Taking a Fieldtrip With Charles Darwin

Yesterday you had a chance to read about how Charles Darwin's ideas and observations have effected science for the past 100+ years. Then, you had a chance to see how he started to develop his ideas by making his journey on the Beagle. Today you have a chance to take a fieldtrip with Darwin - this is an interactive site. You are going to learn that Darwin didn't come up with the THEORY of EVOLUTION - he came up with the THEORY OF NATURAL SELECTION - which is HOW evolution occurs.

TODAY'S FIRST LINK - use the red arrows to advance through the first 4 slides - then use the blue arrow at the bottom of the box when Darwin appears - Answer the questions that are asked on the trip - Answer questions 1-6 to turn in.

1. What are the 3 misconceptions about Natural Selection?
2. In your own words, explain what we can learn about Survival of the Fittest from Cave Salamanders?
3. Define FITNESS according to Darwin
4. Explain how phenotypes prove that Natural Selection isn't random. Give examples.
5. Define Environmental Selective Pressure
6. Why did long tongued salamanders have higher fitness than the short tongued ones? Explain how this shows that Natural Selection doesn't create variation.

TODAY'S SECOND LINK - Understanding the Genetics of Variation
Play FITNESS FEVER and keep a log of what you learn about your fish. READ THE INTRODUCTION SCREENS.

IF YOU HAVE TIME - Play the FISH ADAPTATION GAME

• How are the different kinds of fish living near the reef alike? How are they different from one another?
• Did the fish that you built succeed in the reef environment? Why or why not?
• In what ways is this activity related to the evolution of coral reef fish?
• Explain what it means to say that a fish is adapted.