Are you looking for a fun natural selection simulation activity for your evolution unit? You are in the right place. “Survival of the Fittest Finch” will not disappoint you nor your students!
I did this simulation lab activity with my grade 11 students a couple weeks ago and they had a blast! In this activity, we investigated how beak structure affects the survival rate of members within a species who are competing for resources in different environments.
What you need:
Finch “beaks”
🐦spoons
🐦forks
🐦beaker tongs
🐦cloth pins
🐦forceps
🐦chopsticks
“Food varieties” on each island
🍴”peanuts”(rice)
🍴pompoms
🍴marbles
🍴macaroni
🍴paper clips
🍴styrofoam balls
Other materials
🟤paper plates
🟤cups
🟤bowls
🟤timers
Setup:
👉🏽Setup 6 different “islands” (stations) with different “food” (items).
👉🏽Have each students use a different “beak” (tools) that they will use to “eat” (pick up) into their “stomach” (cup).
The idea is to stimulate natural selection like the finches with different beaks from the Galápagos Islands.
Before the activity…
Have the students make predictions using a chart.
During the activity…
After the lab…
The students answer some questions on their lab handout as a follow up to reinforce and consolidate their learning from this stimulation.
Final thoughts
I would definitely recommend this activity if you are want something fun and interactive during the evolution unit. Everyone was so focused and engaged. It really brought out the competitiveness of my students and it was so funny to watch them competing for the food sources. 🤣 It certainly helped those students who don’t particularly enjoy this unit to stayed engaged.
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Blessings,
Mrs. T
Teach to Serve 
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