5 Evolution Site-Related Lessons From The Professionals
Evolution Site – Teaching About Evolution Despite the best efforts of biology educators, misconceptions about evolution persist. People who have absorbed popular science myths often assume that biologists are saying they don't believe in evolution. This rich website – companion to the PBS series offers teachers with resources that support evolution education and avoid the kinds of misinformation that can undermine it. It's organized in a nested “bread crumb” format for ease of navigation and orientation. Definitions Evolution is a complex and challenging subject to teach well. It is often misunderstood even by non-scientists, and even scientists are guilty of using an interpretation that is confusing the issue. This is particularly relevant to debates about the meaning of the word itself. It is important to define 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 both an accompaniment to the 2001 series, and also a resource on its own. The material is presented in a structured manner that makes it easier to navigate and understand. The site defines terms like common ancestor and gradual process. These terms help frame the nature of evolution and its relationship to evolution to other concepts in science. The website provides a summary of the ways that evolution has been examined. This information can help dispel myths created by creationists. You can also access a glossary which contains terms that are used in evolutionary biology. These terms include: The process of adaptation is the tendency of heritable traits to be better suited to an environment. This is the result of natural selection, which happens when organisms that have more adaptable characteristics are more likely to survive and reproduce than those with less adapted traits. Common ancestor: The latest common ancestor of two or more species. The common ancestor can be identified by analyzing the DNA of these species. Deoxyribonucleic Acid: A huge biological molecular that contains the necessary information for cell replication. The information is stored in nucleotide sequences, which are strung into long chains, referred to as chromosomes. Mutations are the cause of new genetic information within cells. Coevolution is a relation between two species where evolution of one species influence evolutionary changes of the other. Examples of coevolution include the interactions between predator and prey, or the parasite and the host. Origins Species (groups that can interbreed), evolve through a series natural changes in the traits of their offspring. These changes can be caused by many factors, such as natural selection, gene drift, and mixing of the gene pool. The evolution of new species can take thousands of years. Environmental conditions, such as changes in the climate or competition for food resources and habitat, can slow or accelerate the process. The Evolution site tracks through time the evolution of various species of plants and animals and focuses on major changes in each group's history. It also examines the evolutionary history of humans which is especially important for students to comprehend. Darwin's Origin was published in 1859, when only a few antediluvian fossils of humans had been found. 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 known as an early Homo neanderthalensis. Although the skullcap was not published until 1858, which was one year before the first edition of the Origin appeared, it is very 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 on the site are a set of timelines that illustrate how geological and climatic conditions have changed over time and an interactive map of the distribution of a few fossil groups listed on the site. The site is a companion to a PBS television series, but it could be used as a resource by teachers and students. The site is very well organized and provides clear links between the introduction content in Understanding Evolution (developed with support from the National Science Foundation) and the more sophisticated elements of the museum 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. In particular, there are links to John Endler's research with guppies that illustrate the importance of ecology in evolutionary theory. Diversity The evolution of life has led to an array of animals, plants and insects. Paleobiology is the study of these creatures within their geographical context and offers many advantages over the modern observational and research methods of examining evolutionary phenomena. In addition to studying processes and events that occur regularly or over a long period of time, paleobiology allows to examine the diversity of species of organisms and their distribution across geological time. The website is divided into different options to study the subject of evolution. One of the paths, “Evolution 101,” walks the reader through the nature and evidence of evolution. The path also explores the most common misconceptions about evolution, as well as the evolution of thought. Each of the other major sections of the Evolution site is equally well developed, with materials that can support a variety of different pedagogical levels and curriculum levels. The site has a range of interactive and multimedia content, including video clips, animations and virtual laboratories in addition to general textual content. The breadcrumb-like arrangement of the content aids in navigation and orientation on the vast Web site. 에볼루션 코리아 , for example, provides an overview of the coral's relationships and interactions with other organisms and zooms in to one clam that is able communicate with its neighbors and react to changes in conditions of the water at the reef level. This page, along with the other multidisciplinary, multimedia, and interactive pages on the site, provide an excellent introduction to the broad variety of topics in evolutionary biology. The material includes an overview of the significance of natural selectivity and the concept of phylogenetics, an important method for understanding the evolution of changes. Evolutionary Theory Evolution is an underlying thread that connects all branches of biology. A vast collection of resources supports teaching about evolution across all life sciences. 에볼루션 카지노 , a companion to the PBS television series Understanding Evolution, is an exceptional example of a Web site that offers both the depth and breadth of its educational resources. The site offers a variety of interactive learning modules. It also has an “bread crumb structure” that allows students to move away from the cartoon-like style of Understanding Evolution and onto elements on this large website more closely connected to the realms of research science. For example, an animation introducing the notion of genetic inheritance leads to a page highlighting John Endler's artificial selection experiments using guppies in the ponds of his native country of Trinidad. 에볼루션 카지노 on this website is a vast multimedia library of materials that deal with evolution. The content is organized according to curriculum-based paths that parallel the learning objectives set out in the biology standards. It includes seven short videos specifically designed for classroom use, which can be streamed for no cost or purchased on DVD. Many important questions remain at the heart of evolutionary biology, such as what causes evolution to occur and the speed at which it occurs. This is especially true for human evolution, where it's been difficult to reconcile the notion that the physical traits of humans were derived from apes with religious beliefs that hold that humanity is unique among living things and has a special place in creation with soul. There are also a number of other ways in which evolution could occur including natural selection, which is the most widely accepted theory. However scientists also study other kinds of evolution like mutation, genetic drift and sexual selection, among others. Although many scientific fields of study have a conflict with literal interpretations found in religious texts, the concept of 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, other religions have not.