Download Name Period Date PURPOSE The purpose of this lab exercise is to

PURPOSE
The purpose of this lab exercise is to gain perspective of how organisms
“evolve” – change over time. What will cause an organism to evolve? Do
all organisms evolve? What is natural selection and what role does it
play in the evolution of a species? Through the use of jellybeans, students
will understand how genetics and environmental change play a role in
evolution.
PART I: WHO AM I?
1. Choose 6 jelly beans from the bowl. You may select any combination
of jelly beans … but NO MORE than six jelly beans.
2. Record the color of your jelly beans in the data table to the right and
answer question A.
3. The jelly beans you have chosen represent unique genetic traits that
are found in a rare mammal species  Widget mammalensis
4. Each color represents a different trait:
 Red = elongated arms that allow widgets to swing amongst the
tree branches
 Orange = webbed feet and hands ideal for swimming
 Yellow = nocturnal vision: allowing the widget to hunt/forage at
night
 Pink = digestive enzymes that allow the widget to digest the rare
“ZOOPA” seeds
 Black = a thick layer of fur and fat to conserve body heat
 Green = enhanced sense of smell to forage for the “BLAZER”
roots underground
 White = extra pigmentation of the skin to protect the widget
against harmful UV radiation
 Purple = venom: protects the widget from being eaten by the
“ERAGA”
Data Table:
Original Jelly
Beans
Name
Period
Date
After
Trade 1
After
Trade 2
After
Trade 3
A. Why did you select those 6 particular jelly beans?
B. What traits do you possess?
C. What traits did you loss or gain in the trade?
5. Upon the teacher’s direction, move about the
room “trading” jelly beans. The trading of jelly
beans represents the random dispersal of genetic
traits to future generations of widgets (sexual
reproduction). You must trade at least one of
your jelly beans!
6. Record the colors of your jelly beans after
trading.
CONCLUSIONS (Use complete sentences.)
1. What (2 parent) process does the trading of jelly
beans represent?
PART II: AN ACT OF NATURAL SELECTION
Widget Population: Year 1 =
Environmental Change
Extinct Widgets =
Surviving Widgets =
Environmental Change
2. Did your widget become extinct? If so, why?
Extinct Widgets =
Surviving Widgets =
Environmental Change
3. Using this exercise as an example, how did the
widget population evolve?
Extinct Widgets =
Surviving Widgets =