Mr. Nahas’s Science Classroom
We are doing a lab in Biology that simulates Natural Selection among birds with different beak shapes by having students pick up different “foods” such as paper clips, beans, rubber band, marshmallows, and hard macaroni. In these timed trials, they are attempting to pick up these “foods” with their differing “beaks”, such as scissors, tweezers, clothespins, toothpicks and spoons. The purpose is to realize, as Charles Darwin did, that differing beak shapes are more ideal for obtaining different foods, and that Natural Selection favors the beak shape that is “fittest” for that environment. I think the kids are enjoying this hands-on lab as they are up at the lab tables doing a group activity that is relatively fun and does an excellent job of demonstrating Natural Selection.