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The Origin of Species: The Beak of the Finch

Topic
  • Anatomy & Physiology
  • Animal Behavior
  • Evolution
  • Natural Selection
  • Speciation
Resource Type
  • Videos
  • Short Films
Level
High School — GeneralHigh School — AP/IBCollege
Duration
00:15:54
Favorited By
46 Users
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View in Spanish
Description

This film explores four decades of research on the evolution of Galápagos finches, which has illuminated how species form and diversify.

Evolutionary biologists Rosemary and Peter Grant spent four decades tracking changes in body traits directly tied to survival in the famous Galápagos finches. They also identified behavioral characteristics that prevent different species from breeding with one another. Their pioneering studies documented natural selection in real time and revealed clues about how 13 distinct finch species arose from a single ancestral population that migrated from the mainland 2 million to 3 million years ago.

The “Abbreviated Film Guide” provides a short summary of the film, along with key concepts and connections to curriculum standards.

An audio descriptive version of the film is available via our media player.

Details
Key Terms

adaptation, ecological niche, speciation, trait

Primary Literature

Grant, Peter R., and B. Rosemary Grant. How and Why Species Multiply. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 2008. 

Weiner, Jonathan. The Beak of the Finch. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1994. 

Terms of Use

Please see the Terms of Use for information on how this resource can be used.

Accessibility Level

This resource complies with accessibility standards in accordance with the final rule for Section 508 of the National Rehabilitation Act.
Version History
Date Published 11.12.13
Date Updated 11.26.19
Curriculum Connections
NGSS (2013)

HS-LS2.A, HS-LS3.B, HS-LS4.B, HS-LS4.C

AP Biology (2019)

EVO-1, EVO-3, SYI-2, SYI-3

IB Biology (2016)

5.1, 5.4, C.1

AP Environmental Science (2013)

II.C

IB Environmental Systems and Societies (2017)

3.2

Vision and Change (2009)

CC1, CC5

Materials
HD (M4V) 609 MB
HD (WMV) 493 MB
SD (M4V) 200 MB
SD (WMV) 126 MB
Transcript (PDF) 321 KB
Abbreviated Film Guide (PDF) 159 KB
Spanish Dub (MP4) 257 MB
Transcript - Español (PDF) 238 KB
Abbreviated Film Guide - Español (PDF) 240 KB

Educator Tips

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1-Minute Tips
The Beak of the Finch
Samantha Johnson describes how she uses the short film "The Origin of Species: The Beak of the Finch" to demonstrate to her students how quickly selective pressure can affect a population, as well as to show that not all science is done indoors.
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1-Minute Tips
Beaks as Tools
Jason Crean describes how he uses BioInteractive's "Beaks as Tools" activity to supplement understanding of Rosemary and Peter Grant's research on the evolution of the Galápagos finches.
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1-Minute Tips
Sorting Finch Species
Cindy Gay describes using two BioInteractive resources to teach her students about evolution. She first shows them the short film "The Beak of the Finch," which describes research by biologists Peter and Rosemary Grant on the Galápagos finches.
View Article
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