Natural Selection: Monarch/Viceroy Case

This lesson will provide students with an opportunity to use their understanding of the natural selection model to explain phenomena. For this case they will be asked to account for the bright coloration of and the similarity between monarch and viceroy butterflies. In order to do this, they will work in groups to develop a Darwinian explanation using the narrative structure developed in previous material. Each group will receive a folder with information on species that exhibit a particularly interesting biological phenomenon. The materials in the folders will include narrative descriptions of the organisms and their natural history, pictures, and data tables or graphs to help understand the biology of the characteristics under study. Groups will then present their ideas to their peers and discuss the different explanations in a round table forum. The site also includes detailed instructional notes for the teachers and all of the student handouts required for the folders. Educational levels: High school, Undergraduate lower division