Interactive Assessment for The Birth and Death of Genes

A number of questions are embedded within the short film The Making of the Fittest: The Birth and Death of Genes, which illustrates how gene duplications and mutations have led to remarkable physiological adaptations in Antarctic fish.

The discovery of the Antarctic icefish has provided a stunning example of adaptation in an environment that is both hostile and abundant. Scientists Bill Detrich, Christina Cheng, and Art DeVries have pinpointed the genetic changes that enable icefish to thrive without hemoglobin and red blood cells and to avoid freezing in the icy ocean.

This version of the film with embedded questions contains automatic pause points, during which students answer questions about the film to assess their understanding of the concepts presented. After answering all the questions, students can view and print their answers.