Sexual Selection Teacher Resources

High schoolers research how sexual selection plays a role in driving evolution. They experiment how variation exists within not just obvious physical traits, but metabolically and behaviorally. They write a letter describing a problem,...

Students discuss human behavior, sexual selection and the underlying genetic and evolutionary reasons for mate selection. The, in groups, they rate the attractiveness of certain individuals and measure facial features for symmetry.

Students work in groups to investigate and present genetic variation, adaptation, and sexual selection as it relates to evolution. In this evolution lesson, students watch a video discuss how the human eye could evolve due to natural...

The peppered moth is featured in a video about natural selection. The narrator tells the story of Darwin's theory and then moves on to the principles behind natural selection and the different ways it works. Concepts covered include...

Peacocks, when fanning their feathers to attract females, shake the feathers, creating an inaudible sound for humans but one that female hens can hear, even from far away. In the video, scholars explore evolution by analyzing...

It's not irrelephant to know which animals use warning coloration to avoid predators. The video explains how brightly colored animals are able to survive in the natural world. It also details aposematic coloration for both sexual...

Students pretend they are a scientist like John Endler in this Web activity. They visit his pools, from hypotheses, and test them out. In the process, the explore about natural selection and sexual selection. They are able to explain the...

Humans, through artificial selection, created a dog that is hypoallergenic, loves water, is good with kids, very smart, and comes in a variety of colors — a labradoodle. Through the analysis of dog breeds, class members explore...

Could a population stay the exact same over time with no change in allele frequencies? The video explains the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium theorem and the assumptions it requires. It discusses mutation, migration, gene flow, genetic drift,...

Students discuss the evolution of the eye and how a complex organ can evolve through natural selection. They research genetic variation, adaptation, and sexual selection. They analyze data to determine how beak length of Gal??pagos...

Young scholars examine the term natural selection and what behavioral adaptations are.  For this evolution lesson students view videos about evolution and perform experiments that simulate populations that interplay between the...

Students examine the topic of evolution as it relates to biodiversity in various remote areas of the world. They watch videos, conduct Internet research, and in small groups create a digital video report to illustrate common evolution in...

Learn about the evolutionary process of sexual selection, a specific form of natural selection. [12:09]

Discusses many details pertaining to sexual selection and gender differences in sexual selection. The rationale behind the increased female investment in the process is discussed. Provides many examples of the sexual selection process.

Describes some mechanisms in reference to the choosing of a mate. Both selection processes of males and of females are described. Discusses group sexual selection models and nonsexual selection models.

Wikipedia offers a site on the topic of sexual selection, including an image and a description of one of the most famous types of sexual selection.

This content from TalkOrigins.org is within a discussion of frequently asked questions about evolution. It discusses some basics about sexual selection. It also provides an explanation for the usual dominanceof the female in the sexual...

This two-part video series explores how females and males relate to each other in the animal kingdom. It shows how the strategies that males and females use to attract each other impact on the evolution of a species.

The peacock provides a classic example of sexual selection, the force behind nature's extravagances. From Evolution: "Why Sex?" [4:02] Includes background reading and discussion questions.

Evolution, natural selection, sexual selection, coevolution, convergent evolution, mimicry, and coloration, are the topics examined in this thorough site. Assess your comprehension of the material presented by delving into the learning...

Paul Andersen explains how life has evolved and continues to evolve today. A brief discussion of artificial, natural and sexual selection is included. The beak of the finch is used to explain how directional selection is achieved.

An example of the Red Queen hypothesis, the sexual population of Mexican Poeciliid fish is able to keep up with a changing environment, while the asexual populations are not as successful. From Evolution: "Why Sex?" Video length: 4 min....

Scientific article explaining what natural selection is, and how it manifests itself through genetics and from generation to generation. Natural selection is compared to genetic drift, both of which cause evolution to occur. The limits...

This paper, the work of a Ph.D. researcher, presents an interesting discussion of the reasons that assexual reproduction is not used by most organisms. Toward the end is a specific discussion of reproduction in plants. Advantages and...