Population Genetics, Selection, and Evolution

This activity has been archived while we produce a more up-to-date version of this activity and the accompanying film. We are hoping the new activity and film will be available by the end of 2021.

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. 

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.