Pocket Mice (Genetic Mutations and Natural Selection)

Pocket Mice

EQ: How do pocket mice show natural selection in action?

​Genetic Mutations

• a change in the genetic code

• Can be a "mistake" made in copying DNA

• A change in DNA= a change in the organism

• RANDOM.

• Can be good, bad, or neutral.

Stop here. In the margin of your notes, write a 1 sentence CLARIFICATION.

What is a genetic mutation?

Albinism

​Genetic Mutation Example

Webbed Toes

​Genetic Mutation Example

Color Blindness

​Genetic Mutation Example

Multiple Choice

Genetic mutations....

• Happen every time a new cell is made

• Happen randomly

• Almost never happen

• Can not be passed on to offspring

Multiple Select

Select all that apply.

Genetic mutations....

• Can increase the chance of survival

• Can decrease the chance of survival

• Can have no affect on survival

• Are not real

Open Ended

How does a dark mouse appear in a population of light mice? 

Sometimes, there are genetic ___________ that cause an organism to look _________ than the rest of the population.

Pocket Mice

In New Mexico, there is a population of mostly light-colored pocket mice that thrive in their light colored environment. Random mutations have caused a few of the mice to be dark-colored.

Open Ended

How can a mutation be helpful in one environment but harmful in another?

In the case of the pocket mice, the ______ fur color was harmful in the ______ environment, but in the _________ environment, it helped them to hide.

Multiple Choice

What originally caused the fur color change?

• The volcano

• a genetic mutation

• natural selection

Open Ended

How did scientists know the mice on each of the dark lava flows had different mutations? 

Multiple Choice

The DARK Pocket Mouse population is increasing in...

• Areas with light soil

• Areas with dark soil

• Areas with lots of sunshine

• It is not increasing

Drag and Drop

On Light colored soil, the Pocket Mice with​

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fur are less likely to get eaten. On ​

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soil, the mice with dark fur are ​

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likely to get eaten. This is because they ​ in with the environment. If the mouse does not blend in, it might get ​

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and will not be able to ​

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to pass on its traits.

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

light

dark

less

eaten

reproduce

Natural Selection

Organisms that are better adapted to their environment are more likely to survive to pass on their traits.

​Giraffes with longer necks are more likely to get lots of food, shorter necks will have a difficult time getting enough to eat.

​​Example:

​Gazelles that run faster are less likely to be caught by predators. Slow ones get eaten, and will not be able to pass on their DNA.

​​Example:

Open Ended

Why do some mutations increase in a population?