Adaptations Over Time Interactive Simulation | Life Science | Grades 6–8

This Interactive Simulation has grades 6–8 Middle School Life Science students run a hands-on classroom model of Adaptations Over Time.

Driving question: "How do different environmental selective pressures mathematically shift the distribution of beak adaptations in an island bird population toward directional, stabilizing, or disruptive patterns?" Objective: Students will simulate foraging success across three distinct seed environments using four beak-adaptation tools, calculate energy intake and reproductive survival percentages, and graph how population trait distributions shift under directional, stabilizing,

What's inside: objective and background, a materials list (4 Beak Adaptation Tools: Fine Tweezers…; 3 Habitat Seed Trays: Tray 1 (Large…; Stopwatch or digital timer for…; 4 Plastic Stomach Cups (one per student…), an 8-step protocol, a data table, 4 analysis questions, and teacher notes.

Resource type: Interactive Simulation (.docx). Format: editable Microsoft Word lab handout with approximately 850 words (~5 pages).

Classroom use: a team investigation in a Middle School Life Science course. Grades 6–8.

Format note: These files are delivered in Microsoft Office formats (Word and/or PowerPoint). If you open a worksheet that includes tables in Apple Pages or another non-Microsoft app, table formatting may not display correctly. For best results, use Microsoft Word or PowerPoint (or upload the file to Google Docs). If you run into any formatting issues, contact us and we can send a PDF version.