Natural Selection and Adaptation

The following classroom-ready resources complement The Making of the Fittest: Natural Selection and Adaptation. This 10-minute film describes the groundbreaking research of Dr. Michael Nachman and colleagues, whose work in the field and in the lab has documented and quantified physical and genetic evolutionary changes in rock pocket mouse populations.

At A Glance Film Guide (PDF)
Student Quiz (PDF)
In-Depth Film Guide (PDF)

Lesson: Color Variation Over Time in Rock Pocket Mouse Populations
Teacher Materials (PDF) Student Handout (PDF)
A data collection and analysis activity that examines selection for coat color in pocket mouse populations on different color substrates over time.
Appropriate for: middle school life science, high school biology (all levels)

Lesson: Allele and Phenotype Frequencies in Rock Pocket Mouse Populations
Teacher Materials (PDF) Student Handout (PDF)
A lesson that uses real rock pocket mouse data collected by Dr. Michael Nachman and his colleagues to illustrate the Hardy-Weinberg principle.
Appropriate for: high school biology (all levels), introductory college biology

Lesson: Molecular Genetics of Color Mutations in Rock Pocket Mice
Teacher Materials (PDF) Student Handout (PDF)
A lesson that requires students to transcribe and translate portions of the wild-type and mutant rock pocket mouse Mc1r genes and compare sequences to identify the locations and types of mutations responsible for the coat color variation described in the film.
Appropriate for: high school biology (all levels), introductory college biology

Lesson: Biochemistry and Cell Signaling Pathway of the Mc1r Gene
Teacher Materials (PDF) Student Handout (PDF)
An advanced lesson that requires students to analyze partial DNA sequences of the Mc1r gene and identify the effects of mutations on the MC1R protein pathway.
Appropriate for: high school biology (AP, IB), introductory college biology

Lesson: Natural Selection and Evolution of Rock Pocket Mouse Populations
Teacher Materials (PDF) Student Handout (PDF)
An activity in which students analyze amino acid data and draw conclusions about the evolution of coat color phenotypes in different rock pocket mouse populations.
Appropriate for: high school biology (all levels), introductory college biology