Name: _____________________________
Date: ______________________________
Predation, Adaptation and Extinction Lab
Objectives
1. You will compare physical adaptations for predation, monitor population
development as a result of adaptation and relate physical mutations to
development for survival.
Materials
1) Plastic spoons, forks, knives, chopsticks, and straws. (Predators)
2) Foam shapes, pom-poms, and pipe cleaners (Prey)
3) Multiple ‘natural settings’ for predation experiment
4) Stopwatch or clock
Hypothesis: Which predation adaptation (fork, spoon, knife, chopsticks or straw) do you
think will be the most successful? Why?
Procedure (Method)
1) Separate into groups of 4 or 5
2) Each group member will choose to be one type of predator. No one can be the
same predator. (fork, knife, spoon, chopsticks, straw)
3) Select one type of prey to hunt. Record your prey in the data table below. (foam
shapes, pom-poms, pipe cleaners) Spread the prey evenly across the floor.
4) You have 30 seconds to gather as many prey as you can, using only your
predation adaptation (no hands, fingers, arms etc.!!!)
5) Record on the data sheet how much prey each type of predator was able to catch.
6) The predator who was the least successful will now adapt their predation
adaptation (fork, spoon, knife, chopsticks) to that of the most successful predator.
You will represent the successful predator’s offspring.
7) Repeat steps 4-6 until all group members are using the same predation adaptation.
8) Record your results on the data sheet provided.
9) Repeat steps 2-8 with the different types of prey.
10) Record your results in the data table provided.
Observations
Prey # 1:
Predator
Round 1
# of prey caught
Round 2
# of prey caught
Round 3
# of prey caught
Round 4
# of prey caught
Round 1
# of prey caught
Round 2
# of prey caught
Round 3
# of prey caught
Round 4
# of prey caught
Round 1
# of prey caught
Round 2
# of prey caught
Round 3
# of prey caught
Round 4
# of prey caught
Forks
Spoons
Knives
Chopsticks
Straws
Prey # 2:
Predator
Forks
Spoons
Knives
Chopsticks
Straws
Prey # 3:
Predator
Forks
Spoons
Knives
Chopsticks
Straws
Analysis Questions:
1. What predator was best adapted in the classroom? Why??
2. How could environment affect predator and predation survival? For example,
what if you were outside? In grass? On ice? Would your results change?
3. What if the ground was a different colour? What would that effect??
Conclusion
Was your hypothesis correct?? What did you learn about predation and adaptation from
this experiment? What things could have affected your results? (1-2 paragraphs)