Skip to main content
HHMI BioInteractive
  • Español
  • Site Search
  • Log In/Create Account
  • BioInteractive Resources
  • Planning Tools
  • Professional Development
  • About Us

Activity for Natural Selection and Adaptation

Photo of a pocket mouse being held by a researcher

Topic

  • Genetics
  • Gene Expression & Regulation
  • Evolution
  • Natural Selection
  • Population Genetics

Resource Type

  • Activities
  • Film Activities

Level

High School — GeneralHigh School — AP/IBCollege
Saved By
31 Users
Share This
View in Spanish

Description

This activity explores physical and genetic evolutionary changes in rock pocket mouse populations, as discussed in the short film The Making of the Fittest: Natural Selection and Adaptation.

This film uses the rock pocket mouse as a living example of Darwin’s process of natural selection. It highlights the research of Michael Nachman, who has quantified predation on rock pocket mice and identified adaptive changes in coat-color genes that allow the mice to travel under the radar of hungry predators.

The “Student Handout” probes students’ understanding of the key concepts addressed in the film. The “Educator Materials” document provides suggested pause points in the film with questions for students, background information, and detailed discussion points; a list of related resources and references; and an answer key for the “Student Handout.”

The “Resource Google Folder” link directs to a Google Drive folder of resource documents in the Google Docs format. Not all downloadable documents for the resource may be available in this format. The Google Drive folder is set as “View Only”; to save a copy of a document in this folder to your Google Drive, open that document, then select File → “Make a copy.” These documents can be copied, modified, and distributed online following the Terms of Use listed in the “Details” section below, including crediting BioInteractive.

Student Learning Targets

  • Describe what a mutation is and how it may affect an individual’s survival and reproduction depending on the environment.
  • Explain how variation, selection, and time fuel the process of evolution through natural selection. 
     

Estimated Time

Two 50-minute class periods.

Key Terms

camouflage, melanin, melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R), mutation, rock pocket mouse, selective pressure, trait, variation

Primary Literature

Hoekstra, Hopi E., Kristen E. Drumm, and Michael W. Nachman. “Ecological Genetics of Adaptive Color Polymorphism in Pocket Mice: Geographic Variation in Selected Neutral Genes.” Evolution 58, 6 (2004): 1329–1341. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0014-3820.2004.tb01711.x. 

Hoekstra, Hopi E., J. G. Krenz, and Michael W. Nachman. “Local Adaptation in the Rock Pocket Mouse (Chaetodipus intermedius): Natural Selection and Phylogenetic History of Populations.” Heredity 94, 2 (2005): 217–228. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.hdy.6800600. 

Nachman, Michael W., Hopi E. Hoekstra, and Susan L. D’Agostino. “The Genetic Basis of Adaptive Melanism in Pocket Mice.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 100, 9 (2003): 5268–5273. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0431157100.   
 

Terms of Use

The resource is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International license. No rights are granted to use HHMI’s or BioInteractive’s names or logos independent from this Resource or in any derivative works.

Version History

Date Published 03.07.11
Date Updated 04.17.20

NGSS (2013)

HS-LS1-1, HS-LS2-1, HS-LS3-1, HS-LS3-3, HS-LS4-2, HS-LS4-3, HS-LS4-4; SEP6

AP Biology (2019)

EVO-1.C, EVO-1.D, EVO-1.E, EVO-1.G, EVO-1.H, EVO-1.J, EVO-1.O, EVO-3.A, IST-4.A, IST-4.B, SYI-3.D; SP1, SP4

IB Biology (2016)

4.1, 5.4, D.2

AP Environmental Science (2020)

Topic(s): 2.6, 2.7
Learning Objectives & Practices: ERT-2.H, SP1, SP4, SP5

Common Core (2010)

ELA.WHST.9-12.1
MP2

Vision and Change (2009)

CC1, CC5; DP1

Materials

Resource Google Folder (link)
In-Depth Film Guide for Teachers (PDF) 295 KB
Student Worksheet (PDF) 151 KB
In-Depth Guide for Teachers - Español (PDF) 348 KB
Student Worksheet - Español (PDF) 181 KB

Use This Resource With

Video Resource
The Making of the Fittest: Natural Selection and Adaptation

Explore Related Content

Other Resources About Rock Pocket Mice

Showing of
Screenshot of mouse fur evolution animation
Lessons
Developing an Explanation for Mouse Fur Color
Photos of different colored mice on different colored terrains
Lessons
What Causes Different Fur Colors?
Diagram from the activity
Card Activities
Color Variation Over Time in Rock Pocket Mouse Populations
Photo of a researcher looking at a computer
Lessons
Allele and Phenotype Frequencies in Rock Pocket Mouse Populations
Image from the activity
Lessons
Biochemistry and Cell Signaling Pathway of the Mc1r Gene
Computer image of a light and dark mouse on cooled lava
Animations
Simulating Evolution of a Rock Pocket Mouse Population
A light colored pocket mouse on light colored lava.
Short Films
The Making of the Fittest: Natural Selection and Adaptation
Screen shot of the quiz
Interactive Videos
Interactive Assessment for Natural Selection and Adaptation
Computer image of an owl grabbing a mouse
Animations
Rock Pocket Mice and Predation

Other Related Resources

Showing of
Photos of different colored mice on different colored terrains
Lessons
What Causes Different Fur Colors?
A light colored pocket mouse on light colored lava.
Short Films
The Making of the Fittest: Natural Selection and Adaptation
Screen shot of the quiz
Interactive Videos
Interactive Assessment for Natural Selection and Adaptation
Diagram from the activity
Card Activities
Color Variation Over Time in Rock Pocket Mouse Populations
Screenshot of mouse fur evolution animation
Lessons
Developing an Explanation for Mouse Fur Color
Image from the activity
Labs & Demos
Battling Beetles
Photo of a researcher looking at a computer
Lessons
Allele and Phenotype Frequencies in Rock Pocket Mouse Populations
Bar graph taken from the resource
Lessons
Analyzing Data on Tuskless Elephants
Computer image of a light and dark mouse on cooled lava
Animations
Simulating Evolution of a Rock Pocket Mouse Population
Image of a stickleback fish from the activity
Phenomenal Images
Stickleback Spines
HHMI BioInteractive
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Newsletter Signup
  • HHMI.org
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility