Introduction

Evolution is a key concept in Biology that explains the diversity of life on Earth. Essentially, it is a change in the hereditary characteristics of biological populations over successive generations, leading to the formation of new species. Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace are the most notable naturalists associated with this theory, which proposes that all existing species of living beings descend from common ancestors through a process that Darwin called 'natural selection'.

Natural selection reveals that organisms best adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and produce offspring, while those less adapted tend to disappear. Thus, with the often-cited example of the Manchester moths during the Industrial Revolution, we understand that the most suitable color for a moth's environment is an example of an adaptive characteristic that can change over time to promote the species' survival.

On the other hand, we must also consider genetic drift, a random genetic variability within a population, which also contributes to evolution. For example, if a natural disaster occurs, this could inadvertently eliminate organisms with adaptable traits, and the future population would be influenced by the traits of those who survived purely by chance.

Contextualization

The study of evolution is crucial for understanding our existence and the diversity of life on the planet. Furthermore, understanding the mechanism of natural selection helps unravel the mysteries of bacteria resistance to antibiotics, the origin of infectious diseases, and changes in ecosystems due to climate change, for example.

In a more everyday context for students, evolution can also help understand issues such as human ethnic and cultural diversity. Our species, Homo sapiens, originated in Africa and over thousands of years spread throughout the world, adapting to different environments and developing different physical and cultural characteristics.

Practical Activity

Activity Title: 'Darwinism vs Lamarckism: a competition of concepts'

Project Objective

The group work will explore, in a playful and collaborative way, two of the main concepts of evolution: Charles Darwin's Theory of Evolution and Jean-Baptiste Lamarck's Theory of Use and Disuse. The goal is to understand the differences and similarities between the two theories and how they apply to species evolution.

Detailed Project Description

Groups, consisting of 3 to 5 students, will create a game board representing the theories of Darwin and Lamarck. The board should contain key moments of each theory and the challenges faced by species to survive and evolve.

Each group must choose a group of living organisms (for example, mammals, birds, insects, etc.) to be their 'characters'. The groups of organisms will be represented by pieces on the board.

The board squares should represent different environments (desert, rainforest, etc.) and changes in these conditions over time should be represented by event cards. The goal is to 'survive' and 'evolve' by moving around the board responding to environmental conditions and events through the theories of Darwin and Lamarck.

Required Materials

• Cardboard for the game board.
• Paint and markers to illustrate the environments and game pieces.
• Paper for making event cards.

Step by Step

1. Research and discuss in groups the concepts of Darwinism and Lamarckism.
2. Decide on the group of organisms to represent in the game.
3. Create a game board: Draw different environments and passage houses for players to move their pieces.
4. Create event cards: These should include random events reflecting changes in environmental conditions, such as climate change, natural disasters, etc.
5. Design and create pieces representing the chosen group of organisms.
6. Develop the game rules. They should incorporate concepts of Darwinism and Lamarckism and allow players to 'evolve' to adapt to the environment.
7. Play the game! Test the rules and make adjustments if necessary.
8. Prepare a detailed project report.

Writing the Report

• Introduction: Present the theory of evolution, explain the importance of understanding evolution, and identify the objective of this project.
• Development:
  • Explain the theory of evolution by natural selection and the theory of use and disuse.
  • Describe the game that was created, including a description of the board, event cards, pieces, and rules.
  • Explain how the concepts of Darwinism and Lamarckism were incorporated into the game.
  • Discuss how the game helped the group understand the concepts of Darwinism and Lamarckism.
• Conclusion: Conclude by reflecting on what was learned and how the activity helped understand the concepts of evolutionary theory.
• Bibliography: List all sources of information used for the game and report development.