These activities are designed for teachers and facilitators to help students to look at the world around them and to see how Darwin's legacy lives on today.
Caption Fish fossil specimen. © John Said.
Blue-footed booby, Galápagos Islands, Ecuador.
Worms and birds: Age 11-16
Based on an experiment developed by the Wellcome Trust as part of their Survival Rivals educational initiative. This practical investigation demonstrates natural selction in action, based on predator-prey relations.
Student and Teacher Activities
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A beautiful noise: Age 16 - 19
Music has ancient roots. Although it is principally a cultural activity, it has a biological basis, and provides an opportunity to consider the evolutionary origins of complex human behaviours. This activity provides an opportunity to introduce the idea of scientific uncertainty and weighing up evidence and testing theories.
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Biodiversity: Age 16 - 19
Biodiversity is the term given to the variety of life on Earth, though it can be applied to a single habitat or an entire ecosystem. This activity provides students with an illustration of the principles of a tool for estimating the biodiversity of a habitat.
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Plant Collectors: Age 8 - 9
Darwin's work showed how plants, along with all other living things, are adapted to their environment. This activity encourages students to observe collect and record details of plant specimens.
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Are sunflower plants all the same? : Age 9 - 10
This practical activity demonstrates variation in the speed of germination of sunflowers.
Survival of the fittest: Age 8-14
This activity will teach students about the advantages of different phenotypes and how environmental challenges play a role in the selection of certain characteristics. It illustratses the idea of 'survival of the fittest' and how certain characteristics enable an animal to survive.
Facilitated Activities
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Happy families: Age 11-18
This activity allows students to think about the principles of classification and the ways in which different species can be related to one another. They can also envisage ways in which certain species may share common ancestors.
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Draw your own ecosystem: Age 5-11
Students will learn about the needs of different species (both plants and animals) and how different habitats present different challenges. They will think about the fine balance of an ecosystem, the symbiosis between species and how survival is dependent on factors, including shelter and the availability of food.
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Design your own animal: Age 5-11
This activity encourages students to think about the characteristics of animals and how the different phenotypes may hold evolutionary advantages to species.
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Counting camouflage: Age 5-14
Students are encouraged to think about different adaptations that species use to survive within their own habitats. They will learn that some species use camouflage as a defence, while others have other methods of defence.
