Using Nerf Blasters in a Simulation of Natural Selection & Hardy-Weinberg

Using the principles of gamification, I developed an expansion of the classic natural selection simulation that uses beans and different foraging tools to simulate the effect of natural selection on allele frequencies in a population. The expansion involves students simulating Formica spp. wood ant competition. When individuals encounter other competing wood ants, they spray formic acid at their competitors to remove them from the population. The ants’ capability to spray formic acid can be affected by the morphology of their spraying organ, which is modeled by taping students’ hands into different shapes to alter how effectively they can use Nerf blasters. Multiple generations of selection are performed, with rounds of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium calculations between each generation to help students develop conceptual understanding of how the formula is related to the effects of selective forces. A homework assignment with a sample worksheet and example questions related to additional forces of evolution (e.g., sexual selection, migration, genetic drift, and mutation) is included to guide students toward a more holistic interpretation of how the five forces of evolution interact over generation time.