Evolution Site - Teaching About Evolution
Despite the best efforts of biology teachers, misinformation about evolution persist. People who have taken in the nonsense of pop science often believe that biologists are saying they do not believe in evolution.
This rich Web site, a companion to the PBS program that provides teachers with resources which support evolution education, while avoiding the kinds of misconceptions which make it difficult to understand. It's laid out in a nested "bread crumb" format to make it easy for navigation and orientation.
Definitions
It's difficult to effectively teach evolution. People who are not scientists often have a difficult time understanding the subject and some scientists employ a definition that confuses it. This is especially true when discussing the nature of the words themselves.
As such, it is crucial to define the terms used in evolutionary biology. Understanding Evolution's website helps you define these terms in a straightforward and useful way. The website is a companion to the show which first aired in 2001, but it can also function as an independent resource. The material is presented in a nested manner that assists in navigation and orientation.
The site defines terms such as common ancestor (or common ancestor), gradual process, and adaptation. These terms help define the nature and significance of evolution with other scientific concepts. The site also provides an overview of how the concept of evolution has been researched and confirmed. This information can be used to dispel the myths that have been created by creationists.
You can also access a glossary which includes terms used in evolutionary biology. These terms include:
Adaptation is the tendency of heritable traits to become more suited to the environment. This is a result of natural selection. Organisms with better-adapted traits are more likely than those with less adaptable characteristics to survive and reproduce.
Common ancestor: The most recent common ancestor of two or more distinct species. By analyzing the DNA from these species, it is possible to identify the common ancestor.
Deoxyribonucleic Acid: A large biological molecular containing the information required for cell replication. The information is stored in sequences of nucleotides that are strung together into long chains, also known as chromosomes. Mutations are the basis for new genetic information within cells.
Coevolution is the relationship between two species where evolution of one species influence evolutionary changes of the other. Coevolution can be seen in the interactions between predator and prey, or parasites and hosts.
Origins
Species (groups that can interbreed) change by a series of natural variations in the traits of their offspring. These changes can be caused by many factors, such as natural selection, gene drift and mixing of the gene pool. The evolution of new species could take thousands of years. Environmental conditions, such as climate changes or competition for food and habitat can impede or accelerate the process.
The Evolution site follows the evolution of different groups of animals and plants with a focus on major changes in each group's past. It also examines the evolutionary history of humans, a topic that is crucial for students to comprehend.
When Darwin wrote the Origin in 1859, only a handful of antediluvian human fossils had been found. The famous skullcap, along with the bones that accompanied it, was discovered in 1856 in the Little Feldhofer Grotto of Germany. It is now known as an early Homo neanderthalensis. Although the skullcap was not published until 1858, which was one year after the first edition of the Origin was published, it's very unlikely that Darwin had heard or seen of it.
While the site is focused on biology, it includes a good deal of information on geology and paleontology. The site offers a number of aspects that are quite impressive, such as the timeline of the way that climate and geological conditions have changed over the course of time. It also features a map showing the distribution of fossil groups.
While the site is a companion to the PBS television show however, it can stand on its own as a great resource for teachers and students. The site is well-organized and offers easy links to the introductory material of Understanding Evolution (developed under the National Science Foundation's support) 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 realms of research science. 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 resulted in a variety of plants, animals and insects. Paleobiology is the study of these creatures in their geological context offers many advantages over modern observational or research methods for exploring evolutionary processes. Paleobiology can examine not only processes and events that take place regularly or over time, but also the distribution and frequency of different species of animals across the geological time.
The site is divided up into different paths that can be chosen to study the subject of evolution. One of these paths, "Evolution 101," takes the viewer through the nature and evidence of evolution. The path also reveals the most common misconceptions about evolution, as well as the evolution theory's history.
Each of the other sections of the Evolution site is equally well created, with resources that can be used to support a range of curriculum levels and pedagogical styles. In addition to the standard textual content, the site also has a wide range of multimedia and interactive content, such as videos, animations and virtual laboratories. The breadcrumb-like organization 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 zooms in on a single clam that can communicate with its neighbors and respond to changes in water conditions at the level of the reef. This page, along with the other multidisciplinary, multimedia, and interactive pages on the website, provide an excellent introduction to a broad range of topics in evolutionary biology. The content also includes an explanation of the role of natural selection and the concept of phylogenetic analysis which is a key tool in understanding evolutionary change.
Evolutionary Theory
Evolution is an underlying thread that connects all branches of biology. A wide selection of resources helps teachers teach evolution across all life science disciplines.
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 features a wealth of interactive learning modules. It also has a "bread crumb structure" that assists students in moving away from the cartoon style that is used in Understanding Evolution and onto elements on this large website more closely connected to the worlds of research science. For instance, 에볼루션카지노사이트 an animation introducing the notion of genetic inheritance leads to a page that focuses on John Endler's experiments in artificial selection with guppies in native ponds of 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 pathways that correspond to the learning objectives outlined in the biology standards. It includes seven short videos that are designed for use in classrooms. These can be streamed or purchased as DVDs.
Evolutionary biology is still a field of study with a lot of important questions, including the causes of evolution and the speed at which it takes place. This is particularly relevant to human evolution, which has made it difficult to reconcile the idea that the physical characteristics of humans were derived from apes and religious beliefs that hold that humans are unique among living things and holds a an enviable place in creation with a soul.
There are also a number of other ways evolution could occur including natural selection, which is the most popular theory. However scientists also study other kinds of evolution, such as mutation, genetic drift and sexual selection, among others.
While many scientific fields of study have a conflict with literal interpretations in religious texts, evolution biology has been the subject 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.