Would You Survive in a

Zombie Apocalypse?

Catastrophism is the doctrine that certain vast geological changes in the earth's
history were caused by catastrophes rather than gradual evolutionary processes. These
catastrophes cause a change in the phenotypic and genotypic ratios within a population and can
make a population better fit to its new environment.
An example of catastrophism from history would be the events that caused the sudden
extinction of the dinosaurs and altered life on Earth permanently. Another more recent example
is the change in the ecosystem of the area surrounding the Skamania County region following
Mount St. Helens' volcanic eruption in 1980. After both events, the populations remaining had
experienced a change in genotypic ratio. These large scale changes in genotypic ratios cause the
evolution of a species.
In this lab, we will model a catastrophe that would force a change in the phenotype of
the human population. Although catastrophism typically involves natural disaster such as
meteorites or volcanoes, a zombie apocalypse would have a similar effect. Like the animal and
plant life changed by the eruption of Mount St. Helens, a zombie apocalypse would change
human life as we know it.

Materials:

Lab Handout
Die or Dice
Highlighter to follow your choices
Paper for pre-lab and post-lab questions
Pencil or Pen
Textbooks

Procedure: Go through this survival evaluation using your knowledge of your own skills to find out if
you would survive the Zombie Apocalypse. When asked to do so, use a die to determine your fate. If you
need to, use a highlighter to better keep track of your choices. Add up the points for each choice you
make and use the final table to determine whether or not you survived the zombie apocalypse. Later on,
answer questions about catastrophism and its relevance to evolution. Good luck!

The Apocalypse Breaks Out

You're sitting in your classroom learning about how the five great extinctions shaped the nature of life
on Earth. Suddenly, the classroom lights begin to flicker. You hear screaming outside. A low moan is
heard from just outside the door.
*BANG*
*BANG*
Cracks can be seen in the seams of the doorway as you and your classmates begin to shuffle away from
the the door. The door is knocked down. A horde of limping figures begin streaming in.
Task 1: Get out of class

The ghoulish zombies begin to stream into the

classroom. Your classmates scream. You have to
sprint out of the school through the back door.
Zombies have entirely flooded the school,
moving swiftly between classrooms. More
zombies are on their way towards you. You and
group of students have to run in a pack through the now-dark hallways and get to the schools field.
How do you fare?

Mile Time

Outcome

Points

<6 minutes

Safe

10

6 minutes

Safe

10

7 minutes

Safe

10

8 minutes

Scratches and bruises, but safe

9 minutes

Sprained ankle, unable to run

10 minutes

Sprained ankle, unable to run

11 minutes

Severe wound, susceptible to

infection

>11 minutes

Dragged away by zombies

Task 2: Hop the school fence

You and the remainder of your

classmates have made it to the edge of the
fence. You see the school bus driver
starting up the bus to try and get away.
You call for help and get him to park just
at the edge of the street.
Those who are safe or have scratches and bruises get across the fence safely, but the ones with
wounds and sprained ankles are unable to climb the tall wire and must take a longer route to get to the
bus.
If you are well, you can choose to help one who is wounded across. Do you choose to help?
Yes

No

Those stuck behind the fence are trapped as a small gang of zombies sneaks up and attacks those left
behind.
Those who helped the wounded across the fence now have sprained ankles, and are unable to run.
Lose 5 points. Survival of the fittest.

Suddenly, a huge horde of zombies runs toward the bus. Panicked, the bus driver begins to drive away
from the scene.

Scenario

Outcome

Points

Can run

Gets on bus with scratches and bruises

10

Sprained ankle

Roll a die. If you roll 4 or higher, you get on

the bus. If you roll less than 4, you are left
behind and eaten by zombies.

Roll 4+ 8 points
Roll 4- 5 points

Wounded

Roll a die. If you roll a 6, you get on the bus.

If you roll less than a 6, you get eaten by
zombies.

6
5 points
Not a 6 0 points

The driver opens the door quickly for those who are able to catch up to the bus. Most of you are able to
jump on, but some are left limping behind the bus as zombies overtake them.

Task 3: Secure Supplies

You and the group convince the terrified bus

driver to make his way to a local bulk grocer. The
driver weaves through crazed drivers and hordes of
zombies up a winding hill. Luckily, the parking lot
has been cleared because of a large group of zombies
surrounding the store.
You have to secure the supplies and food within the
store, but many are wounded and have to stay behind in the bus.
A group of students walk the perimeter of the store and find a small barricaded service window several
feet off the ground. However, only the tallest people in the group are able to get in. Under the window is a
small crawl space in which the rest can fit through, though it takes much longer to get in the store.

Height

Outcome

Points

>57

You are able to get into the store quickly and grab
armfuls of vital supplies. You make your way back
out of the store and towards the bus.

10

<56

The crawl space is tight and can only accommodate

one person at a time. You have much less time to

grab supplies and only have a couple of supplies by
the end.
If stuck wounded in the bus, you have to barricade the bus from the curious and hungry zombies. On the
bus already are piles of textbooks and backpacks.
How much can you lift?

Outcome

Points

>6 textbooks

You are strong even when wounded and

you work quickly to barricade the bus
entrances.

5 textbooks

You are useful in barricading the bus but

you work slower.

3 textbooks

You can barely lift the textbooks when

wounded and are not useful in
barricading the bus.

Those who made it back from the store throw supplies into the bus hatch and climb up the side of the bus.
The group is stocked and ready to make a break for the wilderness.
Task 4: Run for the Hills

The bus makes its way along now-empty streets away from the city. You make it several miles before
the bus runs out of gasoline. You stop at a rocky outcropping adjacent to a small mountain.
As the team unloads the bus, a team of zombies is spotted in the distance. The road ahead of you is very
rocky and dangerous, and every person is carrying some supplies. How do you fare?

What shoes are you wearing?

Outcome

Points

Tennis shoes

You are able to navigate over the

rough terrain and make it a half
mile past the outcropping to the
sheltered mountain.

10

Casual shoes

You are able to make your way

past the outcropping slowly with

your supplies and narrowly

avoid the zombies.
Sandals, flip flops, heels

You find yourself navigating the

terrain too slowly and are forced
to drop your supplies to make it
past the zombies.

You have made it! The class makes it to the mountain and sets up a small camp in a sheltered
grove of trees without a zombie in sight. The hard part is yet to come, however, when you have
to pick up the broken pieces of society and exterminate the undead. Still, you should be safe for a
couple of weeks with the supplies you have taken to the camp.
Would you be fit enough to survive the apocalypse?
Total points

Fitness

30-40

Very good. You would most likely live to

produce offspring in a basic classroom zombie
apocalypse scenario such as this one.
Congratulations.

15-30

Good. You may not survive the longest in the

zombie apocalypse, but you sure werent a
quitter.

<15

Poor. You may not run the fastest or be the

strongest but you sure slowed the zombies
down for the rest of the group. Yum!

Post lab Questions:

1.
2.
3.
4.

How can a catastrophe like a zombie apocalypse create change in populations?

Describe how each scenario tests fitness in the student population.
Why isn't a zombie apocalypse a true model of catastrophism? Explain.
What are some advantages that you had that helped you to survive in the various

scenarios?
5. Create an extra scenario in the zombie apocalypse to further test fitness. Explain how this
scenario would lead to increased fitness in the population.

6. Assuming traits were selected in this way, after several successful generations, how
would you expect the phenotypes of the class to change?