FlinnPREP™ Inquiry Labs for AP® Biology: Artificial Selection, 1-Year Access

Product Details

Big Idea 1, Investigation 1, Science Practices 1, 2, 5, 7

Can we make intentional changes to an organism that will cause it to evolve? Natural selection is a driving force of evolution—a massive concept that can be difficult to study real-time in a classroom. In this Flinn Inquiry Lab Kit, students easily explore evolution by observing artificial selection using Wisconsin Fast Plants^® (Brassica).

The Inquiry Lab Kit begins with a Baseline Activity that allows students the opportunity to observe, measure and characterize the natural variation of traits in a population of Fast Plants. After selecting a trait, students limit the plants that will reproduce and then plant the second selected generation. Analysis of this selected population is used as a starting point for the Opportunities for Inquiry portion of the lab when students are tasked to develop a testable hypothesis and design an experiment that they can plan, discuss, evaluate, execute and finally justify to their peers. Students are provided guiding questions like, “Would altering the environmental conditions affect the rate of survival for plants with a certain characteristic?” and “Could another plant be manipulated through artificial selection to enhance or eliminate a specific trait?” to help inspire the inquiry experiment.

Includes detailed teacher notes, reproducible student handouts and enough materials for eight groups of students to complete the Baseline Activity and to prepare for the inquiry activity.

Wisconsin Fast Plants seeds and a greenhouse with grow lights are required and available separately. A refill kit for the Artificial Selection Advanced Inquiry Laboratory Kit is also available. See the refill kit at FB2085.