(Activity) Eco-Reach Lesson: Darwin's Finches

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Resource Description:

The Galapagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador are home to many different animals, including many different species of birds! Of all of these birds, the most famous are the finches. In 1835, Charles Darwin observed these finches and noticed that even though finches living on different islands were closely related, they all had different sizes and shapes for their beaks! Each different beak seemed to be good for collecting and eating the specific food sources found on the islands where the finches lived. For example, some finches had long, skinny beaks (good for probing in the ground for insects), while others had short, fat beaks (good for crushing seeds). When closely related species of animals develop different physical characteristics to suit specific environments, it is called “adaptive radiation.” (Want to know more? Click here!)

In this activity, you will use different “beaks” (forks, spoons, knives, and cups) to collect different types of “food” (anything you can find around the house that is small enough to be picked up with the tools mentioned above)! You will do this in three different “environments” (bins). At the end of the activity, you will look at how good each “beak” was at collecting food in each of the different environments.

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Opens Apr 5, 2020 3:00pm
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All Ages
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