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Discovering Galapagos
KS3 teachers resources
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1.1.1 Colonisation
Discover | Life on the Islands | Wildlife of Galapagos | 1.1.1 Colonisation
Introduce students the concept of ecosystem interactions and interdependencies with this section. Using the concept of succession, illustrate how the environment influences the type of organisms that are able to survive in any given area. It also shows how organisms are, in turn, able to shape their environment.
1.1.2 Animals and Plants
Discover | Life on the Islands | Wildlife of Galapagos | 1.1.2 Animals and Plants
Familiarise your students with a range of animals and plants that live on and around the Galapagos Islands. This section introduces a number of key species, which will be referred to in later lessons. Discuss the implications of endemic species being vulnerable to extinction. Students should consider how the extinction of one species can impact on biodiversity and the wider ecosystem.
1.1.3 Classification and Keys
Discover | Life on the Islands | Wildlife of Galapagos | 1.1.3 Classification and Keys
Teach students how to classify Galapagos animals and plants into groups of similar organisms, using keys. This section explains how taxonomic keys can be used to classify living organisms.
1.2.1 Habitat Zones
Discover | Life on the Islands | Ecology and Habitats | 1.2.1 Habitat Zones
Introduce students to different habitat zones of Galapagos. This section explains how environmental conditions shape the nature of habitat zones and, as a result, the ecosystem that form in them.
1.2.2 Food Chains and Webs
Discover | Life on the Islands | Ecology and Habitats | 1.2.2 Food Chains and Webs
Introduce students to food webs and food chains using the wildlife of Galapagos for illustration. This section explains how energy transfers through ecosystems as a result of consumption.
1.2.3 Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health
Discover | Life on the Islands | Ecology and Habitats | 1.2.3 Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health
Examine the importance of biodiversity for ecosystem health in the Galapagos. This section explains why species populations fluctuate and what impact this can have on the health of the ecosystem.
1.2.4 Environmental Threats
Discover | Life on the Islands | Ecology and Habitats | 1.2.4 Environmental Threats
Introduce students to environmental threats that wildlife on the Islands face. This section explores the problems of human activity and invasive species to Galapagos wildlife.
1.3.1 Basic Concepts in Genetics
Introduce your students to basic concepts in genetics. This section introduces the concept of genetic variation through considering inherited and environmental variations. Students will also research the structure of DNA.
1.3.2 Adapting to Various Environments
Introduce your students to adaptation of species. This section focuses specifically on adaptations of the land and marine iguanas, as well as the Galapagos giant tortoise. Students will choose a case study species of their own to explain how they have adapted to their environment.
1.3.3 Charles Darwin and Natural Selection
Enrich students’ biological understanding of the Galapagos with an historical perspective. The Beagle’s voyage to the Galapagos provides context for Darwin’s theory of ‘evolution by natural selection’.
The Origin of Species: The Beak of the Finch
- Animal Behavior
- Natural Selection
Resource Type
- Short Films
Description
This film explores four decades of research on the evolution of Galápagos finches, which has illuminated how species form and diversify.
Evolutionary biologists Rosemary and Peter Grant spent four decades tracking changes in body traits directly tied to survival in the famous Galápagos finches. They also identified behavioral characteristics that prevent different species from breeding with one another. Their pioneering studies documented natural selection in real time and revealed clues about how 13 distinct finch species arose from a single ancestral population that migrated from the mainland 2 million to 3 million years ago.
The “Abbreviated Film Guide” provides a short summary of the film, along with key concepts and connections to curriculum standards.
An audio descriptive version of the film is available via our media player.
adaptation, ecological niche, speciation, trait
Primary Literature
Grant, Peter R., and B. Rosemary Grant. How and Why Species Multiply . Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 2008.
Weiner, Jonathan. The Beak of the Finch . New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1994.
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Accessibility Level (WCAG compliance)
Version history, curriculum connections, ngss (2013).
HS-LS2.A, HS-LS3.B, HS-LS4.B, HS-LS4.C
AP Biology (2019)
EVO-1, EVO-3, SYI-2, SYI-3
IB Biology (2016)
5.1, 5.4, C.1
AP Environmental Science (2020)
Topic(s): 2.6, 2.7
IB Environmental Systems and Societies (2017)
Vision and change (2009), educator tips.
The Beak of the Finch
Beaks as Tools
Sorting Finch Species
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Woodpecker Wars
Other Related Resources
Galápagos: A Virtual Reality Exploration
Experience incredible 360-degree footage of the legendary and wild Galápagos Islands in exquisite detail with award-winning National Geographic Explorer and marine scientist Enric Sala.
