Natural Selection Simulation
MS-LS4-4 Construct an explanation based on evidence that describes how genetic variations of traits in a population increase some individuals’ probability of surviving and reproducing in a specific environment.
Learning Target
Learning Target
- Students will construct an explanation based on evidence that describes how genetic variations of traits in a population increase some individuals’ probability of surviving and reproducing in a specific environment.
Success Criteria
Success Criteria
- I can identify limiting factors that control a population.
- I can make observations and inferences about simulation.
- I can identify factors that may increase or decrease an organism's probability of survival.
Questions to Ponder
Questions to Ponder
- What are environmental factors that might impact the growth of a population of organisms?
- What are physiological (the normal functions of living organisms and their parts) factors that might impact the growth of a population of organisms?
Limiting Factors
Limiting Factors
- A factor present in an environment that controls a process, particularly growth, abundance, or distribution of a population of organisms in an ecosystem
Natural Selection Simulation
Natural Selection Simulation
Warm-up
Warm-up
- Click Run Now to begin the simulation.
- Start by adding a friend and changing the variables such as hair color, teeth, etc.
- Explore the program for about 5 minutes and then answer the following questions:
- Identify the limiting factors that you have control over in the simulation.
- What happens to the bunny population if a friend is never added? Why is this?
- What happens if food is infinite and no predators enter the picture?
Challenge 1
Challenge 1
Find a way to make the bunnies take over with brown fur! Try all Mutations, Environments, and Selection Factors.
- Which Mutation worked best?
- ...which Environment?
- ...which Selection Factor?
Challenge 2
Challenge 2
Find a way to make 200 bunnies when food is a selection factor!
- Which Mutation worked best?
- ...which Environment?
- ...which Selection Factor?
Challenge 3
Challenge 3
Find a way for the bunnies to take over when the environment is the arctic!
- Which Mutation worked best?
- ...which Environment?
- ...which Selection Factor?
Experiment
Experiment
Design your own experiment to test a hypothesis.
- Ask a question, make a hypothesis, and determine your procedures (including identifying the independent, dependent, and controlled variables.)
- Run your experiment and record your results.
Back to Teams...
Back to Teams...
- Describe your experiment and the results.
- How does this simulation differ from what might happen in a true ecosystem?
Thingdom
Thingdom
Selective Breeding Simulation
Selective Breeding Simulation
In this simulation you will be responsible for a Thing. You must adopt, care for, and make baby things as you learn about the concept of Selective Breeding.
Before the Game
Before the Game
- Give an example of a trait.
- What is every living thing made of?
- What are alleles?
During the game...
During the game...
- As you are playing, think about the following questions and answer them as you are playing.
- Why do you have to carefully choose a "thing" that you mate with? *
- Describe a situation in nature where an animal has to impress a mate to be able to breed successfully. *
- Describe a situation where a person might want to selectively breed one animal with another. *
Natural Selection vs. Artificial Selection (Selective Breeding)
Natural Selection vs. Artificial Selection (Selective Breeding)