Gizmo_ Mutation and Natural Selection (1).pdf - Name: Jaeda...

Student Exploration: Evolution: Mutation and Selection
Directions: Follow the instructions to go through the simulation. Respond to the
questions and prompts in the orange boxes.
Vocabulary : adaptation, allele, allele sequence, chromosome, evolution, fitness, gene,
genotype, mutation, natural selection, phenotype, trait
Pre-lab Questions (Do these BEFORE using the Gizmo.)
1. Imagine a white bug and a brown bug on a brown rock. Which bug do you think a bird would
most likely try to catch? Explain your choice.
Name: Jaeda W, Ali, Nirvan, Lochana Date: 12/9/20--
2. What if the bugs were sitting on a white sandy beach? Gizmo Warm-up
In the Evolution: Mutation and Selection Gizmo, you
will see how a species’ fitness can change over time
as it becomes better adapted to its environment.
1. On the SIMULATION pane, what is the Average fitness of the population?
2. On the CONTROLS pane, experiment with the Background color sliders.
A.
B.

Question: Where does variation in a population come from?
1. Observe: Hold your cursor over one of the insects. The two rod-like structures under
Genotype on the right side of the Gizmo represent chromosomes. The three letters next to
each chromosome represent alleles.
2. In the Gizmo, phenotype is expressed in red, green, and blue values.
3. Run Gizmo: Move the Sim. speed slider all the way to the left. Click Play ( ). You will see
the insects move to the left in pairs. The pairs mate and produce a set of four offspring. As
soon as you see at least one offspring with an oval around it, click Pause ( ). Move your
cursor over the circled offspring.
4. Data: Move the Mutation rate slider to 3.0, and click Play . Allow the Gizmo to run for
another 10–15 generations. (You can see the generation number below the insects.)
Click Pause when the parents are ready to have offspring. Find a set of two parents that has
four different chromosomes. (If you can’t find any, allow the Gizmo to run a few more
generations and try again.) Write the allele sequences for these parents in the table below.