How To Build Successful Evolution Site Strategies From Home
Evolution Site - Teaching About Evolution
Despite the best efforts of biology teachers, misinformation about evolution persist. People who have absorbed popular science myths often assume that biologists are saying they do not believe in evolution.
This site, which is a companion to the PBS program offers teachers resources that support the evolution of education while avoiding the types of misconceptions that can hinder 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. Many non-scientists are unable to grasp the concept, and some scientists even use a definition which confuses it. This is particularly relevant to debates about the definition of the word itself.
As such, it is essential to define terms that are used in evolutionary biology. Understanding Evolution's website provides this in a straightforward and useful manner. It is an accompaniment to the 2001 series, but also a resource on its own. The content is presented in a nested manner which aids navigation and orientation.
The site defines terms such as common ancestor, gradual process and so on. 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 tested. This information can help dispel the myths created by creationists.
You can also access a glossary which contains terms used in evolutionary biology. These terms include:
Adaptation is the process of changing heritable traits to become better suited to an environment. This is a result of natural selection. Organisms with more adaptable traits are more likely than those with less-adapted traits to survive and reproduce.
Common ancestor (also called common ancestor): The most recent ancestral ancestor shared by two or more species. By analyzing DNA from these species, it is possible to determine the common ancestor.
Deoxyribonucleic acid: A large biological molecule that contains information needed for cell replication. The information is stored in nucleotide sequences, which are strung into long chains called chromosomes. Mutations are responsible for the creation of new genetic information within cells.
Coevolution is the relationship between two species where evolutionary changes of one species influence evolutionary changes of the other. Coevolution can be observed in the interactions between predator and prey, or parasite and hosts.
Origins
Species (groups which can interbreed) develop by a series of natural variations in the traits of their offspring. The changes can be caused by a variety such as natural selection, genetic drift and mixing of genes. The development of a new species could take thousands of years, and the process can be slowed or increased due to environmental conditions, such as climate change or the competition for food or habitat.
The Evolution site follows the emergence of various groups of animals and plants and focuses on major changes in each group's history. It also examines the human evolutionary roots, a topic that is especially important for students to understand.
When Darwin wrote the Origin in 1859, only a handful of antediluvian human fossils had been discovered. The famous skullcap, with the bones that accompanied it were discovered in 1856 in the Little Feldhofer Grotto of Germany. It is now known as an early Homo neanderthalensis. It is highly unlikely that Darwin knew about the skullcap, which was first published in 1858, a year after the first edition of The Origin. Origin.
The site is primarily an online biology resource, but it also contains many details on paleontology and geology. Among the best features on the site are a series of timelines which show the way in which climatic and geological conditions have changed over time, as well as an outline of the distribution of a few fossil groups listed on the site.
While the site is a companion piece 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 easy links to the introductory material 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 make it easier to transition from the cartoon-style Understanding Evolution pages into the more sophisticated worlds of research science. Particularly there are links to John Endler's experiments with Guppies, which demonstrate the importance of ecology in evolutionary theory.
Diversity
The evolution of life has led to a variety of animals, plants and insects. Paleobiology is the study of these creatures in their geological environment is a superior method of study over modern observational or research methods for exploring evolutionary processes. In addition to examining processes and events that take place regularly or over a lengthy period of time, paleobiology is able to study the relative abundance of various groups of organisms and their distribution in space over the geological time.
The website is divided into various options to gain knowledge about evolution. One of these paths, "Evolution 101," guides the user through the evolution of nature and the evidence of evolution. The path also examines myths about evolution and also the history of evolutionary thinking.
Each of the main sections of the Evolution website is equally well-developed, and includes materials that support a variety educational levels and teaching styles. The site includes a variety of interactive and multimedia content that include videos, animations, and virtual laboratories in addition to general textual content. The content is laid out in a nested bread crumb-like fashion that helps with navigation and orientation within the vast web site.
For instance the page "Coral Reef Connections" provides an overview of coral relationships and their interaction with other organisms, then concentrates on a specific clam that can communicate with its neighbors and respond to changes in the water conditions at the level of the reef. This page, along with the other multidisciplinary interactive and multimedia pages, gives a good introduction to a variety of topics in evolutionary biology. The content also includes an overview of the importance of natural selection and the concept phylogenetics analysis, an important method for understanding the evolution of change.
Evolutionary Theory
For biology students evolution is a crucial thread that binds all branches of the field. A vast collection of resources can help teachers teach about evolution across all life sciences.
One resource, a companion to the PBS television series Understanding Evolution, is an exceptional example of a Web site that provides depth and breadth in its educational resources. The site has a variety of interactive learning modules. It also features a nested "bread crumb" structure that allows students to transition from the cartoon style of Understanding Evolution to elements on this huge site that are more closely tied to the world of research science. For instance an animation that introduces the idea of genetic inheritance connects to a page highlighting John Endler's experiments in artificial selection with guppies in native ponds of Trinidad.
Another helpful resource is the Evolution Library on this Web site, which has an extensive multimedia library of assets connected to evolution. The content is organized according to courses that are based on curriculum and follow the learning goals established in the biology standards. It includes seven short videos specifically designed for use in classrooms, and can be streamed for free or purchased on DVD.
Evolutionary biology is an area of study that has many important questions, including what causes evolution and how quickly it takes place. This is particularly true for the evolution of humans, where it was difficult to reconcile religious beliefs that held that humans have a distinct place in creation and a soul, with the notion that human beings have innate physical traits were derived from Apes.
Additionally, there are Related Homepag of ways that evolution can occur with natural selection being the most widely accepted theory. Scientists also study other kinds such as mutation, genetic drift and sexual selection.
While many fields of scientific inquiry conflict with literal interpretations of religious texts evolutionary biology has been the subject of controversial debate and resistance from religious fundamentalists. While certain religions have managed to reconcile their beliefs with the theories of evolution, other religions have not.