Mar 192012
- Example graph from the activity
Students participate in an activity that models natural selection or the introduction of an invasive species by competing for limited “resources,” and observing how the presence of an advantageous trait can change the class population over time. Students graph the population’s change over time and participate in a guided discussion about factors that may influence natural selection.
At the conclusion of the lesson, students will be able to:
- Describe the effects of natural selection on a population, or the effects of an invasive species on a native population
- Understand the factors contributing to extinction, including displacement and competition
- Discern patterns of population growth, including exponential growth and the relationship between a population’s environment and its carrying capacity
- Construct and interpret graphs relating to population growth
- Relate patterns to theory
- Use evidence to reason and draw conclusions
- Differentiate between a theory, hypothesis, and observation
Resources:
Lesson plan created by GK-12 Fellow Kate Steensma & teacher Marty Beuhler, 2011