Week 10: Evolution

 What did you learn this week? 

This week we learned more about the driving factors of evolution, including natural selection, genetic drift, mutation, and migration. These factors impact how well an organism can survive within its environment, affecting the overall population or different organisms in an ecosystem. Through our activity, I was able to apply those principles and observe that some traits are more favorable for survival than others, which can greatly impact species populations.

How can you apply what you've learned to your teaching in the future?

I enjoyed how the bean activity was both engaging and helpful in exploring the principles of natural selection in the classroom. I think if I am teaching about natural selection, I would love to make it feel like a game, similar to this activity, I feel as though that is authentic to the almost game-like reality of surviving in the wild as an animal.

What are new or remaining questions?

Are there other ways besides the bean lab to integrate these concepts into an engaging activity?

What are the main takeaways for students to grasp with this lab?