Evobots Studying Evolution Using Lego Robots
Natural Selection Natural selection is a process that causes heritable alleles that are helpful for survival and reproduction to become more common, and harmful alleles to become more rare. This occurs because organisms with “better” alleles pass on more copies of these heritable traits to the next generation
Adaptations Adaptations are the characteristics that give individuals better chances of surviving and or reproducing.
Car #1 What is this car adapted for?
Car #1 Adapted for s p e e d
Car #1 Adapted for s p e e d This Pronghorn Antelope is also adapted for speed.
Car #2 What is this car adapted for?
Car #2 Adapted for C L I M B I N G
Car #2 Adapted for C L I M B I N G This big horned sheep is also adapted for climbing.
Car #3 What is this vehicle adapted for?
Car #3 Adapted for water and land-- amphibious
Car #3 Adapted for water and land-- amphibious This tiger salamander is also adapted for a life in both land and water.
Car #4 What is this vehicle adapted for?
Car #4 Adapted for safety and protection
Car #4 Adapted for safety and protection This desert tortoise is also adapted for safety and protection.
Car #5 What is this vehicle adapted for?
Car #5 Adapted as a generalist. It’s good at a lot of things but not great at any.
Car #5 Adapted as a generalist (speed, protection, climbing…) This coyote is also a generalist. It is medium speed, ok at climbing…
Car #6 Toyota Prius (Hybrid)
Car #6 Adapted to use less resources Toyota Prius (Hybrid)
Car #6 Adapted to use less resources This kangaroo rat also survives with few resources. Toyota Prius (Hybrid)
The Ancestral State This is a photo of the first car, a Model-T Ford. All the cars we just looked at evolved from this original
The Ancestral State All the cars have a common ancestor but are now adapted for different environments. Notice how the Toyota Prius evolved from the Toyota Camry. This is a more recent ancestor for the Prius.
A Tale of Intermediate Forms When looking at a 1909 Model-T Ford and a 2010 Ford Mustang it is hard to see how we got from one to the other– they look so different.
A Tale of Intermediate Forms However, if we look at the history of cars, we get a better picture
A Tale of Intermediate Forms
A Tale of Intermediate Forms
A Tale of Intermediate Forms
A Tale of Intermediate Forms
A Tale of Intermediate Forms
A Tale of Intermediate Forms
A Tale of Intermediate Forms
A Tale of Intermediate Forms
A Tale of Intermediate Forms
A Tale of Intermediate Forms
A Tale of Intermediate Forms
A Tale of Intermediate Forms
A Tale of Intermediate Forms
A Tale of Intermediate Forms
Evobot Lesson Together we will all build an ancestral state. Then, you will have 30 minutes to develop a Evobot to compete in a specific environment.
Environments Flats (The fastest evobot has the advantage) Mountains (The evobot that can climb the steepest hill has the advantage)
Environments Founder (The evobot that is completed first has an advantage) Desert (The evobot that uses the least legos or resources gains an advantage) Reproduction (The best looking evobot and the weirdest looking evobot gain an advantage)