Darwin's Finches
This activity is a variation on a common evolution activity: Darwin's finches. Students will represent
groups of finches living on different islands. Students will have different 'beaks,' making some better
suited for a specific food source.
Materials (per group)
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Jellybeans
Marbles
Rice
Dry beans (pinto, garbanzo, etc.)
o You can use whatever food items you have available
Paper cups
Spoons
Forks
Tweezers
Clothespins
o Or whatever kitchen utensils you have available
Images of Darwin's Finches for the overhead
Activity Instructions
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Make groups of four. Each group will live on an island. Move desks around to form 'islands.'
Each student in the group of four will be a finch with a different type of beak (spoon, fork, tweezer
or clothespin).
Place the same amount of each food source at each table, spreading it out evenly.
When you say 'go,' each student will 'eat' as much food as he or she can.
o Rules: each 'beak' can pick up one food item at a time and must place it in his or her
stomach (paper cup) before getting a new food item. The students will have thirty
seconds to obtain as much food as they can.
Students need to fill out the table for the class:
Beak
Type
#of Jellybeans for
each Island
# of Rice for
each Island
# of Marbles for
each Island
# of Dry Beans for
each Island
Fork
Spoon
Tweezer
Clothespin
Average
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Repeat the activity, but change the type of food on each island.
Suggestions:
o Island 1: only marbles remain because a hurricane destroyed the environment for the
other food sources.
o Island 2: only marbles and jellybeans grow due to a drought.
o Island 3: only rice grows due to excessive moisture.
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Island 4: everything grows.
Follow-up/Discussion
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Use what you've learned from this experiment to come up with a definition for 'natural
selection.'
o How did different environments 'select' for certain beaks?
o What will happen to the birds that are no longer well suited to eat the type of food the
island provides?
o If each island now specializes in a certain type of food, describe what you think will
happen to the finch population in the next hundred years (describe what finches on
different islands will look like).
Show students Darwin's finches and have them make predictions about what each finch may
have specialized in (for food).
Darwin Finches
Name_________________________ Group #___________
Darwin Natural Selection Graphic Organizer for March 28, 2022
Beak
Type
Fork
Spoon
Tweezer
Clothespin
Average
#of Jellybeans for
each Island
# of Rice for
each Island
# of Marbles for
each Island
# of Dry Beans for
each Island