches and other examples using a lab/simulation you created!  Things to reflect on: How did your simulation compare and/or differ from other groups?  Is there a different way you would carry out our lab/simulation?  Is there another example of an organism that shows natural selection that you would prefer to study?  What was your favorite part of completing this assignment? Least favorite?  Did you enjoy and work well with your group for this webquest?  Is there anything I should know that happened while working on the webquest?  Is there another form of presentation you would have preferred over a slides presentation(children's book, etc)? If you found natural selection intriguing, here are some more resources you can explore:

More examples of natural selection

Artificial Selection

Natural Selections affect on genotype

Credits

Resources:

Internet: 

  1. National Geographic Natural Selection Encyclopedic Entry

         URL: https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/natural-selection/

  1. National Geographic Galapagos Islands Encyclopedic Entry

         URL: https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/galapagos-islands/

  1. Amoeba Sisters YouTube video

         URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VM9YxmULuo

  1. Stated Clearly YouTube video

          URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SCjhI86grU

  1. American Museum of Natural History : How Does Natural Selection Work?

          URL: https://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/darwin/evolution-today/natural-selection-vista

 

Print:

  1.  Ohio Interactive Science, Grade 8.  Savaas Learning Company, 2017.

  2. Birds for Kids: A Junior Scientist’s Guide by Melissa Mayntz. Callisto Books, January 2024.