Material Detail

In this classic activity, learners investigate natural selection by becoming birds foraging for food on an island. The prey (beans) vary in their coloration such that some blend into the environment better than others. The birds vary in the type of beak they have (plastic forks, spoons and knives). Each season, any prey that survives has a baby bean the same color as the parent. In addition, the most successful birds have a baby with the same beak trait while the least successful birds die. Over several generations, the bird and bean populations shift depending on the environment.

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