Peppered Moth Lab

In this activity we will be looking at the population of two different moths change depending on
the background.

The peppered moth lives in England and is a favorite food of many of the local birds. To avoid
being eaten the pepper moth has adapted to have two alleles. One is black with a few white spots
(dominant) and the other is the white with black spots (recessive).

In the simulation you will be a bird of prey and will try to eat as many moths as you can in 1
minute. To eat the moth, you need to click on it. If you can’t see any click on the next tree button to
move to another tree (and you will find them).

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 After a minute the simulation will end. You will need to complete this simulation 4 more times.
When you have finished your fifth year be careful and make sure you have copied your data into the
table. You do this by clicking on the table tab.

Once you have finished you will need to click on the dark trees tab and complete the experiment
again.

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 You will need to make two bar graphs to show the results from your data.  Follow the steps if
you are unsure how to insert a bar graph. 
1. Copy the data table. 
2. Click on the Insert tab at the top.  
3. Click on the Chart button.  You can find it in the illustrations section.

 
4. Click okay. 
5. Paste the data into the excel box that pops up. 

 
6. This will create the chart for you, so close the excel box. 

Start answering from here:

Prior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFORE using the Gizmo.)

The peppered moth (Biston betularia) is a common moth found

in Europe, Asia, and North America. It is commonly found in two
forms, or morphs: a dark morph and a light, speckled morph.
Birds are a frequent predator of the peppered moth.

1. Which morph do you think would be easier to see on a dark

tree trunk? _______________________________

2. Which morph do you think would be easier to see on a light

tree trunk? _______________________________

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Gizmo Warm-up

The Natural Selection Gizmo allows you to play the role of a bird
feeding on peppered moths. The initial population of 40 moths is
scattered over 20 tree trunks. Click on moths to capture them.
Click the Next tree button (or the spacebar on your keyboard) to
advance to the next tree.

1. Check that LIGHT TREES is selected. Click Play ( ), and hunt

moths for one year.

A. How many dark moths did you capture? _______

B. How many light moths did you capture? _______

C. Camouflage is coloring or patterns that help an organism to blend in with the background.

Which type of moth is better camouflaged on light bark? ____________

2. If a forest contained mostly light-colored trees, which type of moth would you expect to be most

common? ____________________________________________________________

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Fill in the Bank spaces as you work through the Experiment.

1. Question (B i)

What problem are you investigating?

2. Variables (B iii)

Independent variable (what are we changing): _____________________________________

Dependent Variable (what are we measuring): _____________________________________

Control Variable (what will we keep the same): _____________________________________

3. Hypothesis (B ii)

Make sure you write your hypothesis in the if....then....because..... format.

4. Materials (B iv)

5. Method: (B iv)

Using the overview, write down your method in the number spaces below to show how you carried out
your experiment.

1. ______________________________________________________________________________
2. ______________________________________________________________________________
3. ______________________________________________________________________________
4. ______________________________________________________________________________
5. ______________________________________________________________________________
6. ______________________________________________________________________________
7. ______________________________________________________________________________

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 6. Data:

Fill in the following charts.

Moth Population on Light Trees

Year Dark Moths Light moths

0
1
2
3
4
5

Moth Population on Dark Trees

Year Dark Moths Light moths

0
1
2
3
4
5

7. Results:

Bar Graph for Light Trees

Bar Graph for Dark Trees

Did the background tree color change the population of the Peppered Moth? Make sure to provide
evidence to support your claims.

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During the Industrial Revolution, the trees in England became darkened by soot from the many coal
plants working in the country. Which simulation best represents the population of the Peppered Moth
during that time and why?

8. Conclusion:

Explain why you got the results. Make sure to include terms like population, percentage, trends,
increasing, and decreasing. Highlight the key terms in your response.

9. Reflection:

Since coal plants are no longer in use in England what do you think happened to the population of the
Peppered Moth? Which simulation would best represent the current population?

What did you enjoy about this experiment?

What did you find hard about this experiment?

If you were to do this experiment again, what would you change? (Remember nothing is not a good
answer.)

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Rubric

(Criterion B) Inquiring and Design (maximum 8) 

 Achievement Achievement level descriptor  Task specific clarifications 
level 

The student does not reach a standard The student does not reach a standard described by
                 0 
described by any of the descriptors below.  any of the descriptors below. 

