Four Fun Ways to Teach Evolution

Importantly, these games and activities should not be done in isolation. A brief video, reading, or lecture should provide proper context and background. The goal is not to oversimplify or reduce biological mechanisms like evolution to fiction or mere fun and games. The goal is to use play as a teaching tool to break down barriers, reinforce concepts, and help students move beyond a textbook understanding. I’ve witnessed firsthand that it’s hard for students to be disengaged on a topic like evolution when they’re having fun. I hope other educators can witness this too!

I’ve witnessed first hand that it’s hard for students to be disengaged on a topic like evolution when they’re having fun. I hope other educators can witness this too!

1. “What Did T-Rex Taste Like?” Activity

If the title alone of this activity isn’t enough to spark curiosity in your students, perhaps it will activate the curiosity of their taste buds! While we could never know for sure what T-Rex tasted like, we can use the tools of science to identify its closest living relative and predict what it might’ve tasted like.

This virtual activity introduces students to the topic of evolutionary family trees. Just like we can use services to learn more about our own family relationships, scientists can do the same thing for all living organisms, including extinct ones like dinosaurs. The activity shows how this is done using genetic and physical traits. We may only be able to trace our own family history a few hundred years back at most. But scientists can generate family trees that track our evolutionary history hundreds of thousands to millions of years!

Educator Notes:

Access to a computer is required to complete this activity, and simple worksheets can be designed to accompany it. A brief discussion following the activity can be helpful to check student understanding.

Faith & Science Connection:

Consider discussing genealogies in the Bible using resources like “Interpreting Biblical Genealogies,” “How Should We Interpret Biblical Genealogies?,” “Genomes as Ancient Texts,” and “Were Adam and Eve Historical Figures?” For a more general resource on evolution, check out our Evolution Basics series or our podcast series on Reconciling Evolution.

This activity is sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the University of California Museum of Paleontology.

Educator Notes:

In my experience, the students typically have a blast playing with the gummy bears; some have even asked to play extra rounds of the game! They tend to like the activity as a break from the monotony of lecture. Importantly, while this game is a lighthearted and fun way for students to understand some of the harsher realities of the natural world, as responsible educators, we do not want to detach our students from the reality of predation, natural disaster, and disease. It is worth talking about this with the students before or after the game. The game is not meant to be taken too seriously, and students get that.

Faith & Science Connection:

This activity can be followed by conversations about natural selection and purpose. Consider discussing articles like “Reconciling Chance and Divine Providence: Three Theological Options” and “Purpose, Evolution, and Self-Replication.” If the students are comfortable and ready, more serious conversations on death and suffering can also be facilitated with resources like: “Is Animal Suffering Part of God’s Good Creation?” and “Did Death Occur Before the Fall?” Also, check out resources by theologian Bethany Sollereder, including her presentation on “Animal Suffering: God & Pain in the Evolutionary Story.”

This activity was created by Oxford, Cambridge and RSA (OCR)—part of the Cambridge University Press and Assessment. 

Educator Notes:

In my experience, students get pretty invested in the well-being and success of their plant. I’ve found it helpful for students to play the game at least twice. The first time students can play it without land management cards, and the second time with those cards. This allows the students to see how conservation efforts can help combat invasive species.

Faith & Science Connection:

In recent years, humans have been called an invasive species. Throughout our evolutionary history we have moved around and settled in areas, often out-competing native species. Conversations about human identity and our responsibility as Christians to care for creation rather than conquer it can be helpful. Brainstorming ways to combat and prevent invasive species from spreading in our local communities can be a good action step as well. For more resources on creation care, check out “Why Should Christians Care for Creation?” and our “Creation Groans” podcast series. You can also visit our Evolution Basics series which covers the topic of coevolution.

This resource was published in “The American Biology Teacher” journal.

Educator Notes:

While the lab and activities are delivered in a very accessible way, there are still some technical details that make this activity better suited for science majors rather than non-science majors.

Faith & Science Connection:

Scientists are currently trying to understand how humans might impact coevolution in harmful ways through climate change and the introduction of invasive species. Consider conversations about how human actions impact coevolution and how populations of organisms like the anole lizard may be affected. Conversations about our Christian responsibility to care for creation and protect the biodiversity of organisms on our planet, like the anole, can be fruitful ways of engagement.

This activity was created by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Biointeractive.