1. Evolution Teaching Tidbit NJIT Bhavani Balasubramanian Maria Stanko Ellen Wisner Brandeis University Melissa Kosinski-Collins Jim Morris Dan Perlman © Dan Perlman Ecolibrary.org

2. Context: Midway through a course in Evolution, Ecology, Animal Behavior, or Introductory Biology

3. Background: Variation, Inheritance, Fitness, Natural Selection, and Adaptation © Dan Perlman Ecolibrary.org

4. Learning Goal: Understand a long-standing problem in evolutionary biology

5. Learning Objectives: By the end of this tidbit, you should be able to 1. Define altruism 2. Explain why altruism is a complication for evolution by natural selection

6. Write down the first three words or phrases that come to mind when you hear “natural selection”.

7. Natural Selection If a trait is advantageous for the individual in terms of survival and/or reproduction, it will become more common in the population over time by natural selection.

8. Is the trait advantageous for the individual? Could it have evolved by natural selection? Explain why or why not.

9. Trait: Claws Advantageous? Natural selection? © Dan Perlman Ecolibrary.org

10. Trait: Flower color Advantageous? Natural selection? © Dan Perlman Ecolibrary.org

11. Trait: Alarm calling Advantageous? Natural selection? © Ron Wolf flickr.com

12. Altruism: a trait or behavior that reduces an individual’s fitness and increases another individual’s fitness

13. Trait: Sterility Advantageous? Natural selection? © Dan Perlman Ecolibrary.org

14. 1-minute paper: Define altruism and explain why it is a complication for evolution by natural selection.

15. © Dan Perlman Ecolibrary.org

16. Learning Objectives: 1. Define altruism 2. Explain why altruism is a complication for evolution by natural selection © Dan Perlman Ecolibrary.org

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