Candy Dish Selection

This demonstration of natural selection has students select candies from a bowl, giving them an opportunity to think about what traits brought about the survival of some candies. After this activity, students will realize that not every feature of an organism is an adaptation, but features often reflect their evolutionary history. Adaptations often persist in a population because they are in some way advantageous and are preserved in a population by natural selection, and depending on environmental conditions, inherited characteristics may be advantageous, neutral, or detrimental. The students also learn that although random factors affect the survival of individuals and of populations, natural selection acts on individuals and populations in a nonrandom way. This site contains a list of materials and all of the information required to complete this activity. Educational levels: High school