Bird Beaks Lab Who will survive LT I

Bird Beaks Lab Who will survive? LT: I can construct an explanation based on evidence that describes how beak shape (trait) can affect the fitness of a bird.

Instructions • Take out your notebook and a pencil. • Clear off your desk. • Follow directions on the following slides to create your lab report.

Galapagos Islands

Problem? How did the finches on the Galapagos Islands all end up with different shaped beaks?

Hypothesis FINISH THE STATEMENT BELOW. If the finches on each island all have different beak shapes, then they got that way because… Skip a few lines to add more information in a minute!

Create the data table below in your notebook. Record the amount of food eaten by each beak for trials 1 -4. Beak Type Chopsticks Spoon Small Binder Clip Trial 1 Trial 2 Marble Pennies Trial 3 Trial 4 Tooth Rubber bands Pick

Hypothesis… What do you think will happen in each trial? Which beak will be successful? Use what you know about natural selection and survival of the fittest to create your prediction.

Procedure 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Select your beak type. Place plate in center of table. Wait for “food”. “Eat” as much as you can in 30 seconds. Place each item you eat in your cup. After time, count how much each bird ate. Record numbers in data table. Repeat for trials 2 -4.

Results Create a bar graph showing your results for the trial when you ate the most food. Amount Eaten Y Chopsticks Spoon Clothes Pin Tooth Pick X

Results Create a bar graph with FOUR columns showing results for each trial. Y Marbles Popcorn Amount of Food Eaten Rubber bands Toothpicks Chopsticks Spoon Small Binder Clip Beak Shape Binder Clip X

Results Create a bar graph with FOUR columns showing results for each trial. Y Marbles Amount of Food Eaten Popcorn Rubber bands Toothpicks Chopsticks Spoon Small Binder Clip Beak Shape Binder Clip X

Conclusions 1. The ____ beak is the best adaptation for this experiment. 2. My evidence is: (use your graphs and data tables). 3. An adaptation is _____. My evidence supports my claim that the ______ beak is the best adaptation because ________________________________________

Conclusions 1. Which type of beak was best adapted to each type of food? Which beak was least adapted to each type of food? 2. What if the popcorn were high-protein beetles that were 4 times more nutritious than any of the other food items? How would your feeding strategy change? 3. If we came back to the island with toothpicks in 50 years, what should we expect to see? (What type of birds will live on the island? ) Explain your answer. 4. How are Darwin’s finches an example of natural selection?

Materials • • • Tooth Pick Small Binder Clip Spoon Chopsticks Pencil • • • Paper Plate Cups Marbles Popcorn Paper