The student is able to:  You have: 

i. Select a problem or question to be tested i. Stated  the research question with limitation  
by a scientific investigation
ii. Formulated a hypothesis with limitation by being
                1-2  ii. Select a testable prediction written if…. and matches your experiment.

iii. State a variable iii. Attempted to list variables and control with
minimal success by identifying one variable (DV,IV,
  or controlled variable).

The student is able to:  You have:  

i. state a problem or question to be tested by
a scientific investigation
                3-4  ii. state a testable prediction
iii. state how to manipulate the variables,
and state how data will be collected
 
i. Stated the research question with some limitation 
ii. Formulated a  hypothesis with some errors and
limited explanation by being written in the if…
then... format and matches your experiment
iii. Attempted to identify relevant variables and
control with limitation by identifying the IV, DV, and
a controlled variable.

The student is able to:  You have:  

i. state a problem or question to be tested by i. Outlined a sufficient research question. 

a scientific investigation
ii. Adequately formulated a hypothesis with
ii. outline a testable prediction adequate explanations by being written in the if…
                5-6  then… because… format and matches your
iii. outline how to manipulate the variables, experiment
and state how relevant data will be collected
iii. Outlined how to manipulate the variables and
controls adequately by identifying the IV, DV, and at
3 controlled variables.

The student is able to:  You have:  

i. outline a problem or question to be tested
by a scientific investigation
ii. outline a testable prediction using
scientific reasoning.
               7-8  scientific understanding of the likelihood the
iii. outline how to manipulate the variables,
and outline how sufficient, relevant data will
be collected
i. Described a clear and focused research question. 
ii. Formulated a clear and precise hypothesis with
sufficient explanation by being written in the if…
then… because… format and you have used solid
prediction being true.
iii. Described how to manipulate the variables and
controls accurately by identifying the IV, DV, and
more than 5 controlled variables.

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(Criterion C) Processing and Evaluating (maximum 8) 

Achievement Achievement level descriptor  Task specific clarifications 
level 

The student does not reach a standard The student does not reach a standard described by
                 0 
described by any of the descriptors below.  any of the descriptors below. 

The student is able to:  You have:  

i. collect and present data in numerical i. Did not include any photos of your results.
and/or visual forms 
ii. Described the data in the bar graphs correctly
ii. accurately interpret data  with limitations 
                1-2 
iii. state the validity of a hypothesis with iii. Not stated pattern or relationship shown in the
limited reference to a scientific data. 
investigation 
v. A statement about how to improve/extend your
v. state limited improvements or method but this is very general/vague with no
extensions to the method.  specific detail 

The student is able to:  You have:  

i. correctly collect and present data in i. included some of the photos of your results.
numerical and/or visual forms 
ii. Described the data in the bar graphs with
ii. accurately interpret data and describe limitations 
results 
                3-4  iii. Stated a pattern or relationship shown in the data
iii. state the validity of a hypothesis based with limitations 
on the outcome of a scientific investigation
v. At least one improvement/extension to the
 v. state improvements or extensions to method outlined which yield better results but you
the method that would benefit the have not explained why it would. 
scientific investigation. 

The student is able to:  You have:  

i. correctly collect, organize and present i. included most of the photos of your results.
data in numerical and/or visual forms 
ii. Able to describe the trends in the bar graphs
ii. accurately interpret data and describe adequately. 
results using scientific reasoning 
                5-6  iii. Stated a pattern or relationship shown in the data
iii. outline the validity of a hypothesis adequately 
based on the outcome of a scientific
investigation  v. Outlined improvements/extensions and you have
attempted to explain why these suggestions would
v. outline improvements or extensions to make the method better 
the method that would benefit the
scientific investigation 

               7-8  The student is able to:  You have:  

i. correctly collect, organize, transform and i. included all the photos of your results and were
present data in numerical and/ or visual able to transform them into a chart.
forms
ii. Described the trends in the bar graphs accurately
 ii. accurately interpret data and describe
results using correct scientific reasoning  iii. Described a pattern or relationship shown in the

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iii. discuss the validity of a hypothesis data accurately with sufficient explanations 
based on the outcome of a scientific
investigation  v. Explained how any improvements/extensions you
have suggested would lead to more valid results. 
v. describe improvements or extensions to
the method that would benefit the
scientific investigation. 

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