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Evolution Site - Teaching About Evolution
Despite the best efforts by biology educators, there are still a lot of misconceptions about evolution. Pop science nonsense has led many people to think that biologists don't believe in evolution.
This rich Web site - companion to the PBS series - provides teachers with materials which support evolution education and help avoid the kinds of misinformation that can undermine it. It's laid out in a nested "bread crumb" format for ease of navigation and orientation.
Definitions
Evolution is a complex and challenging subject to teach effectively. It is often misunderstood by non-scientists and even some scientists use an interpretation that is confusing the issue. This is especially true when discussing the definition of the words.
As such, it is essential to define terms that are used in evolutionary biology. Understanding Evolution's website does this in a simple and efficient manner. The site is a companion site to the show that premiered in 2001, but also functions as an independent resource. The content is presented in a way that aids navigation and orientation.
The site defines terms like common ancestor, the gradual process, and adaptation. These terms help define the nature and significance of evolution to other concepts in science. The site provides an overview of the manner in which evolution has been tested. This information will help to dispel the myths created by creationists.
You can also access a glossary which includes terms used in evolutionary biology. These terms include:
Adaptation: The tendency for heritable characteristics to become more adaptable to a specific environment. This is a result of natural selection, which occurs when organisms that have more adaptable traits are more likely survive and reproduce than those with less adapted traits.
Common ancestor (also called common ancestor): The most recent ancestral ancestor shared by two or more species. The common ancestor can be identified through analyzing the DNA of the species.
Deoxyribonucleic Acid: A huge biological molecular containing the necessary information for cell replication. The information is stored in nucleotide sequences that are strung into long chains called chromosomes. Mutations are the source of new genetic information in cells.
Coevolution is the relationship between two species in which the evolution of one species influence evolutionary changes in the other. Coevolution can be observed through the interaction between predator and prey, or parasites and hosts.
Origins
Species (groups that can interbreed) develop through a series of natural changes in their offspring's traits. These changes are caused by a variety that include natural selection, genetic drift, and gene pool mixing. The evolution of new species can take thousands of years. Environmental circumstances, such as climate changes or competition for food or habitat can slow or speed up the process.
The Evolution site traces through time the emergence of various species of plants and animals, focusing on major transitions within each group's past. It also examines the evolution of humans, which is a topic of particular importance for students.
When Darwin wrote the Origin in 1859, only a handful of antediluvian human fossils had been found. The most famous among them was the skullcap and bones that were discovered in 1856 at the Little Feldhofer Grotto in Germany, which is now known to be an early Homo neanderthalensis. It is highly unlikely that Darwin knew about the skullcap, which was first published in 1858, which was a year after the publication of the first edition of The Origin. Origin.
While the site focuses on biology, it also includes a good deal of information about geology and paleontology. Evolution KR has several features that are particularly impressive, such as an overview of how climate and geological conditions have changed over time. It also includes maps that show the locations of fossil groups.
Although the site is a companion to the PBS television series however, it can stand on its own as an excellent resource for teachers and students. The site is well-organized and has clear links between the introduction content in Understanding Evolution (developed with support from the National Science Foundation) and the more specific elements of the museum Web site. These hyperlinks help users move from the engaging cartoon style of the Understanding Evolution pages to the more sophisticated world of research science. There are also links to John Endler's experiments with guppies. They illustrate the importance of ecology in evolutionary theory.
Diversity
The evolution of life has resulted in an array of plants, animals and insects. Paleobiology is the study of these creatures in their natural environment and has many advantages over modern observational and experimental methods in its exploration of evolutionary phenomena. Paleobiology is able to study not just the processes and events that take place regularly or over time, but also the distribution and frequency of different species of animals across geological time.
The Web site is divided into several optional ways to learn about evolution, including "Evolution 101," which takes the viewer on a line through the nature of science and the evidence supporting the theory of evolution. The path also explores the most common misconceptions about evolution, as well as the history of evolutionary thought.
Each of the other major sections of the Evolution site is equally created, with resources that can support a variety of different pedagogical levels and curriculum levels. The site offers a wide array of multimedia and interactive resources, including animations, video clips and virtual laboratories as well as general textual content. The breadcrumb-like structure of the content assists with navigation and orientation on the large Web site.
For example the page "Coral Reef Connections" provides an overview of coral relationships and their interaction with other organisms. It then narrows down to a single clam that can communicate with its neighbors and respond to changes in water conditions at the level of the reef. This page, as well as the other multidisciplinary, multimedia, and interactive pages on the website, provide an excellent introduction to a wide variety of topics in evolutionary biology. The material includes an explanation of the significance of natural selectivity and the concept of phylogenetics as a key tool for understanding evolutionary changes.
Evolutionary Theory
For biology students, evolution is a key thread that connects all the branches of the field. A rich collection of resources can help teachers teach about evolution across the life sciences.
One resource, which is a companion to the PBS television series Understanding Evolution, is an excellent example of a Web site that provides depth and a variety of educational resources. The site has a wide array of interactive learning modules. It also has a "bread crumb structure" that helps students move away from the cartoon-like style of Understanding Evolution and onto elements on this site that are more closely linked to the worlds of research science. An animation that introduces students to the concept of genetics, which links to a page about John Endler's artificial-selection experiments with Guppies in native ponds in Trinidad.
The Evolution Library on this website has a huge multimedia library of materials that deal with evolution. The content is organized according to courses that are based on curriculum and follow the learning objectives outlined in biology standards. It includes seven short videos specifically designed for use in the classroom, and can be streamed for no cost or purchased on DVD.
A variety of crucial questions remain at the core of evolutionary biology, such as what causes evolution to occur and the speed at which it occurs. This is especially applicable to human evolution which has made it difficult to reconcile the notion that the physical characteristics of humans derived from apes and religious beliefs that claim that humanity is unique among living things and holds a an enviable place in creation with a soul.
In addition there are a variety of ways in which evolution could occur with natural selection being the most popular theory. Scientists also study different types like mutation, genetic drift, and sexual selection.
Although many scientific fields of study are in conflict with literal interpretations found in religious texts, the concept of evolution biology has been a subject of intense debate and opposition from religious fundamentalists. While certain religions have managed to reconcile their beliefs with the theories of evolution, other religions have not.