MCAS Biology Ms. Chen Name: Date: Who Wants to Live A Million Years? Objective: Students will learn about the process of natural selection through an online simulation. Directions: Access the internet and type http://science.discovery.com/interactives/literacy/darwin/darwin.html Click on the link to Learn about Natural Selection and answer the following questions in a complete sentence. 1. Does every species exhibit variation or are they exactly the same? 2. What types of variations are frequently exhibited in a population or species? 3. How are traits passed on? 4. What is survival of the fittest? 5. If an organism is with that will help it or, it will likely produce more offspring than rivals without those traits. Eventually traits can spread throughout a species.
Directions: Now you are going to play the Survival Game Who wants to live a million years? Read the directions at the bottom of the game carefully, so that you pick traits for your organisms wisely. Click on Hints at the right hand side of the screen to look at the pros and cons for each choice. Fill out the chart below about the different traits. Trait Pro Con Draw Picture Thin Bulky Furry Hairless Long Neck Short Legs Long Legs Stripes
Round 1 1. Pick 3 trait mutations and draw them in the space below. Be sure to label the traits. 2. What environment challenge did your species face first? (ex. Predator, heat, cold, food, height, etc) 3. Who survived? (Describe the traits) 4. What environment challenge did your species face second? 5. Who survived? (Describe the traits) 6. Did you use your genetic mutation life preservers? Which ones did you choose? Draw and label the traits in the space below. 7. Did you survive 1 million years? What did the final population look like? If you did not survive, explain why.
Round 2 1. Try a second time with different trait mutations. Pick 3 trait mutations and draw them in the space below. Be sure to label the traits. 2. What environment challenge did your species face first? (ex. Predator, heat, cold, food, height, etc) 3. Who survived? (Describe the traits) 4. What environment challenge did your species face second? 5. Who survived? (Describe the traits) 6. Did you use your genetic mutation life preservers? Which ones did you choose? Draw and label the traits in the space below. 7. Did you survive 1 million years? What did the final population look like? If you did not survive, explain why.
Round 3 1. Try 1 more time! Pick 3 trait mutations and draw them in the space below. Be sure to label the traits. 2. What environment challenge did your species face first? (ex. Predator, heat, cold, food, height, etc) 3. Who survived? (Describe the traits) 4. What environment challenge did your species face second? 5. Who survived? (Describe the traits) 6. Did you use your genetic mutation life preservers? Which ones did you choose? Draw and label the traits in the space below. 7. Did you survive 1 million years? What did the final population look like? If you did not survive, explain why.
Directions: After the Survival game, click on the tab Darwin s Bio and read the short excerpt about Darwin. Then click on Quiz and answer the following questions in the quiz and circle your responses on this paper. 1. In the first part of the explanation for Darwin s theory of natural selection, every species exhibits what? a. The same traits c. Colors b. Variations d. None of the above 2. What was the name of the ship that Darwin served as naturalist aboard from 1831 to 1836? a. Infatiguable c. Sloop John B b. Bugle d. Beagle 3. Natural selection is only one of the processes of evolution. What is one other process that can cause change in a species over time? a. Reproduction c. Mutation b. Disease d. All of the above 4. A species of organism has survived in a mild environment for thousands of years. Suddenly, the climate becomes much colder. Which of the following traits might help the species survive? a. Thick Fur c. Short Neck b. Small Size d. All of the above 6. Which of the following traits might be passed from parent to offspring but not necessarily be beneficial to the survival of the species? a. Eye Color c. Large Size b. Long Legs d. Heightened Senses 7. Part 3 of Darwin s theory of natural selection states that life in the wild is competitive, and organisms with the most beneficial traits prosper. What is this commonly know as? a. Survival of the strongest c. Survival of the fattest b. Survival of the fittest d. Outwit/Outplay/ Outlast. 8. How do you get to Carnegie Hall? a. Take the A train c. Get on the bus, Gus b. A slow boat to China d. Practice 9. Long Answer: Does Variation of Traits help or hurt a species in the long run? Justify your opinion with support from this activity and other lab activities. Adapted from: http://www.mlhi.org/natsel/online%20darwin%20survival%20game%20wkst.pdf and http://mnearthscience.weebly.com/uploads/2/5/7/7/25773641/who_wants_to_live_a_million_years_activity.doc 11/22/2015