Experiment 1:
Run the simulation with %-advantage = 0 for exactly 250 ticks. Record the number of bacteria in the population.
Repeat the experiment for 5 times.
Overview
In this lesson, students use a different version of the model of bacterial population from the previous lesson to explore and understand the idea of natural selection.
Standards
Next Generation Science Standards
- Life Science
- [HS-LS4] Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
- NGSS Practice
- Analyzing Data
- Communicating Information
- Constructing Explanations, Designing Solutions
- Asking Questions, Defining Problems
- Using Models
- Arguing from Evidence
- Conducting Investigations
Computational Thinking in STEM
- Data Practices
- Analyzing Data
- Collecting Data
- Creating Data
- Manipulating Data
- Visualizing Data
- Modeling and Simulation Practices
- Using Computational Models to Find and Test Solutions
- Using Computational Models to Understand a Concept
- Systems Thinking Practices
- Investigating a Complex System as a Whole
- Thinking in Levels
- Understanding the Relationships within a System
Activities
- 1. Getting to know the model
- 2. Design an experiment
- 3. Upload your NetLogo logging File
Student Directions and Resources
In this lesson, you will use a different version of the model of bacterial population from the previous lesson to explore and understand the idea of natural selection.
1. Getting to know the model
Click here to download the model.
Follow the instructions below to get started:
Open NetLogo folder and click on NetLogo Logging.
Open the 'Genetic Drift and Natural Selection' NetLogo Model that you downloaded earlier.
This is also a model of a population of bacterial cells, E. coli, like the previous one.
The only difference is that there is something called '%-advantage' in this model.
You can decide which type of E. coli can have this selective advantage using another slider.
Let's start the simulation with the following conditions –
- number-of-types = 1
- carrying-capacity = “high”
- ecoli-with-selective-advantage = “red”
- natural-selection? ON
- max-initial-population 1
Question 1.1
Question 1.2
Experiment 2:
Now run the simulation again with %-advantage = 1 for exactly 250 ticks. Record the number of bacteria in the population.
Repeat the experiment for 5 times.
Question 1.3
Do you see any difference between the observations of experiment 1 and experiment 2?
If yes, describe the difference.
Question 1.4
What do your observations tell you about the relationship %-advantage and rate of reproduction in the model?
Question 1.5
Explain why there might be relationship between %-advantage and rate of reproduction?
2. Design an experiment
Design an experiment to see if %-advantage helps a type (color) to win the evolutionary competition in case of natural selection.
Question 2.1
Describe your experimental design.
Question 2.2
Upload a file (word/ powerpoint) of your data and analysis. Make sure that the file size is less than 2 MB.
Upload files that are less than 5MB in size.
| File | Delete |
|---|---|
Upload files to the space allocated by your teacher.
Question 2.3
Describe your conclusions.
Question 2.4
Do all values of %-advantage help for a color to win? Why? Explain your answer.
3. Upload your NetLogo logging File
NetLogo’s logging facility allows researchers to record student actions for later analysis.
Use the following information to find a logging file on your computer.
Logs are stored in the OS-specific temp directory. On most Unix-like systems that is /tmp. On Windows computers the logs can be found in c:\Users\<user>\AppData\Local\Temp, where <user> is the logged in user.
On Mac OS X, the temp directory varies for each user. You can determine your temp directory by opening the Terminal application and typing echo $TMPDIR at the prompt.
After you find the log files (.xml format), check for the file names that correspond to the date today. Upload those files.
Question 3.1
Upload your NetLogo logging file here.
Upload files that are less than 5MB in size.
| File | Delete |
|---|---|
Upload files to the space allocated by your teacher.