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Last Updated
November 13, 2023
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Click the card to flip 👆. • Charles Darwin spent 5 years travelling on the Beagle. During his voyage, he visited South. America, specifically the Galapagos Islands off the shores of Ecuador. • In South America, Darwin discovered fossils of extinct mammals and wondered how these. fossil animals were related to modern species.
Study with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like Charles was offered a place on the British Navy ship, The H.M.S. (answer), whose mission was to survey the waters around South America., But one port of call on Darwin's voyage proved more important than all the others: the (answer). This cluster of 13 isolated islands lies 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador, in the Pacific Ocean ...
1831. The Beagle. endemic species. Study with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like 1831, The Beagle, endemic species and more.
dots" of Darwin's voyage around the Galápagos. As a final evaluation of this activity, the students can discuss this part of Darwin's journey or create a journal as though they had accompanied Darwin on this part of the trip. Suppose you live in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. You could choose Washington, DC as your comparison city, the same
Description. This worksheet was designed to correspond to the Scientific American Frontiers video: Journey to the Galapagos narrated by Alan Alda. The video is 60 minutes in length and the questions follow the video in order. Total Pages. Answer Key.
Take a Virtual Field Trip: Watch a video summary to learn about Darwin and his work. Read and watch to learn the basics of Evolution and what it is. Experience the Galapagos Islands in 360 VR. Tour Darwin's Research and the Galapagos in a guided virtual tour. Apply skills to look for signs of evolution in the Galapagos with Google Earth.
1.1.2 Animals and Plants. Familiarise your students with a range of animals and plants that live on and around the Galapagos Islands. This section introduces a number of key species, which will be referred to in later lessons. Discuss the implications of endemic species being vulnerable to extinction.
Are the Galápagos Islands on your must-travel list? If not, this destination should be!The National Geographic Expeditions team had the incredible opportunit...
In 1831, at the time of Darwin's voyage, travel was difficult and costly, and people seldom ventured far from their homes. Darwin, however, spent five years exploring the world. He set foot on ...
Voyage of the Beagle Gallery. and answer a few questions. First, examine the images and read the captions of these slides: Route of the HMS Beagle, Charles Darwin, Tierra del Fuego, and . Galapagos Islands. - What information do these images provide about the voyage Darwin made and the kinds of ecosystems he explored?
Discover stunning landscapes and thriving wildlife on this National Geographic expedition cruise of the Galápagos Islands.
Study with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like 1. Charles was offered a place on the British Navy ship, The H.M.S. (answer), whose mission was to survey the waters around South America. 7:28, 2. But one port of call on Darwin's voyage proved more important than all the others: the (answer). This cluster of 13 isolated islands lies 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador, in the ...
Description. This film explores four decades of research on the evolution of Galápagos finches, which has illuminated how species form and diversify. Evolutionary biologists Rosemary and Peter Grant spent four decades tracking changes in body traits directly tied to survival in the famous Galápagos finches.
Study with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like Which is the most likely explanation for the presence of 13 different finch species on the Galápagos Islands today? a. Many years ago a several different species migrated to the islands and evolved into the 13 species that currently live there are the only species that survived b. many years ago a small population of a single ...
VIDEO. Galápagos: A Virtual Reality Exploration. Galápagos: A Virtual Reality Exploration. Experience incredible 360-degree footage of the legendary and wild Galápagos Islands in exquisite detail with award-winning National Geographic Explorer and marine scientist Enric Sala. Grades.
Voyage To The Galapagos Worksheet Answers ... Voyage to the Galapagos and The Mystery of the Mesa Verde (video -44 Mins). , Darwin's Dangerous Idea Daniel C. Dennett,2014-07-01 In a book that is both groundbreaking and accessible, Daniel C. Dennett, whom Chet Raymo of The Boston Globe calls one of the most provocative thinkers on the planet ...
Study with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like Many years ago, a small population of a single bird species migrated to the islands and evolved into the 13 species that live on the islands today., different finch species adapting to different environments over many generations., each other than they are to mainland finch species. and more.
2- some members of the population had larger beaks that could crack the hard cactus seeds. 3- more finches with larger beaks were alive after the drought. 4- Parents with larger beaks tend to produce offspring with larger beaks. 1- competition. 2- adaptive trait. 3- survival of the fittest. 4- inheritance.