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Lesson 2

Are All Radish Plants (and Snails) the Same?

Big Idea: Although individuals in a population have similar traits, there is variation from one individual to another.

Activity: Working in small groups, students observe and describe one trait in a population of plants (the length of radish rootlets) and one in a population of animals (the whorl color on snail shells). They discuss situations in which a particular trait variant (e.g., shorter rootlet, darker whorls) might be helpful, harmful, or neutral to an individual’s capacity for survival and reproduction.

Materials to Have Ready

  • 5 petri dishes

  • 50 radish seeds

  • Roll of paper towels

  • 5 plastic ziploc bags or plastic wrap to put the petri dishes in

  • 18 snail shells 

Video Overview (2:06)

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