In this activity, the Freshman Biology classes developed arguments for the adaptation and natural selection of Darwin’s finches, based on evidence presented in the film The Beak of the Finch.
Students watched segments of the film and read related articles then engaged in discussions, made predictions, created models, interpreted graphs, and use multiple sources and types of evidence to develop arguments for the evolution of Darwin’s finches. As a capstone project, the students created a graphic representation of the process that led to the 13 different finch species. They were to create a representation like a museum exhibit, so it would stand alone without them needing to explain it.
Student Learning Targets
- Make claims and construct arguments using evidence from class discussion and from a short film on the evolution of the Galápagos finches.
- Use data to make predictions about the effects of natural selection in a finch population.
- Construct graphs to illustrate predicted results and compare them to actual results.
