Evolution Site - Teaching About Evolution
Despite the best efforts by biology educators, there are still a lot of misconceptions about the evolution. People who have been exposed to the nonsense of pop science often believe that biologists are saying they do not believe in evolution.
This site, which is a complement to the PBS program that provides teachers with resources which support evolution education while avoiding the types of misconceptions that hinder it. It's arranged 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 use a definition that confuses it. This is particularly true when it comes to discussions on the definition of the word itself.
As such, it is important to define terms used in evolutionary biology. Understanding Evolution's website does this in a straightforward and useful way. The website is a companion to the series that first aired in 2001, but is also an independent resource. The material is presented in a structured manner that makes it easier to navigate and comprehend.
The site defines terms such as common ancestor (or common ancestor), gradual process and adaptation. These terms help frame the nature of evolution and its relation to other concepts in science. The website provides a summary of the ways in which evolution has been examined. This information can be used to dispel the myths that have been created by creationists.
It is also possible to access a glossary of terms that are used in evolutionary biology. These terms include:
Adaptation is the tendency of heritable traits to become more suitable to their environment. This is a result of natural selection, which happens when organisms that are better-adapted characteristics are more likely to survive and reproduce than those with less adapted characteristics.
Common ancestor (also called common ancestor) The most recent ancestor that is shared by two or more species. By studying the DNA of these species, it is possible to determine the common ancestor.
Deoxyribonucleic acid: A huge biological molecule that contains the information required for cell replication. The information is contained in sequences of nucleotides that are strung together to form long chains, called chromosomes. Mutations are responsible for the creation of new genetic information inside cells.
Coevolution is a relationship between two species where evolutionary changes of one species influence evolutionary changes in the other. Examples of coevolution include the interactions between predator and prey, or parasite and host.
Origins
Species (groups of individuals who can interbreed) evolve through a series of natural changes in the characteristics of their offspring. The causes of these changes are numerous factors, like natural selection, gene drift and mixing of the gene pool. The development of new species can take thousands of years. Environmental conditions, such as climate change or competition for food or habitat can slow or speed up the process.
The Evolution site tracks the evolution of various groups of animals and plants over time, focusing on the major transitions that occurred in each group's history. It also examines the evolutionary origin of humans which is particularly important for students to know.
When Darwin wrote the Origin, only a handful of antediluvian human fossils had been discovered. One of them was the infamous skullcap and associated bones found 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 was aware of the skullcap when it was published in 1858, one year after the publication of the first edition of The Origin.
While the site is focused on biology, it offers a lot of information about geology as well as paleontology. The Web site has numerous aspects that are quite impressive, such as an overview of how geological and climate conditions have changed over time. It also has a map showing the distribution of fossil groups.
While the site is a companion to the PBS television show, it also stands on its own as a valuable 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) and the more specific features of the museum website. These links make it easier 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 on Earth has led to a wide variety of plants, animals, and insects. Paleobiology is the study of these creatures within their geological context, has many advantages over modern observational or experimental methods of studying evolutionary processes. Paleobiology is able to study not only processes and events that occur regularly or over time, but also the relative abundance and distribution of different groups of animals in space over the course of geological time.
The site is divided into different paths that can be chosen to learn about evolution. One of the paths, "Evolution 101," takes the viewer through the evolution of nature and the evidence of evolution. The path also explores misconceptions regarding evolution, and also the history of evolutionary thinking.
Each of the main sections on the Evolution website is equally well-designed, with materials that can be used to support a variety of educational levels and teaching styles. In addition to the standard textual content, the site also has an array of multimedia and interactive resources like videos, animations and virtual labs. The content is presented in a nested bread crumb-like fashion that helps with navigation and orientation within the large web site.
The page "Coral Reef Connections" For instance, the page "Coral Reef Connections" gives a brief overview of the coral's relationships and their interactions with other organisms and is enlarged to show one clam that is able to communicate with its neighbors and react to changes in conditions of the water that occur at the reef level. This page, along with the other multidisciplinary interactive and multimedia pages, offers a great introduction to a variety of topics in evolutionary biology. 에볼루션 슬롯게임 includes an overview of the significance of natural selectivity and the concept phylogenetics analysis, an important tool for understanding evolutionary change.
Evolutionary Theory
Evolution is an underlying thread that runs through all branches of biology. 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 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 assists students in moving away from the cartoon style of Understanding Evolution and onto elements on this large website more closely related to the fields of research science. For instance an animation that explains the concept of genetic inheritance links to a page that highlights John Endler's experiments with artificial selection with guppies from the native ponds of Trinidad.
Another useful resource is the Evolution Library on this website, which includes an extensive multimedia library of assets related to evolution. The content is organized according to curriculum-based pathways that correspond to the learning objectives set out in the standards for biology. It includes seven short videos intended for use in the classroom. They are available to stream or purchase as DVDs.
A number of important questions remain in the midst of evolutionary biology, such as what triggers evolution and how fast it happens. This is especially true for human evolution, which has made it difficult to reconcile that the physical traits of humans evolved from apes and religious beliefs that hold that humans are unique among living things and has an exclusive place in the creation, with soul.
In addition there are a variety of ways that evolution could occur with natural selection being the most widely accepted theory. Scientists also study different types such as genetic drift and sexual selection.
While many fields of scientific inquiry conflict with the literal interpretations of the Bible Evolutionary biology has been the subject of fierce debate and opposition from religious fundamentalists. Certain religions have reconciled their beliefs with evolution, while others haven't.
