In this activity, students use simulations with beads to explore the concepts in the short film The Making of the Fittest: Natural Selection in Humans about population genetics, the Hardy-Weinberg principle, and how natural selection alters the frequency distribution of heritable traits.

Using simple simulations to illustrate these complex concepts provides students with the opportunity to calculate allele and genotype frequencies, graph and interpret data, and design experiments. Part 1 walks students through general Hardy-Weinberg practice problems to establish familiarity with the calculations. Part 2 uses simulations to examine the Hardy-Weinberg principle. Students then analyze their results through a set of questions and graphing.