A fun wrap-up to our Theory of Evolution: Natural Selection unit was participating in a Battle of the Beaks. For the past few weeks, students had learnt about, graphed data and reported on natural selection and it’s role in evolution. To celebrate and create a hands-on learning experience for students we participated in a relay version of survival of the fittest.

In teams, students were provided a “beak” (a plastic spoon or fork, a clothespin or chopsticks) and were tasked to travel to another “island” to bring food (rice, gummy worms or skittles to represent grain, seeds, and worms) back to their “nest.” This demonstrated that each species of finch was equipped with a “beak” that was best suited for a specific food source. Along with that demonstrated competition for available food sources.

My students loved this activity and it is one I guarantee I will be facilitating again!

Resource: https://shetlerclass.files.wordpress.com/2016/08/battleofthebeaks.pdf