First, students toss coins to determine what traits a set of mouse parents possess, such as fur color, body size, heat tolerance, and running speed. Next they use coin tossing to determine the traits a mouse pup born to these parents possesses. These physical features are then compared to features that would be most adaptive in several different environmental conditions. Finally, students consider what would happen to the mouse offspring if those environmental conditions were to change: which mice would be most likely to survive and produce the next generation?

Concepts

biodiversity, engineering, evolution, genes, genetics, natural selection, stem

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Additional Tags

dominant gene, recessive genes, adaptation, integrated teaching and learning program and laboratory, teachengineering, genetic probability

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Classroom Considerations

• Knovation Readability Score: 3 (1 low difficulty, 5 high difficulty)