Summary of Digital Lab: Diversity of Traits

Summary of Digital Lab: Diversity of Traits

Summary

The goal of the Diversity of Traits virtual lab is to allow students the opportunity to investigate how variations of traits can occur because of mutations. This virtual lab complements the Natural Selection virtual lab by addressing a common misconception that middle school students have related to mutations: Organisms choose to adapt and are able to choose a particular physical outlook or ability. Therefore, while we include environmental factors (e.g. foliage and temperature), students will discover through investigation that the environmental factors do not influence how variations of traits occur.

Driving Questions

• Investigate how foliage influences the presence of red, short furred slinquettes living in the environments.
• Investigate how fur color mutation influences the final number of green, short furred slinquettes living in the environments.
• Investigate how fur length mutation influences the final number of red, long furred slinquettes living in the environments.
• Investigate how temperature influences the final number of green, long furred slinquettes living in the environments.

NGSS Standards

• NGSS Standard: Life Science MS-LS 4-4
• NGSS Standard: Life Science HS LS 2-2
• NGSS Standard: Life Science HS LS 3-2
• NGSS Standard: Life Science HS LS 3-3
• NGSS Standard: Life Science HS LS 4-2