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This is an outdoor activity designed to demonstrate evolution of feeding behavior in flocking, schooling or herding animals that maximizes allocation of food resources and enhances survival. Learners simulate foraging by searching for and gathering toothpicks. While there are many exercises which utilize toothpicks and other materials to demonstrate food selection made by animals as an illustration of various aspects of Natural Selection, "Feeding Facilitation" is an attempt to show the relationship between energy costs of foraging and predator avoidance (optimum foraging theory) with flocking behavior and their relationship to evolution. Learners with a wide range of abilities can complete this activity successfully because "energy expenditure" relates to the number of food items collected and can be easily seen.
- 45 to 60 minutes
- 1 to 2 hours
- $5 - $10 per group of students
- Ages 14 - 18
- Activity, Lesson/Lesson Plan, Simulation
- English
Quick Guide
Materials List (per group of students)
- 600 toothpicks for each part of the exercise
- Small plastic bags
- Small containers, each with a small hole drilled into the lid
- Stop watch
- Video camera and TV (optional)
Subjects
-
Life Sciences
-
Diversity of Life
- Animals
-
Ecology
- Populations
- Energy Flow and Chemical Cycles
-
Evolution
- Mechanisms of Evolution
-
Diversity of Life
-
Mathematics
-
Data Analysis and Probability
- Data Analysis
- Data Collection
-
Data Analysis and Probability
-
The Nature of Science
-
The Scientific Process
- Conducting Investigations
- Gathering Data
- Formulating Explanations
- Communicating Results
-
The Scientific Process
Informal Categories
- Animals
- Nature and Environment
- Outdoor Activity
- Physical Activity
Audience
To use this activity, learners need to:
- see
- be mobile
- touch
Learning styles supported:
- Involves hands-on or lab activities
Other
This resource is part of:
Access Rights:
- Free access
By:
- Bejda, Vickie
Rights:
- All rights reserved, Access Excellence @ the National Health Museum, 2009