Artificial Selection Assignment Walkthrough

Unit 7 Assignment:

Artificial Selection

Start

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OVERVIEW

Today, you will choose one endangered species and propose how to introduce a needed trait to help it survive in its environment.

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Review

Natural selection is an important aspect of evolution. Darwin explained that natural selection is the process where beneficial traits are passed down from parents to offspring. These traits help promote survival and allow the organisms to adapt and thrive in their habitats.

However, humans have utilized the method of controlling which traits are passed to offspring to promote desirable traits through a process called artificial selection. Artificial selection is the process that breeds plants and animals with characteristics humans prefer. While both natural selection and artificial selection involve the inheritance of traits, the driving force behind which traits are passed down varies depending on the process.

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Review

Artificial selection has been practiced for thousands of years. However, the advancement of technology has changed the process of artificial selection. These forms of artificial selection allow scientists to alter organisms at a genetic level. Biotechnology is using biology for industrial or other purposes. The ability to genetically change organisms has provided many benefits, but there are also concerns associated with this method of artificial selection.

Process to Change an Organism's Genes

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INSERT THE GENE

CHOOSE A TRAIT

PICK GENES

Instead of waiting for nature to slowly change an organism over time, scientists will speed things up. They put the new gene into the original organism's DNA.

Scientists identify another organism that already has the desired trait and then identify the gene that carries instructions for this trait.

Scientists first decide on a trait they want to change in an organism. This trait could be something like making a plant resistant to pests or making a fruit last longer without getting spoiled.

For today's lesson, you will choose an endangered species and learn about the challenges and threats that it faces. Then, you will think of a trait from another animal that you could add to your endangered species to help it survive.

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Vocabulary

Artificial Selection

NATURAL SELECTION

biotechnology

Question 1

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Work through the steps below to complete the assignment

Choose a species.

Add a trait to your animal.

Reflection

Optional Bonus

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CHOOSE A SPECIES

You can use the chart to identify an endangered species and its challenges, or you can do some research and choose an endangered species that you are more passionate about.

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ADD A TRAIT

Teacher Example

Now your goal is to add another animal’s trait into your endangered animal. What traits do you think would help it survive and why?

Endangered Animal: OrangutanChallenges: Hunting, Illegal Trade, Habitat Loss Potential Traits to Help it Survive: 1) Flying squirrel arm skin - Can fly away from people trying to hunt it 2) Honey badger poison resistance- Can tolerate huge amounts of tranquilizer to get away from pet traders 3) Probascis nose- Less cute to people so they won't want to have it as a pet

REFLECTION

Answer the question to show what you learned in topic 3!

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BONUS - up to 2 pts

Create a picture or sketchpad of your endangered species with its new trait in its environment! Be creative! Check out our example! ---> in edio: You can use the sketchpad or upload option to complete this question. If you do not want to do the bonus, please choose the confirmation box.

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WRAP UP

In this lesson, you: * chose one endangered species and proposed how to introduce a needed trait to help it survive in its environment. In the next lesson, you will begin exploring the inheritance of traits.