Evolution Site - Teaching About Evolution
Despite the best efforts of biology teachers, there are still misconceptions regarding evolution. Pop science nonsense has led many people to think that biologists don't believe in evolution.
This rich Web site, which is a companion to the PBS program offers teachers resources that promote evolution education, while avoiding the kinds of misconceptions which undermine it. It's laid out in a nested "bread crumb" format to make it easy for navigation and orientation.
Definitions
Evolution is a complex and difficult subject to teach well. It is often misunderstood by non-scientists, and even some scientists are guilty of using definitions that confuse the issue. This is particularly relevant to discussions about the nature of the word.
It is therefore essential to define the terms that are used in evolutionary biology. Understanding Evolution's website provides this in a straightforward and useful way. The site serves as an accompaniment to the 2001 series, but also a resource on its own. The content is presented in a nested fashion which aids navigation and orientation.
The site defines terms like common ancestor (or common ancestor), gradual process and adaptation. These terms help to define the nature of evolution as well as its relationship to other scientific concepts. The website provides a summary of the way the concept of evolution has been examined. This information will help to dispel the myths that are created by the creationists.
You can also access a glossary that includes terms that are used in evolutionary biology. These terms include:
Adaptation is the tendency of heritable traits to be more suitable to their environment. This is due to natural selection, which happens when organisms with better adapted traits are more likely to survive and reproduce than those with less adapted traits.
Common ancestor: The latest common ancestor of two or more species. By analyzing the DNA from these species it is possible to identify the common ancestor.
Deoxyribonucleic acid: A massive biological molecule that contains information necessary for cell replication. The information is contained in a sequence of nucleotides that are strung together into long chains, referred to as chromosomes. Mutations are the source of new genetic information within cells.
Coevolution: A relationship between two species in which evolutionary changes in one species are influenced by evolutionary changes in the other. Coevolution can be seen in the interactions between predator and prey, or parasites and hosts.
Origins
Species (groups which can interbreed) develop by a series of natural variations in the traits of their offspring. The causes of these changes are many factors, such as natural selection, gene drift, and mixing of the gene pool. The development of new species can 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 tracks the development of a variety of species of plants and animals over time with a focus on the key transitions that occurred in the evolution of each group's history. It also focuses on human evolution, which is a topic that is of particular interest for students.
When Darwin wrote the Origin of Species, only a handful of antediluvian human fossils had been found. The famous skullcap, with the associated bones were discovered in 1856 in the Little Feldhofer Grotto of Germany. It is now recognized as an early Homo neanderthalensis. While the skullcap wasn't published until 1858, a year before the first edition of the Origin appeared, it is very unlikely that Darwin had heard or seen of it.
The site is primarily one of biology however, it also has many details on geology and paleontology. The Web site has numerous features that are particularly impressive, such as an overview of how geological and climate conditions have changed over time. It also features maps that show the locations of fossil groups.
The site is a companion to a PBS television series, but it can also be used as a resource for teachers and students. The site is well-organized, and provides clear links to the introductory information of Understanding Evolution (developed under the National Science Foundation's assistance) and the more specialized features on the museum's website. These hyperlinks make it easy to move from the cartoon style of Understanding Evolution pages into the more sophisticated worlds of research science. There are also links to John Endler's experiments with guppies. They 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 natural environment and has a number of advantages over modern observational and experimental methods in its exploration of evolutionary processes. Paleobiology can examine not just the processes and events that take place frequently or over time, but also the distribution and frequency of different species of animals in space over the course of geological time.
The site is divided up into different options to study the subject of evolution. One of these paths, "Evolution 101," walks the reader through the nature and evidence of evolution. The course also focuses on the most common misconceptions about evolution, as well as the evolution of thought.
Each of the main sections on the Evolution website is equally well-developed, with materials that support a variety curriculum levels and teaching styles. The site has a range of interactive and multimedia resources, including animations, video clips and virtual labs as well as general textual content. The content is presented 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 the relationships between corals and their interaction with other organisms. Then, it concentrates on a specific clam that can communicate with its neighbours and respond to changes in the water conditions at the reef level. This page, along with the other multidisciplinary multimedia and interactive pages, gives a good introduction to many topics in evolutionary biology. 바카라 에볼루션 includes a discussion of the role of natural selection as well as the concept of phylogenetic analysis, which is a key tool for understanding the evolution of change.
Evolutionary Theory
For biology students, evolution is a key thread that connects all branches of the field. A rich collection supports teaching evolution across all disciplines of life science.
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 breadth in its educational resources. The site has a wide array of interactive learning modules. It also features an encased "bread crumb" structure that allows students to transition from the cartoon style of Understanding Evolution to elements on this large Web site closer to the field of research science. An animation that introduces the concept of genetics, which links to a page that highlights 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 resources that are associated to evolution. The contents are organized into curriculum-based paths that parallel the learning objectives outlined in biology standards. It contains seven videos specifically intended for use in the classroom. These are available to stream or purchase as DVDs.
Evolutionary biology is a field of study with a lot of important questions, such as the causes of evolution and the speed at which it happens. This is especially true for human evolution, which has made it difficult to reconcile the idea that the physical characteristics of humans were derived from apes with religious beliefs that hold that humanity is unique among living things and holds a a special place in creation, with soul.
There are also a number of other ways evolution can take place and natural selection being the most well-known theory. Scientists also study other types such as mutation, genetic drift, and sexual selection.
Although many scientific fields of study have a conflict with literal interpretations in religious texts, evolution biology has been the subject of intense debate and resistance from religious fundamentalists. While some religions have been able to reconcile their beliefs with the theories of evolution, other religions aren't.