1. Activity 9: Evolving Beaks Ms. Twardowski Science 8 Tan

2. Who is Charles Darwin?  Charles Robert Darwin (12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an English naturalist who said that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestors, and proposed the scientific theory that this pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection. natural selection natural selection

3. Natural Selection  Natural Selection is the process by which traits become ‘more’ or ‘less’ common in a population due to what is needed for survival and reproduction.

4. The HMS Beagle  In September, 1835, Charles Darwin started on a five-year journey on the ship “The Beagle”. His job was to study wildlife. His observation of finches on the Galapagos Islands led him to develop the Theory of Evolution.

5. Galapagos Islands  The Galapagos Archipelago is located about 600 miles west of the country of Ecuador, South America. It is made up of 19 islands.

6. The question is…  These islands are nearly 600 miles from the coast of ANY continent!  How could anything start to live there?  Think about it…there are three possible solutions…

7. Darwin’s Finches  On these islands, Darwin found many different kinds of finches.  These were totally different than the ones on the mainland of South America.

8. But, how could this be?  Darwin observed what the finches ate and drew the conclusion that the various beak structures allowed them to eat different kinds of food.

9. Adaptations/Mutations  Some had large, strong beaks and ate hard nuts.  Other with smaller, pointier beaks could not crack the nuts.  Some had delicate, pointy beaks ad probed flowers for nectar.

10. Adaptability  Adaptability is the ability for genes to change over MANY generations so a species can survive in an ecosystem.  Populations change over time due to traits that just, by accident, happen to be advantageous (help those organisms survive).  These traits are passed on to the offspring. Survival of the fittest!

11. Adaptations of Darwin’s Finches

12. Evolving Beaks Data Table  Activity 9, Page Five (5).  Left hand column: draw/sketch the type of seed AND describe it in WORDS.  Right hand column: draw/sketch the type of beak needed to eat the seed AND describe the beak in WORDS.

13. Beak Adaptations…Follow-up  What type of seeds/food do you think this bird would eat?

14. Were you correct?

15. How about this one?

17. This one?

21. Last one…

22. Get the picture? Adaptations!

23. Let’s see what you have learned!  Summarize  Directions: You will be answering these four questions. 1. What is meant by adaptability? 2. Why did Darwin’s finches need beak adaptations? 3. What is meant by natural selection? 4. Why are an organism’s adaptations an advantage in an ecosystem?  Right now! Put ALL pens/pencils in the cup on the desks.  Within your group, talk about the answers!

24. Next…  Close your journals/lab books.  Take your pen/pencil out of the cup.  You will use ONE sheet of paper for the entire group.  You will need a heading with the names of ALL group members.  Each person will answer a different question.  When ALL questions are answered, turn the paper over and put it in the middle of the desks.