:Inquiry Space Adaptation and use of

Is it Good to be Beautiful - Understanding Evolution through

Natural and Sexual Selection

STELLA MAGID

ISRAEL

Description:

The framework of the biology activity which is suggested on inquiry space contains

both psychological and social aspects.

As well as aspects as sexual education and gender issues were added to the activity.

In addition to inquiry skills, making decision skills were added to the activity.

Moreover ,special attention was given to the comparison between human beings and

animals with an emphasis on the evolution theory .

Inquiry space activity and virtual lab activity were followed by students web based

inquiry process with multidisciplinary topics that appeared in the activity (math,

biology, gender stereotypes, stereotypes of beauty….)

Description:

This inquiry activity teaches students about the importance of

natural and sexual selection processes in understanding

evolution. It allows students to conduct scientific experiments

using the online laboratory Sexual Selection in Guppies and

collect & analyze data just like the biologist John Endler did when

he first investigated the balance of natural and sexual selection

in guppy fish in the 1970s. Students work through an inquiry

cycle model and acquire scientific investigative skills that actual

biologists and other scientists apply when making discoveries

and investigating new phenomena.

Target audience: thirty 10th grade students (biology class)

Place of the activity: Secondary school in Tel-Aviv, Israel

Duration of the activity: six academic hours

The activity was adapted and taught by Stella Magid,

STEM and biology teacher

Lesson 1

Orientation

Students did the activity that is suggested in an inquiry space:

• Watching videos about natural & sexual selection

• Had a classroom discussion about advantages and

disadvantages of beauty (adding their ideal of beauty on a

common canvas)

• building a concept map to connect the ideas about 'beautiful'

characteristics in humans.

Lesson 1

Orientation

Lesson 2

Adaptive activity: How does external appearance affect one’s character and

behavior?

• Students inquired what other people think about their character and

behavior without considering their external appearance (They put masks

for this reason)

• Students prepared a list of character traits that they would like their future

life partners to have.

• Students discussed the differences in choosing mates between humans

and animals, which conclusion was that animals choose based on natural

instincts whereas in humans these choices are affected by biological and

chemical factors (hormones and pheromones), geometry ( symmetry of

the body) and various psychological affects both conscious and

subconscious.

Lesson 2

Adaptive activity: How does external appearance affect one’s

character and behavior?

Lesson 3-4

Conceptualization and investigation

Introduction to Guppy Experiments and Virtual Laboratory Sexual

Selection in Guppies (with the use of Experiment Design Tool ,

Observation Tool & reflection tool).

During this activity student’s aim in the Investigation phase is to

gather evidence, to answer research questions and confirm or

disconfirm their hypotheses. At the end of Virtual lab activity

student wrote their reflection about the learning process.

Lesson 3-4

Conceptualisation and investigation

We have enjoyed the experience of the online lab, studied more about evolutional process, while we are taking in consideration the terms in each step.

Our conclusion from this experiment is that there is balance in nature and that the number of the Guppy fish balances after the experiment it still stays balanced.

Yael and Gideon

Lesson 5-6

Adaptive activity : Further web investigation

Students were divided to small groups and each group investigated one of the

topics that they chose, based on the previous step of activity. Each group

prepared power point slides with the results of their investigation.

Examples for inquiry topic:

• Symmetry and beauty (based on Leonardo De Vinci painting the Monalisa and

“Golden ratio” in math). Student found a way to check a face’s symmetry with

their mobile phones.

• Women in Science (based on psychological stereotypes about women’s & men’s

traits and characters)

• *Next slides present the conclusions reached by the students

Stereotypes about women in science have been around for many years, and in 2015 they still exist. As young ladies, we think that it’s absurd that women scientist are still being overlooked by men and even by other women. We believe that it’s time for society to stop generalizing how women work as scientists and start appreciate them just as much as men. Slide of Y.Gadot-Yarden, D.Faust,

M.Robina, D.Doron

Barbara McClintock was a cytogeneticist who worked in the 20th century and had contributed a lot to modern science. Her work was groundbreaking; she developed the technique for visualizing maize

chromosomes and used microscopic analysis to demonstrate many fundamental genetic ideas. She was a very appreciated scientist and won a Nobel Prize in 1983 for her work.

Slide of M. Robina and D.Doron

We think the Golden ratio is very important for our every day life. The Golden ratio define a lot of

our culture . However we think that the

Golden ratio not defining beauty like the mathematicians think .

we think its all in the eyes of the viewer and anyone can be

attracted to anyone and both the hormones and the Golden ratio theory are just a side affect that might help you choose who you

attract to. We believe people choose who

they attract with by their feelings.