In this case study, students use real data to propose hypotheses, make predictions, and justify claims with evidence, as an exploration of concepts presented in the short film The Biology of Skin Color.

At specific pause points, students analyze data presented in a scientific figure and interpret graphs to make evidence-based claims using the data and information from the short film. The activity brings together many science practices and was designed for introductory college courses. This activity was adapted from the case study “The Evolution of Human Skin Color” by Dr. Annie Prud’homme-Généreux, published by the National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science.

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.