Tuesday, January 3, 2012

HW - 1/3/12

Welcome back! The first homework of the new year is to: 1. complete the graph of the data from CW 48's activity (by making a line graph of the population at the END of each generation for each type of magical bean creature) and 2. complete the CW 48 Analysis Questions (shown below).

Background Information

How does evolution work? What is it that actually causes populations to change with time?

These are questions to think about while we discuss natural selection. Natural selection is a way through which populations of organisms evolve. With natural selection, the environment (in other words, nature) determines the traits of an organism that are most fit for survival. Random mutations in the DNA of organisms provide new traits. The traits that make it easier to survive and reproduce stick around – those that hurt survival and reproduction do not (along with the organisms that carry them).

Analysis Questions

Answer all of the following questions to the best of your ability in COMPLETE SENTENCES on another sheet of paper. Explain yourself and be specific. (To earn 5’s, you need to answer the CHALLENGE questions.)

1. In your own words, what is natural selection?

2a. Which types of magical bean creatures were able to survive and reproduce for all 5 generations? Why do you think this was the case?

2b. Which were not able to survive all 5 generations? Why do you think they were unable to survive?

3. How did the activity you completed show natural selection?

4. Why do you think organisms evolve and change over time?

5. Explain an example of natural selection causing a population to change. (HINT: Think about previous activities/classworks that you have completed.)

CHALLENGE: 6. How are biodiversity and natural selection related to each other?

CHALLENGE: 7. How are genetics and natural selection related to each other?

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