Survival of the Fittest
In this game, three individuals find themselves on a new planet much like Earth.  On Earth, the farmer took care of his family engaging in agriculture practices in the temperate areas of the planet.  The hunter and his family survived by following the big game wildlife in the colder forested regions.  The fisherman made his living by the sea, bringing home fish to feed his family.
Problem:  How do organisms survive in new habitats?
Procedure
1.	 At your lab tables, divide yourselves into groups of three.  Determine the role of each player-decide within each group who will be the hunter, who will be the farmer, and who will be the fisherman.  
2.	Flip a coin.  If the coin is heads, record 1 point.  If the coin is tails, record a zero.  Do this three more times to get a series four digits.  This is your habitat code.  Record that code here:_________________.
3.	If the first digit of your code is 1, you reside in a hot area.  If it’s zero, then you live where it’s cold.  If the second digit is 1, the climate is wet, and dry if it’s zero.  If the third digit is 1, you have a dry cave as a shelter; if it’s zero, you do not have shelter.  If the last digit is 1, food is plentiful; if it’s zero, food is hard to come by.  Use the information above to write a brief description of your new habitat.
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4.	 Use the table below to determine the number of energy points you have accumulated.  Begin by locating your role (farmer, etc.).  Then for each portion of your habitat, record the points allotted.  For example, a hunter in a cold habitat gets 8 points.  Record the four numbers here_________________________.  Add them together.  This total shows the energy you have amassed.  Record the total:_________.
Energy Points for Survival                                 Temperature        Water            Shelter            Food
	Cold	Hot	Dry	Wet	None	Cave	Scarce	Food	
Farmer	0	3	2	2	-1	2	-2	6	
Hunter	8	-2	0	4	-6	7	-5	8	
Fisherman	-5	8	-2	5	0	1	-1	4	

5.	 Subtract 8 from your total to model the energy you must use to survive.  Players with less than 1 point for energy are out of the game.  The player with the greatest number of points within their group wins.  Record the score for each of the players:
Farmer____________		Hunter____________		Fisherman_____________
6.	 What do you think would happen if you reversed each player’s habitat code (from procedure step 2) by changing 1’s to 0’s and 0’s to 1’s?
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7.	 Reverse your habitat code and play another round.  Note your results in the box below.  Include your new habitat code, a description of your habitat, total energy points for survival, and the total minus 8.
Analysis
1.  For which habitat did you have the most fitness?  Why?_______________________
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2.  How does the game’s habitat compare to the one in which you really live?
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3.  The numbers in the table are different for each family.  How does this model show different organisms survive?
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4.	 Is there any one habitat that is ideal and suits all players?  _____________________
5.	Explain how you were/were not able to adapt to each environment._______________
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6.   Even though each player initially chose their role, how did this model demonstrate natural selection?____________________________________________________________________
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7.   In what ways do you think the game could be modified into a model that demonstrates artificial selection?________________________________________________________________
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