Skip to main content
HHMI BioInteractive
  • Español
  • Site Search
  • Log In/Create Account
  • BioInteractive Resources
  • Planning Tools
  • Professional Development
  • About Us

What Causes Different Fur Colors?

Photos of different colored mice on different colored terrains

Topic

  • Genetics
  • Gene Expression & Regulation
  • Evolution
  • Natural Selection
  • Population Genetics

Resource Type

  • Activities
  • Lessons

Level

High School — GeneralHigh School — AP/IB
Saved By
20 Users
Share This
View in Spanish

Description

In this inquiry-based activity, students investigate the phenomenon of fur colors in rock pocket mice to connect genotypes to phenotypes and molecular genetics to evolution. 

This activity is based on content covered in the short film The Making of the Fittest: Natural Selection and Adaptation. Students observe, ask questions, and make predictions about rock pocket mice with different fur colors in different environments. They then make predictions about what causes those differences. By comparing DNA and amino acid sequences, students identify the locations and types of variations responsible for fur color differences. 

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.
 

Student Learning Targets

  • Make observations about a phenomenon and generate questions about it.
  • Based on the sequence of the coding strand of DNA, determine the sequence of the template strand, the mRNA, and the protein.
  • Identify differences among DNA sequences and among amino acid sequences.
  • Explain the relationship between variations in a DNA sequence and variations in phenotype.
  • Explain the relationship between natural selection and the frequency of genetic and phenotypic variations in a population.
     

Estimated Time

One to two 50-minute class periods.

Key Terms

amino acid, base pairing, codon, melanin, melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R), mRNA, transcription, translation, variation

Primary Literature

Nachman, Michael W., Hopi E. Hoekstra, and Susan L. D’Agostino. “The genetic basis of adaptive melanism in pocket mice.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 100, 9 (2003): 5268–5273. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0431157100.

Terms of Use

The resource is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International license. No rights are granted to use HHMI’s or BioInteractive’s names or logos independent from this Resource or in any derivative works.

Accessibility Level (WCAG compliance)

PDF files meet criteria.

Version History

Date Published 04.22.22
Date Updated 10.21.22

NGSS 2013

HS-LS1-1, HS-LS4-4, HS-LS4-5

AP Biology 2019

IST-1.N, IST-1.O, IST-4.A, IST-4.B, EVO-1.D, EVO-1.G; SP1, SP6

IB Biology 2016

2.7, 5.2

AP Environmental Science 2020

Topic(s): 2.6
Learning Objectives & Practices: ERT-2.H; SP5
 

IB Environmental Systems and Societies 2017

3.2

Common Core 2010

ELA.RST.9-12.3, ELA.RST.9-12.4

Vision and Change 2009

CC1, CC3; DP1

Materials

Resource Google Folder (link)
Educator Materials (PDF) 388 KB
Student Handout (PDF) 734 KB
DNA Evidence Sheet (PDF) 443 KB
Genetic Code Chart (PDF) 585 KB
Figure 1 (JPG) 287 KB
Educator Materials - Español (PDF) 431 KB
Student Handout - Español 695 KB
DNA Evidence Sheet - Español (PDF) 564 KB
Genetic Code Chart - Español (PDF) 443 KB

Use This Resource With

Video Resource
The Making of the Fittest: Natural Selection and Adaptation

Explore Related Content

Other Resources About Rock Pocket Mice

Showing of
Screenshot of mouse fur evolution animation
Lessons
Developing an Explanation for Mouse Fur Color
Photo of a pocket mouse being held by a researcher
Film Activities
Activity for Natural Selection and Adaptation
Diagram from the activity
Card Activities
Color Variation Over Time in Rock Pocket Mouse Populations
Photo of a researcher looking at a computer
Lessons
Allele and Phenotype Frequencies in Rock Pocket Mouse Populations
Image from the activity
Lessons
Biochemistry and Cell Signaling Pathway of the Mc1r Gene
Screen shot of the quiz
Interactive Videos
Interactive Assessment for Natural Selection and Adaptation
A light colored pocket mouse on light colored lava.
Short Films
The Making of the Fittest: Natural Selection and Adaptation
Computer image of an owl grabbing a mouse
Animations
Rock Pocket Mice and Predation
Computer image of a light and dark mouse on cooled lava
Animations
Simulating Evolution of a Rock Pocket Mouse Population

Other Resources About the Central Dogma

Showing of
Photo of the paper model in action
Labs & Demos
Building a Paper Model of CRISPR-Cas9
Illustration of RNA translation
Click & Learn
Central Dogma and Genetic Medicine
Illustration of DNA transcription from the activity
Card Activities
“Fixing” Gene Expression
Computer image of DNA
Animations
The Chemical Structure of DNA
Photo from the video showing A, C, G, and T
Animations
Building Blocks of DNA
Image from the video
Animations
Coding Sequences in DNA
Diagram of a DNA sequence on a sheet of paper
Animations
Human Chromosomes
Image from the video showing RNA as a strip of paper
Animations
RNA Splicing
Computer image of DNA unwound
Animations
Paired DNA Strands
Computer image of transcription from the video
Animations
DNA Transcription (Basic Detail)
Computer image of transcription from the video
Animations
DNA Transcription (Advanced Detail)
Computer image of a protein being produced
Animations
Translation (Basic Detail)
Computer image of translation showing ribosomal sites
Animations
Translation (Advanced Detail)
Image from the video showing how ACGT make up triplet codes
Animations
Triplet Code
Title screen of the film
Short Films
The Double Helix

Other Related Resources

Showing of
Photo of a pocket mouse being held by a researcher
Film Activities
Activity for Natural Selection and Adaptation
Screen shot of the quiz
Interactive Videos
Interactive Assessment for Natural Selection and Adaptation
A light colored pocket mouse on light colored lava.
Short Films
The Making of the Fittest: Natural Selection and Adaptation
Diagram from the activity
Card Activities
Color Variation Over Time in Rock Pocket Mouse Populations
Screenshot of mouse fur evolution animation
Lessons
Developing an Explanation for Mouse Fur Color
Image from the activity
Labs & Demos
Battling Beetles
Photo of a researcher looking at a computer
Lessons
Allele and Phenotype Frequencies in Rock Pocket Mouse Populations
Bar graph taken from the resource
Lessons
Analyzing Data on Tuskless Elephants
Computer image of a light and dark mouse on cooled lava
Animations
Simulating Evolution of a Rock Pocket Mouse Population
Screen shot of the quiz
Interactive Videos
Interactive Assessment for Evolving Switches, Evolving Bodies
HHMI BioInteractive
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Newsletter Signup
  • HHMI.org
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility