Comparison of light and dark peppered moths, illustrating natural selection.

This worksheet describes a science activity called the "Peppered Moth Simulation." Since I cannot click the link or play the interactive game for you, I will explain exactly what you need to do to complete this assignment and predict the results you should expect based on scientific facts.

Step-by-Step Guide to Completing the Task

1. Understand the Goal
The goal is to see how pollution changes which moths survive. You are playing the role of a bird (a bluejay) that eats moths. The moths are either Light (speckled white/grey) or Dark (solid black).

2. Run Simulation 1: The Light Forest (Clean Environment)
* Action: Click the link provided in your worksheet (`peppermoths.weebly.com`). Look for the simulation labeled "Light Forest" or "Clean Forest."
* Play: For 5 minutes, click on the moths to "eat" them. Try to find them against the background.
* Observation: In a clean forest, tree trunks are light-colored and covered in lichen.
* Light Moths: These blend in with the light trees. They are hard to see. You will likely eat fewer of these.
* Dark Moths: These stand out against the light trees. They are easy to see. You will likely eat more of these.
* Result Prediction: At the end of 5 minutes, record the percentages. You should see that the % of Light Moths is higher than the % of Dark Moths.

3. Run Simulation 2: The Dark Forest (Polluted Environment)
* Action: Go back to the website and select the simulation labeled "Dark Forest" or "Industrial Forest."
* Play: For 5 minutes, click on the moths to "eat" them again.
* Observation: In an industrial/polluted forest, soot from factories has turned the tree trunks dark/black.
* Light Moths: These now stand out against the dark trees. They are very easy to see. You will likely eat most of these.
* Dark Moths: These blend in with the dark, sooty trees. They are hard to see. You will likely eat fewer of these.
* Result Prediction: At the end of 5 minutes, record the percentages. You should see that the % of Dark Moths is higher than the % of Light Moths.

Summary of What to Write Down

When you finish the simulations, your data table should look something like this (your exact numbers might vary slightly, but the trend will be the same):

| Environment | % of Light Moths Surviving | % of Dark Moths Surviving |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Light Forest | High (e.g., 70-90%) | Low (e.g., 10-30%) |
| Dark Forest | Low (e.g., 10-30%) | High (e.g., 70-90%) |

Why does this happen?
This is called Natural Selection. The moths that match their background hide better from birds. The ones that hide better survive and have babies. Over time, the whole population changes to match the environment.

Final Answer:
To complete this assignment, you must visit the website listed in your instructions (peppermoths.weebly.com) and run the two simulations.

1. In the Light Forest simulation: You will find that Light Moths survive better because they camouflage against light trees. Record a higher percentage for Light Moths.
2. In the Dark Forest simulation: You will find that Dark Moths survive better because they camouflage against soot-covered dark trees. Record a higher percentage for Dark Moths.