Teaching evolution remains a challenging task in biology education. Students enter the classroom with stubborn misconceptions and many traditional examples of the process of evolution may not resonate with students. This short role play activity is designed to easily integrate into any class session on evolution and provide students with a concrete, tangible example of natural selection. In addition, it specifically addresses several misconceptions about evolution. In this activity, students become a fictional population that is under a selection pressure. As students take on the role of a population, they are reminded of the requirements for natural selection, fall victim to a selection pressure, and observe the change in allele frequencies over time. In the context of a class session that focuses on the mechanisms of evolution, students are able to immediately visualize the process of natural selection. This role play only takes 10-15 minutes, requiring minimal class and preparation time. It has been successfully used in both introductory and non-majors' biology classrooms. Though simplified and fictional, this role play provides a concrete example as a foundation for students' growing understanding of evolution.

Primary image: Depicts visual representation of populations evolving.