Two paper or plastic cups can be taped together and a small hole punched into one end. The area must be large enough such that the students cannot see the toothpick patches by merely standing in one place and looking around. This procedure is repeated in two other locations for parts two and three of the exercise. They do not have to be familiar with the theory of Natural Selection as this exercise can be used for reinforcement or inquiry. For students who have already completed a course in biology, this activity can be used to initiate discussion of evolution.
Students simulate foraging by searching for and gathering toothpicks.
This activity is conducted in three parts, each of which is video taped for 10 minutes, with the first demonstrating feeding success, and the second and third illustrating the energy cost of food handling and predator avoidance respectively. After 10 minutes, the collection activity is repeated in a new area only this time each student is given a jar with a hole drilled into the lid that is just large enough for one toothpick to slip through. Touched animals are declared dead. In the classroom, students record the number of toothpicks collected during each part of the exercise. While watching the video tape, students use a stop watch to record the amount of time during each of the activities that they were engaged in feeding.