demonstrations:frog_natural_selection_similation

Frog Natural Selection Simulation

Materials: ★☆☆ Easy to get from supermarket or hardware store
Difficulty: ★★☆ Can be done by science teachers
Safety: ★☆☆ Minimal safety procedures required

Categories: Natural Selection and Evolution

Alternative titles: Frog Population and Predation Model, Natural Selection Frog Model

Summary

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.

Procedure

- Use frog cards and a dice, and follow the instructions in the links to model natural selection in a frog population.

Variations

  • Change predator numbers (e.g., 10 or 20 frogs eaten each year) to see effects on survival.
  • Introduce an environmental change (e.g., pond vegetation colour shift) and track changes in which frog color is favoured.
  • Allow students to design their own predator–prey rules to model different ecosystems.
  • Attempt to program a computer to model the simulation.

Safety Precautions

None

Questions to Consider

  • Why are red frogs most likely eaten in the pond and yellow frogs in the forest?
  • How did the frog populations change over time in each environment?
  • How does this classroom model differ from real frog populations in nature?
  • What role does natural variation play in the survival of species?
  • How might environmental changes affect which frogs are most successful?
  • What conclusions can be drawn about natural selection from this model?