Week 8

 

Week 8 


What did you learn this week?

This week, we learned about different mutations that can happen. We talked about how/where mutations start, which is in the DNA sequence. Mutations happen when the RNA is being synthesized. Mutations can be either good or bad. We also talked about how that plays a role in natural selection and evolution. Natural Selection is the process by which certain traits become more common in a population over time because of survival and reproducing advantages. There also are environmental factors that play a role in natural selection(lack of food, water, sunlight), this can lead to one animal having a higher survival rate because of those common traits. 

How can you apply what you've learned to your teaching in the future?
I want to apply it to the type of activities we did with mutations. I thought they were good interactive activities that showed the basics of mutations without getting too complicated. I liked how in the lab it was a paper activity, and in the lecture, it was an online activity. This gave variety on how you can have activities around mutations, and you don't have to be flustered trying to come up with one when there are fun resources already put together.

What are new or remaining questions? 
Can a mutation ever be altered? Can a mutation go unnoticed? What are some of the long-term effects of mutations?


EX. Moth Simulation: This activity was to show that different traits might help with the survival rate of a moth. Being in a light forest the lighter moths were harder to see while the darker ones weren't. This shows that darker moths are more likely to die off faster because they don't have the light color morph. 







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