Subject: Evolution
1. Topic-
Survival of the Fittest
 
2. Content-
Biology, Beginning with School Year 2010-2011 (One Credit).

(a) General requirements. Students shall be awarded one credit for successful completion of this course. Prerequisites: none. This course is recommended for students in Grade 9, 10, or 11.

(b) Introduction.

(1) Biology. In Biology, students conduct laboratory and field investigations, use scientific methods during investigations, and make informed decisions using critical thinking and scientific problem solving. Students in Biology study a variety of topics that include: structures and functions of cells and viruses; growth and development of organisms; cells, tissues, and organs; nucleic acids and genetics; biological evolution; taxonomy; metabolism and energy transfers in living organisms; living systems; homeostasis; and ecosystems and the environment.

 
Objectives-
1.To simulate the natural selection of traits
2. To simulate the effect of hawk predation on the appearance of mice.
 
Materials and Aids-
* Large sheet of newspaper
*30 white mice
*30 specked mice
*30 black mice
 
Procedures/Methods-

A. Introduction-

Organisms may vary within a population. Charles Darwin once said that the struggle for existence are the variant organisms that have variable variations are "better adapted" to their environment and will survive and reproduce in greater numbers. Some of the better variations could mean that they are faster, stronger, can eat different types of food or can camouflaged better to avoid predators.In this lab you will simulate the affect of predation by a hawk on a large population of mice. The population of mice will have white, black and speckled mice. The students will represent the hawk.
 

B. Development-

1.Open your sheet of newspaper and place it in the table, this will represent the environment for your mice.
2.Place the bowl in the main table. This will be the nest.
3. Select four people that will represent the hawk and they must stand by the nest.
4. Spread the mice evenly on their environment.
5.The hawk now swoops over and has one minute to pick up as many mice as possible. The hawk can only pick one mouse at a time and must place it in the nest. The goal is to pick up as many mice as possible in the given time.
6.When the time is up, record he number of mice left in the environment in the data table below.
7. Repeat this procedure four times.
 

Independent Practice-

In a paragraph describe;
*The purpose of this lab
*What you thought the results would be
*What the results were (discussing numbers from the data)
 

This Lesson Plan is available at (www.teacherjet.com)