Being Darwin's Finches
Summary
In this biology activity, students will be investigating evolution by "competing" for food like Darwin's finches might have competed. Each student group is given a different type of "beak" to work with and there are also different kinds of food so that each of the groups is able to compete for the niche that they feel best suits their birds "beak". After allowing time for some birds to become extinct, the environment will change and some of the "beaks" that were not very effective before will enjoy a time of renewed usefulness.
CollapseLearning Goals
By doing this activity the students will be able to review what they have learned about Darwin's finches and experience "survival of the fittest" for themselves.
The key concepts embedded in this activity are the ideas that form follows function and that the possibility of survival in any given environment is tied directly to the type of niches available in that environment.
The key concepts embedded in this activity are the ideas that form follows function and that the possibility of survival in any given environment is tied directly to the type of niches available in that environment.
Context for Use
This is a short activity that can be completed in 1-2 days depending on how much time the instructor chooses to devote to it and how many environmental changes it takes to teach the students to make good guesses about the outcomes. I usually complete this activity in about a day and a half and then I have the students do a short write up about the activity using at least 5 words from the chapter on Evolution to do it.
Description and Teaching Materials
In order to complete this activity you will need at least 10 different objects to use as "beaks" for your finches. These all should fall into the category of "things that are used to pick up stuff". Examples are pliers, tongs, chopsticks, tweezers, wrenches, spoons, forks, needles, etc. You will also need at least 8 different "food" items for your birds to pick up with their "beaks". Examples of food are things like dried beans, macaroni, popcorn, walnuts, rice, cereal, gummy bears, etc. You will also need two bowls per "food" and a couple of accurate scales for weighing the "food".
I would start out your activity with 8 different groups of students, each group representing a bird. Each group will receive a random "beak" and they will have to use that beak to compete for food. I would also start out with 6 different types of "food".
Each group will be allowed to spend about 3 minutes at each of the "food" stations practicing using their beak on that particular food. Attempting to lift it out of one bowl with their "beak" and put it into another bowl.
After each group has been allowed to practice at each of the food stations they will be required to choose one of the "foods" to be their niche. Obviously with 8 birds and 6 types of food you will have some stations that have multiple birds. This is where they will compete.
The teacher will be the official timer and weigher of food and will allow each "bird" to try to get as much food from the first bowl to the second bowl as they can in one minute. In order to be fair the food will then be weighed and the winner will be determined by how many grams of food they got. The winning bird will be the one with the most food and they will be allowed to claim this niche as their own.
The losing bird will be allowed to choose one more niche and try again before becoming extinct. If they are able to take another birds niche then that bird will have to compete with someone else.
A bird becomes extinct by losing two challenges and their beak is taken away and they have to sit down. I often allow my students to think that this is the end of the competition.
I then show them the two NEW beaks that I have kept hidden and I remove two of the food sources that have been used before (I try to choose two that belong to birds that haven't competed or have competed very little) and I introduce two new food sources.
The activity commences again in the same way as before, but hopefully, two news groups become extinct.
At the end of the activity we discuss the 4 beaks that became extinct and the students are quite good at seeing that they are most likely the 4 with the most design flaws and the ones that matched up the least with the available food.
I would start out your activity with 8 different groups of students, each group representing a bird. Each group will receive a random "beak" and they will have to use that beak to compete for food. I would also start out with 6 different types of "food".
Each group will be allowed to spend about 3 minutes at each of the "food" stations practicing using their beak on that particular food. Attempting to lift it out of one bowl with their "beak" and put it into another bowl.
After each group has been allowed to practice at each of the food stations they will be required to choose one of the "foods" to be their niche. Obviously with 8 birds and 6 types of food you will have some stations that have multiple birds. This is where they will compete.
The teacher will be the official timer and weigher of food and will allow each "bird" to try to get as much food from the first bowl to the second bowl as they can in one minute. In order to be fair the food will then be weighed and the winner will be determined by how many grams of food they got. The winning bird will be the one with the most food and they will be allowed to claim this niche as their own.
The losing bird will be allowed to choose one more niche and try again before becoming extinct. If they are able to take another birds niche then that bird will have to compete with someone else.
A bird becomes extinct by losing two challenges and their beak is taken away and they have to sit down. I often allow my students to think that this is the end of the competition.
I then show them the two NEW beaks that I have kept hidden and I remove two of the food sources that have been used before (I try to choose two that belong to birds that haven't competed or have competed very little) and I introduce two new food sources.
The activity commences again in the same way as before, but hopefully, two news groups become extinct.
At the end of the activity we discuss the 4 beaks that became extinct and the students are quite good at seeing that they are most likely the 4 with the most design flaws and the ones that matched up the least with the available food.
Teaching Notes and Tips
One of the most common problems that I have with this activity is the students get so caught up in competing for food that they attempt to use their "beaks" in a way that a bird would not use it. For example, they will use the side of the pliers as a sort of scoop. I correct these types of things when they are trying out their beaks during the first part of the activity and I have never had a student complain overly much about being fair.
Assessment
I find that the write-up at the end of this activity allows me to assess their understanding of both the activity and the vocabulary words from the chapter. I often find that students who are engaged in the competition and not just bystanders are much more likely to understand the concepts that I am trying to teach so I make sure that all students in the group get a chance to be the "bird".
Standards
Grade 9-12 Strand IV E
The student will understand how biological evolution provides a scientific explanation for the fossil record of ancient life forms, as well as for the striking molecular similarities observed among the diverse species of living organisms. 1. The student will understand that species change over time and the term biological evolution is used to describe this process.
2. The student will use the principles of natural selection to explain the differential survival of groups of organisms as a consequence of:
o The potential for a species to increase its numbers;
o The genetic variability of offspring due to mutation and recombination of genes;
o A finite supply of the resources required for life; and,
o The ensuing selection based on environmental factors of those offspring better able to survive and produce reproductively successful offspring.
3. The student will describe how genetic variation between populations is due to different selective pressures acting on each population, which can lead to a new species.
4. The student will use biological evolution to explain the diversity of species.
The student will understand how biological evolution provides a scientific explanation for the fossil record of ancient life forms, as well as for the striking molecular similarities observed among the diverse species of living organisms. 1. The student will understand that species change over time and the term biological evolution is used to describe this process.
2. The student will use the principles of natural selection to explain the differential survival of groups of organisms as a consequence of:
o The potential for a species to increase its numbers;
o The genetic variability of offspring due to mutation and recombination of genes;
o A finite supply of the resources required for life; and,
o The ensuing selection based on environmental factors of those offspring better able to survive and produce reproductively successful offspring.
3. The student will describe how genetic variation between populations is due to different selective pressures acting on each population, which can lead to a new species.
4. The student will use biological evolution to explain the diversity of species.