• [Evidence of evolution: Grades 6-8] There is a fit between organisms and their environments, though not always a perfect fit. (LS4.C)
• [Evidence of evolution: Grades 6-8] There is a fit between the form of a trait and its function, though not always a perfect fit.
• [Evidence of evolution: Grades 9-12] There is a fit between organisms and their environments, though not always a perfect fit. (LS4.C)
• [Evidence of evolution: Grades 9-12] There is a fit between the form of a trait and its function, though not always a perfect fit.
• [Evidence of evolution: Grades 13-16] There is a fit between organisms and their environments, though not always a perfect fit.
• [Evidence of evolution: Grades 13-16] There is a fit between the form of a trait and its function, though not always a perfect fit.
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 6-8] Evolution results from natural selection acting upon variation within a population. (LS4.B)
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 6-8] There is variation within a population. (LS3.B)
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 6-8] Variation is the result of genetic recombination or mutation. (LS3.A)
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 6-8] The variation that occurs within a population is random.
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 6-8] Traits that are advantageous often persist in a population. (LS4.B, LS4.C)
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 6-8] Individual organisms with advantageous traits are more likely to survive and have offspring. (LS4.B, LS4.C)
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 6-8] The number of offspring that survive to reproduce successfully is limited by environmental factors. (LS4.B, LS4.C)
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 6-8] Environmental changes may provide opportunities that can influence natural selection. (LS4.B, LS4.C)
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 9-12] Evolution results from selection acting upon genetic variation within a population. (LS4.B)
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 9-12] There is variation within a population. (LS3.B)
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 9-12] Natural selection acts on the variation that exists in a population. (LS4.B, LS4.C)
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 9-12] Natural selection acts on phenotype as an expression of genotype.
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 9-12] The amount of genetic variation in a population may affect the chances of survival of the population; the less diversity, the less likely the population will be able to survive environmental change.
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 9-12] New heritable traits can result from recombinations of existing genes or from genetic mutations in reproductive cells. (LS3.B)
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 9-12] Mutations are random.
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 9-12] Organisms cannot intentionally produce adaptive mutations in response to environmental influences.
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 9-12] Inherited characteristics affect the likelihood of an organism's survival and reproduction. (LS4.B, LS4.C)
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 9-12] Populations, not individuals, evolve.
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 9-12] Traits that confer an advantage may persist in the population and are called adaptations. (LS4.B, LS4.C)
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 9-12] Natural selection is dependent on environmental conditions.
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 9-12] Over time, the proportion of individuals with advantageous characteristics may increase due to their likelihood of surviving and reproducing. (LS4.B, LS4.C)
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 9-12] The number of offspring that survive to reproduce successfully is limited by environmental factors. (LS4.B, LS4.C)
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 9-12] Depending on environmental conditions, inherited characteristics may be advantageous, neutral, or detrimental.
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 9-12] Environmental changes may provide opportunities that can influence natural selection. (LS4.B, LS4.C)
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 9-12] Fitness is reproductive success — the number of viable offspring produced by an individual in comparison to other individuals in a population/species.
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 13-16] Evolution is often defined as a change in allele frequencies within a population.
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 13-16] The Hardy-Weinberg equation describes expectations about the gene pool of a population that isn't evolving, that is large, mates randomly, doesn't experience mutation, natural selection, or gene flow.
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 13-16] Evolution results from natural selection acting upon genetic variation within a population.
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 13-16] Evolution results from mutations.
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 13-16] Natural selection and genetic drift act on the variation that exists in a population.
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 13-16] Natural selection acts on phenotype as an expression of genotype.
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 13-16] Phenotype is a product of both genotype and the organism's interactions with the environment.
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 13-16] Variation of a character within a population may be discrete or continuous.
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 13-16] Mutation is a random process.
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 13-16] Organisms cannot intentionally produce adaptive mutations in response to environmental influences.
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 13-16] Inherited characteristics affect the likelihood of an organism's survival and reproduction.
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 13-16] Over time, the proportion of individuals with advantageous traits may increase (and the proportion with disadvantageous traits may decrease) due to their chances of surviving and reproducing.
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 13-16] Traits that confer an advantage may persist in the population and are called adaptations.
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 13-16] Depending on environmental conditions, inherited characteristics may be advantageous, neutral, or detrimental.
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 13-16] Natural selection can act on the variation in a population in different ways.
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 13-16] Natural selection may favor individuals with one extreme value for a trait, shifting the average value of that trait in one direction over the course of many generations.
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 13-16] Natural selection sometimes favors heterozygotes over homozygotes at a locus.
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 13-16] Heterozygote advantage preserves genetic variation at that locus (i.e., within the population, it maintains multiple alleles at that locus).
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 13-16] An individual's fitness (or relative fitness) is the contribution that individual makes to the gene pool of the next generation relative to other individuals in the population.
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 13-16] An organism's fitness depends on both its survival and its reproduction.
• [Nature of science: Grades 6-8] A hallmark of science is exposing ideas to testing. (P3, P4, P6, P7)
• [Nature of science: Grades 6-8] Scientists use multiple research methods (experiments, observations, comparisons, and modeling) to collect evidence. (P2, P3, P4, NOS1)
• [Nature of science: Grades 9-12] A hallmark of science is exposing ideas to testing. (P3, P4, P6, P7)
• [Nature of science: Grades 9-12] Scientists use multiple research methods (experiments, observational research, comparative research, and modeling) to collect data. (P2, P3, P4, NOS1)
• [Nature of science: Grades 13-16] A hallmark of science is exposing ideas to testing.
• [Nature of science: Grades 13-16] Scientists use multiple research methods (experiments, observational research, comparative research, and modeling) to collect data.

• Disciplinary Core Idea LS3.A : Inheritance of Traits
• Disciplinary Core Idea LS3.B: Variation of Traits
• Disciplinary Core Idea LS4.B: Natural Selection
• Disciplinary Core Idea LS4.C: Adaptation
• NOS Matrix understanding category 1. Scientific investigations use a variety of methods.
• Science and Engineering Practice 2. Developing and using models
• Science and Engineering Practice 3. Planning and carrying out investigations
• Science and Engineering Practice 4. Analyzing and interpreting data
• Science and Engineering Practice 6. Constructing explanations and designing solutions
• Science and Engineering Practice 7. Engaging in argument from evidence

6-8 teaching tips:

HHMI provides a variety of teacher resources to accompany this video: an in-depth film guide, student quiz, and a lesson on color variation over time.

9-12 teaching tips:

HHMI provides a variety of teacher resources to accompany this video: an in-depth film guide, student quiz, and lessons on allele and phenotype frequencies, molecular genetics of color mutations, biochemistry and cell signaling and color variation over time.

13-16 teaching tips:

HHMI provides a variety of teacher resources to accompany this video: an in-depth film guide, student quiz, and lessons on allele and phenotype frequencies, molecular genetics of color mutations, biochemistry and cell signaling and color variation over time.

• Adaptation
• Genetic Variation
• Natural Selection