Evolution Project (100 points)

Objective: Demonstrate an understanding of the influence evolution has over the characteristic of organisms
• Demonstrate an understanding of how environmental factors influence evolution
• Demonstrate an understanding of the difference between natural and sexual selection
• Demonstrate an understanding of sexual dimorphism, why it occurs, and how it impacts survival
• Apply your knowledge of the forces of selection to an animal in a specific environment and predict a
logical outcome

Part 1: Animal Creation (20 points)

1. Create - you may hand draw this animal, cut and paste pictures together (magazine pictures, etc), or create it
in a computer program (you must provide a copy of the original pictures that you used to create your creature)

You must create a male and female of the animal. There must be 2 traits that exhibit sexual dimorphism. (ie.
There must be 2 differences between the male and female)

Picture must be in color, on an 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper, and must fill up the assigned area on the outline or
take up ½ of the page if you create it on a separate sheet.

You may scan the image or take a clear photograph of it and add it to a word document.

2. Name your imaginary animal

Part 2: Animal Characteristics (15 Points)

Describe the characteristics of the animal that are listed below. These characteristics must be feasible, given the
appearance of the animal you have created. (You may not have an animal that flies that does not have wings, or
that weighs 3 tons and lives in trees)

• General Environment: terrestrial, aquatic, or both

• Size: How large is your animal (length, height, weight)
• Skin covering (scales, fur, hair, etc)
• Describe your animals claws (none, blunt, sharp, retractable, etc) and teeth (none, pointed, flat, etc)
• How does your animal move? (crawl, swim, walk, run, fly, etc)
• 2 Special characteristics (venomous, bioluminescent, strong odor, etc)
Part 3: Evolution and Your Animal (45 points)
1. Environmental Factors:
Describe the environment of the organism in detail and explain why this animal is well suited to each
component of the environment you describe. Again, the environment must be feasible, based on the
animal you created. The environment may be imaginary, but you must describe it clearly.
• What type of terrain –
i. If your animal is terrestrial (land dwelling): rocky, wooded, grassy plain, etc.
ii. If your animal is aquatic (water dwelling): fresh, brackish, salt, deep, shallow, etc.
• Climate – average temperature range and rainfall amounts
• Shelter - Type of shelter animal requires and availability of this shelter
• Other Animals in Environment
i. List 5 real animals that seem like they could survive in this environment
i. Describe the basic interaction each would have with your animal (prey item, predator,
etc)

2. Natural Selection
a. Obtaining Food
i. Name 1 characteristic that helps your organism find or obtain food
ii. Describe how this characteristic helps your organism find or obtain food
b. Defensive Characteristic
i. Name 1 characteristic that helps you organism protect itself from attack
ii. Describe how this characteristic helps your organism protect itself from attack
c. Habitat Adaptations
i. Name 1 characteristic that helps your organism survive in its native climate/habitat
ii. Describe how this characteristic helps your organism survive in its native climate/habitat

3. Sexual Selection:
a. Male Characteristic
i. Name one trait/behavior that is shown only in the male of your organism
ii. Is the trait used for female choice or in male-male competition?
iii. Why is this trait useful for determining male fitness?
b. Female Characteristic
i. Name one trait/behavior that is shown only in the female of your organism
ii. Explain why females have the trait and males do not
c. Additional Characteristic
i. Name one additional trait that is due to sexual selection – it is not required to be
sexually dimorphic
ii. Explain how the third trait increases the reproductive success of your organism
**Not all traits that are due to sexual selection require a strong dimorphism (think
communication, etc)
Part 4: Post Assessment (20 points)

You will need to complete an Assessment in which you will be assigned a random environment. You will have to
assess the environment and decide if your animal will be able to survive, answering the following questions

1. What could your animal eat?

2. How would your animal deal with the climate?
3. Would your animal be able to hide? Where would it hide?
4. Would your animal be able to find reasonable shelter? What would it use for shelter?
5. How might your animal interact with other organisms (as described) in this environment?
o List 2 organisms and the interaction that would occur