Worksheet

Guppy Traits at Market Square

Compare guppy survival and mate-choice records to explain how color differences can affect survival and reproduction.

Grade 3ScienceInteractive · Printable

Aligned to3-LS4-2

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What’s included

Single worksheet
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1 NGSS standard
Printable answer key
13 questions
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Details

Format: Interactive · Printable
Grade: Grade 3
Subject: Science
Question types: Fill in the blank, Multiple choice, Circle the answer, Short answer

About this worksheet

What students practice

Students compare survival data for differently colored males of the same species in two environments.
Students use mate-choice evidence to explain how a trait could help an animal reproduce.
Students explain why a trait's advantage can depend on the environment.

How to use

Read the study together and identify the two color groups on the graph. Have students support their conclusions with survival and mate-choice evidence.

Curriculum

NGSS standard covered

3-LS4-2

Explain how differences in traits can help some members of a species survive, find mates and reproduce.

Preview

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Name Date

Guppy Traits at Market Square

Compare how color can help or hurt in two city pools.

Compare the Two Pools

Read the practice study. Use the graph to compare the two color groups.

A Wildlife Study Beside the Shops

Market Square is a busy city neighborhood with shops, food stands, and delivery bicycles. Two warm-water pools beside the square are home to guppies. These made-up records describe a practice wildlife study. The guppies are the same species, but their traits differ. Some males have bright color patches. Other males have duller color patches.

A wildlife team followed 10 bright males and 10 dull males in each pool. The males were similar in size. The team watched fish already living there; it did not move fish or add predators. Both pools had similar water temperatures and food supplies.

The open pool had few plants. Larger fish that eat guppies often visited it. The sheltered pool had thick plants where guppies could hide, and larger fish visited less often. The team checked both groups for four weeks. The graph shows how many of the starting males were still alive.

The team also made 12 separate mate-choice observations in the sheltered pool. In each observation, one female could swim near a bright male or a dull male of similar size. Nine females spent more time near the bright male. Three spent more time near the dull male. Spending time near a male can be a clue about mate choice. These observations did not record mating or the birth of young.

Which conclusion about survival in the open pool is supported by the graph?

A. Bright males survived better than dull males.
B. Dull males survived better than bright males.
C. The two color groups survived equally well.
D. Both color groups had fewer than 3 survivors.

How many more dull males than bright males survived in the open pool? males

Compare the bright males in the two pools. Which statement is correct?

A. The same number survived in each pool.
B. Twice as many survived in the open pool.
C. Two more survived in the sheltered pool.
D. Twice as many survived in the sheltered pool.

Why did the team follow 10 males in each color group instead of starting with different numbers?

A. Equal starting numbers make survival counts easier to compare fairly.
B. Equal starting numbers make the two colors equally easy to see.
C. Equal starting numbers give the two groups matching survival results.
D. Equal starting numbers make the males grow to matching sizes.

Select the TWO outcomes the team recorded.

How much each male grewHow many starting males stayed aliveWhich color male each female spent more time nearHow many young each male had

Think About Finding Mates

Use the 12 mate-choice observations in the passage. Remember what the team did and did not measure.

How many more females spent more time near a bright male than near a dull male? females

What do the mate-choice observations suggest?

A. Dull males may have an advantage in attracting females.
B. The two colors may attract females equally often.
C. Bright males may have an advantage in attracting females.
D. Females may spend more time away from both colors.

Nia says, “Nine females spent more time near bright males, so nine bright males had young.” What is the problem with her conclusion?

A. She should use the survival count as the number of young.
B. Time spent nearby does not show that young were born.
C. The record shows that nine females preferred dull males.
D. The record compares two different species of fish.

Explain how bright color could help a male guppy have young. Use the mate-choice counts and explain what could happen next.

Use the Evidence

Make predictions and judge claims. Use evidence from both parts of the study.

10.

Suppose the sheltered pool loses many plants and larger fish begin visiting more often. Which prediction is best supported by the study?

A. More bright males may survive because there are fewer hiding places.
B. Both color groups may survive better because larger fish visit.
C. The bright group may become larger because females preferred it.
D. Fewer bright males may survive as conditions become like the open pool.

11.

The team plans another mate-choice observation to study color. Which pair would make the fairest comparison?

A. A large bright male and a small dull male
B. Two dull males that are similar in size
C. A bright male and a dull male of similar size
D. A small bright male and a large dull male

12.

Which new record would most directly show whether bright or dull males actually leave more young?

A. The number of young fathered by males of each color
B. The body sizes of males in each color group
C. The amount of food available in each pool
D. The time females spend near males of each color

13.

Omar claims, “Bright color is the better trait, no matter which pool a male lives in.” Explain why the study does not support this claim. Include one survival comparison and one mate-choice comparison.