Task
Natural Selection Activities
1. Go to http://www.sciencechannel.com/games-and-interactives/charles-darwin-gam…
a) play the survival game
b) click on Darwins Bio and answer the following
- What was the name of the book he published and when?
- What happened in South America?
c) Click on the Quiz tab and take the quiz
d) Click on the glossary tab and write 3 terms and their meanings
2. Go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SCjhI86grU
a) Explain the role of the environment in natural selection
3. Peppered Moths
Go to Peppered Moth Simulation peppermoths.weebly.com
a) Read the information and answer the following questions
- Why are the moths called peppered moths
- What animals eat the peppered moths
- What was the Industrial Revolution?
- What was causing the different colors in the moths?
- Explain the role of the environment in selecting the appearance of the peppered moth
- It is NOT possible for a light coloured moth to BECOME a dark coloured moth. How do the populations change when the tree trunks are dark?
- Imagine soot released into the atmosphere gets less (which happened after the industrial revolution) and the trees become white again. Predict what would happen to the moth population. Explain why
- Write down ONE of Kettlewell's predictions
b) Open the simulation and play the role of the bird in both the dark and the light forest. Try to behave as a bird would behave, choosing the moths that are the most obvious. At the end of each simulation, record the percent of moths captured in the table below.
| Percent Dark Moths | Percent Light Moths | |
| light forest | ||
| Dark forest |
- Explain the concept of "natural selection" using your moths as an example.
- What would happen if there were no predators in the forest? Would the colors of the moths change over time? Defend your answer?
4. Golden Staph (Staphylococcus aureus)
Go to http://www.scienceinpublic.com.au/centenary/golden and http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2005/04/07/1339507.htm or google any other sites
Read the information and answer these questions
a) What is Staphylococcus aureus and what impact can it have on a human being
b) Explain how the process of natural selection is linked to the formation of antibiotic resistant S.aureus?
c) What impact does anti-biotic resistant bacteria have on the human population?
d) How can humans help to stop antibiotic resistance?
5. Identical Twins in different environments
Use these links to help you answer the questions below:
- http://blog.lib.umn.edu/wlas0006/1001/2011/10/identical-twins-separated…
- http://io9.com/how-do-identical-twins-develop-different-personalities-4…
a) Explain the role of the environment in shaping humans into who they are?
b) If two identical twins are separated at birth, how could you scientifically determine the impact of the environment on the expression of their genes?
c) Assess the ethical and scientific arguments for and against identical twin studies (where the twins are separated at birth)
6. DDT Resistant Pesticide
Use these links to help you answer the following questions
- http://scienceinafrica.com/old/index.php?q=2005/july/ddtinsects.htm
- http://scienceinafrica.com/environment/ddt-debacle
- http://www.wsj.com/news/articles/SB100014240527487039517045760923023994…
a) Explain how the process of natural selection can account for the development of pesticide resistant insects (eg. Mosquitoes)
b)What impact does pesticide resistance have on the ecosystem
c)How can we prevent pesticide resistance?