Evolution Site - Teaching About Evolution
Despite the best efforts of biology educators, misinformation about evolution remain. People who have absorbed pop science nonsense often assume that biologists don't believe in evolution.
This rich website - companion to the PBS series - provides teachers with materials that support evolution education and avoids the kinds of misinformation that can hinder it. It's laid out in a "bread crumb" format to aid in navigation and orientation.
Definitions
Evolution is a complicated and challenging subject to teach well. It is often misunderstood even by non-scientists, and even scientists have been guilty of using definitions that confuse the issue. This is especially relevant when it comes to the definition of the words.
Therefore, it is essential to define terms used in evolutionary biology. The website for the PBS show, Understanding Evolution, does this in a clear and helpful way. It is an accompaniment to the 2001 series, and it is also a resource on its own. The content is presented in a nested manner that assists in navigation and orientation.
The site defines terms like common ancestor, gradual process and adaptation. These terms help to define the nature of evolution as well as its relationship to other scientific concepts. The website provides a summary of the manner that evolution has been tested. This information can help dispel the myths that are created by the creationists.
It is also possible to access a glossary of terms that are used in evolutionary biology. These terms include:
The process of adaptation is the tendency of hereditary traits to become more suited to the environment. This is a result of natural selection. Organisms with better-adapted traits are more likely than those with less adaptable characteristics to survive and reproduce.
Common ancestor (also called common ancestor) is the most recent ancestor shared by two or more species. The common ancestor can be identified by analyzing the DNA of the species.
Deoxyribonucleic Acid: A massive biological molecular that holds the information needed for cell replication. The information is stored in nucleotide sequences that are strung into long chains, referred to as chromosomes. Mutations are the source of new genetic information in cells.
Coevolution is a relationship between two species in which evolutionary changes in one species are dependent on evolutionary changes in the other. Examples of coevolution include the interactions between predator and prey or the parasite and the host.
Origins
Species (groups which can interbreed), evolve through a series natural changes in the traits of their offspring. The changes can be caused by a variety, including natural selection, genetic drift, and gene pool mixing. The evolution of new species could take thousands of years. Environmental conditions, such as changes in the climate or competition for food and habitat, can slow or accelerate the process.
The Evolution site traces through time the evolution of various animal and plant groups, focusing on major transitions in each group's history. It also examines the evolution of humans as a subject that is of particular interest for students.
When Darwin wrote the Origin, only a handful of antediluvian human fossils had been discovered. Among them was the famous skullcap and bones that were discovered in 1856 at the Little Feldhofer Grotto in Germany that is now thought as an early Homo neanderthalensis. Although the skullcap was not published until 1858, which was one year before the first edition of the Origin was published, it's extremely unlikely that Darwin had heard or seen of it.
While the site is focused on biology, it also includes a good deal of information about geology as well as paleontology. The most impressive features of the Web site are a timeline of events which show how climatic and geological conditions have changed over time and an interactive map of the distribution of some fossil groups that are featured on the site.
Although the site is a companion to the PBS television series, it also stands on its own as a great source for teachers and students. The site is well-organized, and provides clear links to the introduction information of Understanding Evolution (developed under the National Science Foundation's funding) as well as the more specialized features of the museum's website. These hyperlinks facilitate the move from the engaging cartoon style of the Understanding Evolution pages to the more sophisticated world of research science. Particularly there are links to John Endler's experiments using guppies that illustrate the importance of ecology in evolutionary theory.
Diversity
The evolution of life on Earth has produced a diversity of animals, plants, and insects. Paleobiology is the study of these creatures within their natural environment and has numerous advantages over the modern observational and research methods of examining evolutionary phenomena. In addition to exploring processes and events that take place frequently or over a long period of time, paleobiology can be used to study the relative abundance of various kinds of organisms as well as their distribution throughout the course of geological time.
The website is divided into various paths to learning evolution which include "Evolution 101," which takes the user on a linear path through the science of nature and the evidence supporting the theory of evolution. The path also examines myths about evolution, as well as the history of evolutionary thinking.
Each of the main sections on the Evolution website is equally well-designed, with materials that can be used to support a variety of curriculum levels and teaching styles. In addition to general textual content, the site offers an extensive selection of interactive and multimedia resources like videos, animations, and virtual laboratories. The breadcrumb-like structure of the content aids in navigation and orientation on the large website.
For instance, the page "Coral Reef Connections" provides a comprehensive overview of coral relationships and their interactions with other organisms. Then, it concentrates on a specific clam that is able to communicate with its neighbors and react to changes in the water conditions at the level of the reef. mouse click the up coming internet site , as well as the other multidisciplinary interactive and multimedia pages offers a great introduction to many topics in evolutionary biology. The material also provides an overview of the importance of natural selection as well as the concept of phylogenetic analysis which is a crucial method to understand evolutionary change.
Evolutionary Theory
For biology students evolution is a crucial thread that weaves together all the branches of the field. A vast collection of resources helps teachers teach about evolution across the life sciences.
One resource, which is the companion to PBS's television series Understanding Evolution is an excellent example of an Web page that provides the depth and the breadth in terms of its educational resources. The site features a wealth of interactive learning modules. It also features a "bread crumb structure" that helps students move away from the cartoon-like style used in Understanding Evolution and onto elements of this vast website that are closely connected to the realms of research science. An animation that introduces students to the concept of genetics, which links to a page highlighting John Endler's experiments in artificial selection using Guppies living in ponds native to Trinidad.
Another resource that is worth mentioning is the Evolution Library on this Web site, which contains an extensive multimedia library of assets connected to evolution. The content is organized according to curricula-based paths that correspond to the learning objectives outlined in biology standards. It contains seven videos that are designed for classroom use. They can be streamed or purchased as DVDs.
Evolutionary biology is an area of study that poses many important questions, such as what triggers evolution and how quickly it occurs. This is especially true for the evolution of humans, where it was difficult to reconcile religious beliefs that humanity has a unique position in the universe and a soul with the notion that our physical traits were derived from apes.
In addition there are a variety of ways that evolution can occur, with natural selection being the most widely accepted theory. Scientists also study other types such as genetic drift, and sexual selection.
While many scientific fields of study have a conflict with literal interpretations found in religious texts, evolution biology has been a subject of intense controversy and opposition from religious fundamentalists. While certain religions have been able to reconcile their beliefs with the ideas of evolution, others have not.