Evolution Site - Teaching About Evolution
Despite the best efforts of biology educators, misinformation about evolution remain. Pop science nonsense has led people to think that biologists don't believe in evolution.
This rich Web site - companion to the PBS series offers teachers with resources which support evolution education and avoid the kinds of misinformation that can undermine it. It's arranged in a nested "bread crumb" format for ease of navigation and orientation.
Definitions
Evolution is a complicated and challenging subject to teach well. It is often misunderstood by non-scientists, and even some scientists have been guilty of using definitions that confuse the issue. This is particularly relevant when it comes to the meaning of the words themselves.
Therefore, it is crucial to define the terms that are used in evolutionary biology. The website for the PBS show, Understanding Evolution, does this in a clear and helpful way. The site serves as a companion for the 2001 series, but it is also a resource on its own. The information is presented in a structured manner that makes it easier to navigate and understand.
The site defines terms like common ancestor, gradual process, and adaptation. These terms help to define the nature and relationship of evolution to other concepts in science. The site gives a comprehensive overview of the manner in which evolution has been examined. This information can help dispel myths created by creationists.
It is also possible to find the glossary of terms used in evolutionary biology. These terms include:
Adaptation: The tendency for heritable characteristics to become more adaptable to a specific environment. This is the result of natural selection, which happens when organisms that have more adaptable traits are more likely to survive and reproduce than those with less adaptable traits.
Common ancestor (also known as common ancestor) The most recent ancestral ancestor shared by two or more species. The common ancestor can be identified by analyzing the DNA of the species.
Deoxyribonucleic acid: A huge biological molecule that contains the information necessary for cell replication. The information is contained in a sequence of nucleotides that are strung together to form long chains, referred to as chromosomes. Mutations are the reason behind the creation of new genetic information within cells.
Coevolution: A relationship between two species in which evolutionary changes in one species are dependent on evolutionary changes in the other. Coevolution can be observed in the interaction of predator and prey, or parasites and hosts.
Origins
Species (groups that can crossbreed), evolve through a series of natural changes in the traits of their offspring. The changes can be triggered by a variety of causes such as natural selection, genetic drift and gene pool mixing. The evolution of new species can take thousands of years. Environmental conditions, such as climate change or competition for food or habitat, can slow or accelerate the process.
The Evolution site traces through time the evolution of various groups of animals and plants and focuses on major changes in each group's history. It also focuses on human evolution, which is a topic that is particularly important to students.
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 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 after the publication of the first edition of The Origin. Origin.
While the site focuses on biology, it also contains a wealth of information about geology as well as paleontology. The Web site has a number of features that are especially impressive, such as the timeline of how geological and climate conditions have changed over time. It also includes maps that show the locations of fossil groups.
The site is a companion for the PBS television series, but it could also be used as a source for teachers and students. The site is well-organized and offers clear links to the introductory material of Understanding Evolution (developed under the National Science Foundation's assistance) and the more specific features of the museum's website. These links facilitate the transition from the enthralling cartoon style of the Understanding Evolution pages to the more sophisticated world of research science. There are links to John Endler's experiments with guppies. They illustrate the importance of ecology in evolutionary theory.
Diversity
The evolution of life has produced many species of plants, animals and insects. Paleobiology, the study of these creatures within their geological environment is a superior method of study over modern observational or research methods of studying evolutionary phenomena. Paleobiology focuses on not only the process and events that happen regularly or over time, but also the distribution and frequency of various animal groups across geological time.
에볼루션 카지노 is divided into several optional ways to learn about evolution, including "Evolution 101," which takes the user on a linear path through the scientific process and the evidence that supports the theory of evolution. The course also focuses on misconceptions about evolution, as well as the history of evolutionary thinking.
Each of the other main sections of the Evolution site is equally well constructed, with materials that support a variety of curriculum levels and pedagogical styles. In addition to the general textual content, the site features a wide range of interactive and multimedia resources including videos, animations, and virtual labs. The content is laid out in a nested bread crumb-like fashion that helps with navigation and orientation within the vast Web site.
For example the page "Coral Reef Connections" gives a brief overview of the relationships between corals and their interactions with other organisms. It then narrows down to a single clam that is able to communicate with its neighbours and respond to changes in water conditions at the level of the reef. This page, as well as the other multidisciplinary interactive and multimedia pages, gives a good introduction to the many areas of evolutionary biology. The material also provides a discussion of the role of natural selection as well as the concept of phylogenetic analysis, which is a crucial method to understand evolutionary changes.
Evolutionary Theory
For biology students the concept of evolution is a major thread that connects all branches of the field. A vast collection of books helps in teaching evolution across the disciplines of life sciences.
One resource, a companion to the PBS television series Understanding Evolution, is an excellent example of an Web site that offers both the depth and breadth of its 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 used in Understanding Evolution and onto elements of this vast website that are closely related to the worlds of research science. An animation that introduces students to the concept of genetics, which links to a page highlighting John Endler's experiments in artificial selection using guppies on native ponds in Trinidad.
The Evolution Library on this website has a huge multimedia library of assets related with evolution. The content is organized according to curriculum-based paths that parallel the learning goals established in the biology standards. It includes seven short videos that are designed for use in classrooms. They can be viewed online or purchased as DVDs.
Many important questions remain at the heart of evolutionary biology, such as the factors that trigger evolution and how fast it happens. This is particularly true for humans' evolution which was a challenge to reconcile religious beliefs that held that humanity has a special place in the creation and a soul with the notion that human beings have innate physical traits originated from apes.
There are a myriad of other ways evolution could occur and natural selection being the most popular theory. Scientists also study different types such as 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. Some religions have reconciled their beliefs to evolution while others haven't.