PASS Session Plan

PASS Session Plan Evolution of Biodiversity BIOL 1101 Week: Ten Session: Nine Weekly topic: Signals and Complex Communication Activity One: The Mating Game Time: 30 mins Overview: Perfect match spin off game. Six bachelors and bachelorettes are introduced with a short bio on ecology. Each asks questions of potential mates. Using the info given in bio and the answers from the questions students pick the perfect match. Original version is interactive software but is perfectly adaptable to flash cards. Students can ham it up and be the compere and hostess for the game if they choose or be the contestants. This game can be adapted to incorporate various subject areas. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/sex/mating/ Purpose : Successful reproduction is what its all about, so the exercise will reinforce: *choosing the correct mate you PASS your genes to the next generation. *mating and reproductive strategies and behaviours provide reproductive barriers between species. Objectives/skills/knowledge: Apply knowledge gained in lectures re: ecology and mating strategies, and evolutionary fitness to deduce the perfect match. Verification of outcome: Correct deduction of answers, or identification of where went wrong. Type of activities: Group, public speaking, individual reflection. Resources and materials: 2 x PASS leaders; Instructions about the exercise, Flash cards (and props) – prizes for the correct answers. 2 fingered Twix or KITKAT to share between the happy couples. Notes: Kinesthetic – using moving into groups, conducting activity, using flash cards. Visual – reading flash cards, watching the activity. Auditory – listening to flash cards being read, discussing the exercise.

1 of 2 pages 8-May-18 PASS Session 9 - Mating Game Instructions To begin, attention needs to be drawn to the questions on the handouts for each table, so the students consider these things whilst the activity runs. Maybe write them on the white board if they aren’t already or read through them.

Cast: 1 x host and 3 x hostess (one for each contestant) 1 x main ‘lonely heart’ guest 3 x potential mates

There are three packs of flash cards (each with a different round of characters). Run through one or all depending on how it goes.

Each pack includes:  Script cards for the cast; and  Pictures of each of the contestants to reveal at the end.

After each round address the \questions about each of the three species that were contestants. These questions should be on each of the tables.

Our ultimate aim is to answer the following two questions for each of the contestants:

1. What do we know about the contestants’ life history strategies? 2. Where is the energy invested in reproduction spent?

To do so consider the following for the THREE contestants AND give examples of other species that exhibit differences in the following aspects of life history:

 Longevity: long life versus short life?  Mating systems: monogamy, polygyny, or polyandry?  How are partners selected?  What is the nature of the bond between the happy couple?  How often are reproduction events?  Fecundity: many offspring versus a few?  What is the parental investment contributed by each parent?  Offspring mortality: high or low?  Are they r-selected and K-selected species?  Other than being different species with different life histories, what other barriers prevent reproduction between the contestants? (hint: isolating mechanisms)

2 of 2 pages 8-May-18