Peppered Moth 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

  • Describe how genetic variations of traits in a population increase some individuals’ probability of surviving and reproducing in a specific environment.

Success Criteria

  • Simulate how predators locate prey in different environments.
  • Explain how natural selection causes populations to change.

Questions to Ponder...

  • How do some organisms react to changes in their environment?
  • How might a change in an environment have an impact on offspring?

Peppered Moth Simulation

Objectives

  • Describe the importance of coloration in avoiding predation
  • Relate environmental change to changes in organisms
  • Explain how natural selection causes populations to change

Purpose

  • In this lab, you will simulate how predators locate prey in different environments. You will analyze how color affects an organism's ability to survive in certain environments.

Three Parts

  • This experiment is divided up into three parts. Click the links to go directly to them.
Fingers
Tweezers
Experiment

Part 1 - Fingers

Materials

  • 1 sheet of 8 1/2" x 11" white paper
  • 1 sheet of 8 1/2" x 11" newspaper
  • stopwatch
  • appox. 15 newspaper circles and 15 white circles (made with hole punch)

Procedures

  1. Read all procedures and copy the data table below.
  2. Place a sheet of white paper on the table and have one person spread all of the circles (white and newspaper) over the surface while the other person isn't looking. The person not looking is the "predator."
  3. The "predator" (eyes open now) will then use their fingers to pick up as many of the circles as they can in 15 seconds. Count how many of each circle you collected. Use the data table to record how many of each type of paper circle the people in your group collect.
  4. Repeat this trial on the same white paper background for everyone in the group and then do the same thing using the newspaper background. Record all information on your data table.
  5. Average the trials.

Average

Find the averages of:

  • white circles on the white background
  • white circles on the newspaper background
  • newspaper circles on the white background
  • newspaper circles on the newspaper background

Back to Teams...

  • How would you explain the results of the experiment?
  • Were the results what you expected?
  • We are going to do the same experiment again but with tweezers instead of fingers. Do you expect the data to be any different?

Part 2 - Tweezers

Materials

  • 1 sheet of 8 1/2" x 11" white paper
  • 1 sheet of 8 1/2" x 11" newspaper
  • tweezers
  • stopwatch
  • appox. 15 newspaper circles and 15 white circles (made with hole punch)

Procedures

  1. Read all procedures and copy the data table below.
  2. Place a sheet of white paper on the table and have one person spread all of the circles (white and newspaper) over the surface while the other person isn't looking. The person not looking is the "predator."
  3. Place a container at least 1 meter away from the paper to collect all of the circles. This is the nest.
  4. The "predator" (eyes open now) will then use tweezers to pick up as many of the circles as they can and return them to the nest in 15 seconds.
  5. Count how many of each circle you collected. Use the data table to record how many of each type of paper circle the people in your group collect.
  6. Repeat this trial on the same white paper background for everyone in the group and then do the same thing using the newspaper background. Record all information on your data table.
  7. Average the trials.

Average

Find the averages of:

  • white circles on the white background
  • white circles on the newspaper background
  • newspaper circles on the white background
  • newspaper circles on the newspaper background

Back to Teams...

  • How do these results compare to the first experiment?
  • Were the results what you expected?
  • If you were going to do another experiment how would you change it?

Part 3 - Experiment

Design an Experiment

  • Your team will now design an experiment to test a hypothesis about other variables involved in picking up the circles.

Procedures

  1. Begin by asking a Question that you will answer by doing this experiment.
    • Your question must be something that can be answered by completing an experiment.
    • consider the following examples:
      • To what extent does the shape of the device picking up circles affect the number of circles picked up?
      • To what extent does the background affect the number of circles picked up?
  2. Develop a Hypothesis.
    • What do you think is the answer to the question you asked?
    • A hypothesis should be written like the following: "I think __________. I think this because ___________________."
  3. Identify the Variables.
    • Which variable will you manipulate or change in your experiment? This is called the Independent Variable.
    • What conditions and procedures will you keep the same each time? These are called the Controls or Controlled Variable.
    • What characteristics will you be observing or measuring? These are called the Dependent Variables.
  4. Design the Procedures.
    • Write detailed instructions to complete your experiment.
    • Include...
      • what you will use to pick up the circles.
      • how you will measure the results
      • how many trials
      • how you will collect the data


Share

  • Create a Google Doc with your experiment plan and share it with the teacher.

Back to Teams...

  • How do you explain the change in coloration of the peppered moth population?
  • How might you use the Peppered Moth lab to explain the change?

Analysis

  1. Go to the following link to answer the questions as a group: Peppered Moth Simulation Questions
Click Me to answer some questions as a team!

Online Simulation

  • This simulation allows you to see how the environment can influence the offspring of organisms
Click me to see another simulation!
How Do Organisms Change Over Time?