Evolution Site - Teaching About Evolution
Despite the best efforts by biology educators, there are still a lot of misconceptions about the evolution. Pop science nonsense has led people to think that biologists don't believe in evolution.
This site, a companion to the PBS program that provides teachers with resources that promote evolution education while avoiding the types of misconceptions which make it difficult to understand. It's organized in the "bread crumb" format to make navigation and orientation easier.
Definitions
It's not easy to properly teach evolution. Non-scientists often misunderstand the subject, and some scientists even employ a definition that confuses it. This is particularly relevant when discussing the meaning of the words themselves.
It is therefore essential to define the terms that are used in evolutionary biology. The website for the PBS show, Understanding Evolution, does this in a clear and useful manner. The site is a companion site to the show which first aired in 2001, but can also function as an independent resource. The material is presented in a nested fashion that aids navigation and orientation.
The site defines terms such as common ancestor and gradual process. These terms help to define the nature of evolution and its relation to other concepts in science. The site provides an overview of the manner the concept of evolution has been examined. This information will help to dispel the myths created by creationists.
It is also possible to find a glossary of terms used in evolutionary biology. These terms include:
Adaptation: The tendency for hereditary traits to become more suited to a particular environment. This is a result of natural selection, which occurs when organisms with more adaptable traits are more likely survive and reproduce than those with less adaptable characteristics.
Common ancestor: The most recent common ancestor of two or more species. The common ancestor can be identified by studying the DNA of those species.
Deoxyribonucleic acid: A massive biological molecule that contains information required for cell replication. The information is stored in nucleotide sequences that are strung into long chains known as chromosomes. Mutations are the basis for new genetic information within cells.
Coevolution is a relationship between two species in which evolutionary changes in one species are affected by changes in evolutionary processes in the other. Coevolution can be seen through the interaction between predator and prey, or parasite and hosts.
Origins
Species (groups that can interbreed) change through a series of natural changes in the traits of their offspring. The causes of these changes are numerous factors, like natural selection, gene drift, and mixing of the gene pool. simply click the next document of new species can take thousands of years. simply click the next document , such as changes in the climate or competition for food or habitat can slow or speed up the process.
The Evolution site tracks the development of various species of plants and animals over time and focuses on the most significant transitions that occurred in each group's history. It also focuses on the evolutionary origin of humans and humans, a subject that is particularly important for students to comprehend.
When Darwin wrote the Origin, only a handful of antediluvian human fossils had been discovered. The skullcap that is famous, along with the bones associated with it, was discovered in 1856 in the Little Feldhofer Grotto of Germany. It is now regarded as an early Homo neanderthalensis. Although the skullcap was not published until 1858, just one year before the first edition of the Origin was published, it is highly unlikely that Darwin had seen or heard of it.
While the site is focused on biology, it includes a good deal of information on geology and paleontology. The site offers several features that are especially impressive, such as an overview of the way that climate and geological conditions have changed over time. It also features an interactive map that shows the location of fossil groups.
The site is a companion to the PBS TV series but it could be used as a resource by teachers and students. The site is well-organized and has clear links between the introduction information in Understanding Evolution (developed with support from the National Science Foundation) and the more specialized components of the museum's Web site. These links facilitate the transition from the enthralling 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 demonstrate the importance of ecology in evolutionary theory.
Diversity
The evolution of life has resulted in many species of plants, animals and insects. Paleobiology is the study of these creatures within their natural environment and has many advantages over the modern observational and research methods for analyzing evolutionary phenomena. Paleobiology is able to study not only the process and events that take place regularly or over time but also the distribution and frequency of various animal groups in space over the course of geological time.
The site is divided into a variety of ways to learn about evolution, including "Evolution 101," which takes the viewer on a liner path through the nature of science and the evidence to support the theory of evolution. The path also examines myths regarding evolution, and also the history of evolutionary thinking.
Each of the other main sections of the Evolution site is equally created, with resources that support a variety of curriculum levels and pedagogical styles. In addition to the standard textual content, the site offers a wide range of multimedia and interactive resources, such as videos, animations, and virtual laboratories. The breadcrumb-like arrangement of the content assists with navigation and orientation on the massive web site.
For example, the page "Coral Reef Connections" provides an overview of the relationships between corals and their interaction with other organisms. It then zooms in on a single clam that is able to communicate with its neighbours and respond to changes in the water conditions that take place at the reef level. This page, as well as the other multidisciplinary multimedia and interactive pages, gives a good introduction to many topics in evolutionary biology. The content also includes an overview of the role of natural selectivity and the concept phylogenetics analysis which is a crucial tool for understanding evolutionary changes.
Evolutionary Theory
For biology students, evolution is a key thread that connects all the branches of the field. A wide selection of resources helps teachers teach evolution across the life science disciplines.
One resource, which is a companion to the PBS television series Understanding Evolution, is an excellent example of an Web site that provides depth and breadth in its educational resources. The site offers a variety of interactive learning modules. It also features an encased "bread crumb" structure that helps students move from the cartoon style of Understanding Evolution to elements on this huge site that are more closely tied to the field of research science. For instance an animation that introduces the notion of genetic inheritance leads to a page highlighting John Endler's experiments with artificial selection using guppies in the ponds of his native country of Trinidad.
Another resource that is worth mentioning is the Evolution Library on this web website, which includes an extensive collection of multimedia resources connected to evolution. The content is organized according to curriculum-based pathways that correspond to the learning goals set forth in the standards for biology. It contains seven videos designed specifically for use in the classroom, and can be streamed at no cost or purchased on DVD.
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 in the case of human evolution where it was a challenge to reconcile religious beliefs that humans have a distinct place in the creation and a soul, with the notion that human beings have innate physical traits were derived from Apes.
Additionally there are a myriad of ways in which evolution could be triggered and natural selection is the most widely accepted theory. However scientists also study different kinds of evolution like mutation, genetic drift and sexual selection, among others.
While many scientific fields of inquiry are in conflict with the literal interpretations of religious texts Evolutionary biology has been the subject of intense controversy and resistance from religious fundamentalists. Some religions have reconciled their beliefs to evolution while others haven't.