Evolution Site - Teaching About Evolution
Despite the best efforts of biology educators, misinformation about evolution persist. People who have taken in popular science myths often assume that biologists are saying they don't believe in evolution.
This rich Web site, which is a companion to the PBS program, provides teachers with materials that promote evolution education while avoiding the types of misconceptions which hinder it. It's laid out in the "bread crumb" format to aid in navigation and orientation.
Definitions
It's difficult to properly teach evolution. It is often misunderstood by non-scientists, and even scientists use definitions that confuse the issue. This is especially relevant to discussions about the definition of the word itself.
It is therefore crucial to define the terms used in evolutionary biology. Understanding Evolution's website provides this in an easy and helpful manner. The website is a companion to the series that first aired in 2001, but can also function as an independent resource. The information is presented in an organized manner that makes it simpler to navigate and comprehend.
The site defines terms like common ancestor, gradual process, and adaptation. These terms help define the nature of evolution and its relationship to evolution with other scientific concepts. The site provides an overview of the ways in which evolution has been examined. This information can be used to dispel the myths that have been propagated by creationists.
It is also possible to find a glossary of terms used in evolutionary biology. These terms include:
Adaptation is the process of changing heritable traits to be more suitable to their environment. This is the result of natural selection. It occurs when organisms that have better adapted traits are more likely survive and reproduce than those with less adapted characteristics.
Common ancestor: The most recent common ancestor of two or more distinct species. The common ancestor can be identified by studying the DNA of the species.
Deoxyribonucleic acid: A massive biological molecule that holds the information necessary for cell replication. The information is stored in sequences of nucleotides that are strung together to form long chains, called chromosomes. Mutations are the basis for new genetic information within cells.
Coevolution is the relationship between two species in which the evolutionary changes of one species influence evolutionary changes in the other. Coevolution can be seen through the interaction between predator and prey, or parasites and hosts.
Origins
Species (groups of individuals who can interbreed) develop through natural changes in the characteristics of their offspring. Changes can be caused by numerous factors, like natural selection, gene drift, and mixing of the gene pool. The evolution of new species could take thousands of years. Environmental conditions, like changes in the climate or competition for food and habitat, can slow or accelerate the process.
The Evolution site traces the emergence of a number of different groups of animals and plants over time with a focus on the key changes that took place in the evolution of each group's history. It also explores the evolutionary history of humans and humans, a subject that is crucial for students to know.
Darwin's Origin was written in 1859, when only a handful of antediluvian fossils of humans were discovered. The skullcap that is famous, along with the bones associated with it were discovered in 1856 in the Little Feldhofer Grotto of Germany. It is now recognized as an early Homo neanderthalensis. It is unlikely that Darwin was aware of the skullcap, which was published in 1858, one year following the initial edition of The Origin. Origin.
The site is primarily a biology site however, it also has a lot of information on geology and paleontology. Among the best features on the site are a timeline of events which show the way in which climatic and geological conditions have changed over time, as well as an interactive map of the distribution of a few fossil groups that are featured on the site.
The site is a companion to a PBS TV series but it could also be used as an educational resource by teachers and students. The site is well organized and provides clear links between the introduction material in Understanding Evolution (developed with support from the National Science Foundation) and the more specific elements of the museum's web site. These links make it easier to move from the cartoon-style Understanding Evolution pages into the more sophisticated worlds of research science. There are links to John Endler's experiments with guppies, which illustrate the importance of ecology in evolutionary theory.
Diversity
The evolution of life has resulted in many species of animals, plants and insects. Paleobiology is the study of these creatures within their natural environment and has numerous advantages over the current observational and experimental methods in its exploration of evolutionary processes. In addition to studying processes and events that take place regularly or over a lengthy period of time, paleobiology is able to examine the relative abundance of different kinds of organisms as well as their distribution in space over geological time.
The website is divided into different routes that can be taken to gain knowledge about evolution. One of the paths, "Evolution 101," guides the user through the complexities and evidence of evolution. The path also explores the most common misconceptions about evolution, as well as the history of evolutionary thought.
Each of the main sections of the Evolution website is equally well-developed, with materials that can be used to support a variety of curriculum levels and teaching styles. In addition to the general textual content, the site offers an extensive selection of multimedia and interactive content like videos, animations and virtual labs. The content is organized in a nested, bread crumb fashion that aids navigation and orientation within the large Web site.
The page "Coral Reef Connections" For instance, the page "Coral Reef Connections" provides a comprehensive overview of the coral's relationships, their interaction with other organisms and zooms in on one clam, which can communicate with its neighbours and respond to changes in the water conditions that occur on the reef level. This page, as well as the other multidisciplinary multimedia and interactive pages, gives a good introduction to the many areas of evolutionary biology. The content includes an overview of the significance of natural selectivity and the concept of phylogenetics analysis, an important tool for understanding evolutionary changes.
Evolutionary Theory
Evolution is an underlying thread that runs through all branches of biology. A wide selection of resources helps teachers teach evolution across all disciplines of life sciences.
One resource, the companion to PBS's television show Understanding Evolution is an excellent example of a Web page that provides the depth and the broadness in terms of educational resources. The site offers a range of interactive learning modules. It also features a "bread crumb structure" that allows students to move away from the cartoon-like style that is used in Understanding Evolution and onto elements on this large website more closely connected to the fields of research science. For example, an animation introducing the notion of genetic inheritance leads to a page that highlights John Endler's artificial selection experiments using guppies in the ponds of his native country of Trinidad.
Another useful resource is the Evolution Library on this site, which contains an extensive multimedia library of items that are related to evolution. The contents are organized into curriculum-based paths that parallel the learning objectives set out in the standards for biology. Read More Listed here includes seven short videos designed for classroom use. They can be viewed online or purchased as DVDs.
Evolutionary biology remains a field of study that poses many important questions, including the causes of evolution and how quickly it happens. This is particularly true for human evolution, where it's been difficult to reconcile the idea that the physical characteristics of humans derived from apes, and the religions that believe that humanity is unique in the universe and has an enviable place in creation, with soul.
There are also a number of other ways evolution could occur, with natural selection as the most widely accepted theory. Scientists also study other types such as mutation, genetic drift, and sexual selection.
Although many scientific fields of study are in conflict with literal interpretations found in religious texts, evolution biology has been a source of intense debate and opposition from religious fundamentalists. While certain religions have managed to reconcile their beliefs with the notions of evolution, others haven't.