Natural Selection and Evolution Demonstrations

Natural selection is the process by which traits that improve survival and reproduction become more common in populations over time, leading to evolution. This category explains how variation, competition, and inheritance shape the diversity of life. Studying natural selection and evolution provides a framework for understanding both the history of life and the adaptation of species to their environments.

Demonstration	Materials	Difficulty	Safety	Summary
PTC Genetic Taste Test	★★★	★☆☆	★☆☆	The ability to taste phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) is controlled by a single gene, TAS2R38, which codes for a bitter taste receptor. Variants of this gene determine whether individuals find PTC intensely bitter, slightly bitter, or tasteless. This simple Mendelian trait illustrates genetic variation, natural selection, and sensory perception.
Bird Beak Adaptations Game	★☆☆	★☆☆	★☆☆	Students use household tools to simulate bird beaks and compete for different types of “food.” By testing which beaks are best for which foods, players explore how beak shape is an adaptation for survival and how birds reduce competition by filling different ecological niches.
Build a Phylogenetic Tree	★☆☆	★☆☆	★☆☆	In this activity, students learn how to construct a cladogram, a diagram that shows evolutionary relationships based on shared derived characteristics. Using a set of organisms and their traits, students identify synapomorphies (shared derived traits) and automorphies (unique traits), then use this information to build and interpret a cladogram.
Candy Camouflage	★☆☆	★☆☆	★☆☆	In this game, players act as predators hunting for M&M prey. Some candies are disguised with Skittles that represent poisonous animals. Through quick candy hunting, students discover how mimicry and camouflage help prey survive by tricking predators.
Frog Natural Selection Simulation	★☆☆	★★☆	★☆☆	Students model natural selection using coloured frog cards in two different environments (pond and forest). Predators (snakes) remove frogs based on visibility in each environment, and offspring are produced according to genetic probability tables.
Geological Timeline with Toilet Paper	★☆☆	★☆☆	★☆☆	Using 46 sheets of toilet paper to represent Earth’s 4.6 billion-year history, students create a scale model timeline where each sheet equals 100 million years. Timeline markers show that most major biological and geological events occur only in the last few sheets.
Hardy Weinberg Bead Simulation	★☆☆	★★☆	★☆☆	Students model allele and genotype frequencies with colored beads under two scenarios: random mating and selection against a recessive homozygote.
Natural Selection with Paper Airplanes	★☆☆	★☆☆	★☆☆	Students model directed evolution by making and testing paper airplanes. The best flyers are selected each round, and their designs are modified and re-tested. Over time, the average flight distance improves, simulating natural selection and directed evolution.
OneZoom Tree of Life Explorer	★☆☆	★☆☆	★☆☆	The OneZoom Tree of Life Explorer is an interactive visualization that displays the evolutionary relationships between over two million species. Each leaf represents a species, while the branching structure shows how all life shares common ancestors across billions of years.
Opposable Thumb Adaptation - Taping Thumbs	★☆☆	★☆☆	★☆☆	This experiment demonstrates the importance of the opposable thumb in human evolution by restricting its use with tape. Students compare their ability to complete simple tasks, such as tying shoes, with and without their thumbs, highlighting how this adaptation supports daily activities.
Pangaea Puzzle	★☆☆	★☆☆	★☆☆	In this activity, students use fossil evidence, rock strata, and continental shapes to reconstruct how Earth’s continents were once joined together as the supercontinent Pangaea about 220 million years ago. By piecing together cutouts of landmasses, they explore the evidence supporting plate tectonics.
Peppered Moth Simulation	★☆☆	★☆☆	★☆☆	Various games that simulate hunting light and dark moths on contrasting backgrounds to model how environmental change can shift the frequency of traits in a population over generations.
Phylogenetic game	★☆☆	★☆☆	★☆☆	Students role-play as organisms and ancestors to collaboratively construct a phylogenetic tree. By analyzing shared and derived traits, they work together to visualize evolutionary relationships and explain how species are connected through common ancestry.
Polar Bear Blubber Adaptations	★☆☆	★☆☆	★☆☆	A thick layer of blubber helps polar bears and other Arctic animals stay warm in icy water. By using vegetable shortening inside a plastic bag, students can feel the insulating power of blubber firsthand.

Materials
★☆☆ Easy to get from supermarket or hardware store
★★☆ Available in most school laboratories or specialist stores
★★★ Requires materials not commonly found in school laboratories

Difficulty
★☆☆ Can be easily done by most teenagers
★★☆ Available in most school laboratories or specialist stores
★★★ Requires a more experienced teacher

Safety
★☆☆ Minimal safety procedures required
★★☆ Some safety precautions required to perform safely
★★★ Only to be attempted with adequate safety procedures and trained staff