Evolution Site - Teaching About Evolution
Despite the best efforts by biology educators, misconceptions persist regarding evolution. Pop science nonsense has led many people to believe that biologists don't believe evolution.
This rich Web site - companion to the PBS series - provides teachers with materials which support evolution education and avoids the kinds of misconceptions that undermine it. It's laid out in a "bread crumb" format to make navigation and orientation easier.
Definitions
Evolution is a complicated and difficult subject to teach well. People who are not scientists often have a difficult time understanding the subject, and some scientists even use a definition which confuses it. This is especially true when discussing the meaning of the words themselves.
It is therefore essential to define the terms that are used in evolutionary biology. The website for the PBS show, Understanding Evolution, does this in a clear and useful manner. It is an accompanying site for the 2001 series, and also a resource on its own. The information is presented in a structured way that makes it easy to navigate and comprehend.
The site defines terms such as common ancestor and the gradual process. These terms help define the nature and relationship of evolution to other concepts in science. The website provides a summary of the manner in which evolution has been examined. This information can be used to dispel misconceptions that have been engendered by creationists.
It is also possible to get a glossary of terms that are used in evolutionary biology. These terms include:
Adaptation is the process of changing heritable traits to become more suitable to their environment. This is the result of natural selection, which occurs when organisms with better-adapted traits are more likely survive and reproduce than those with less adapted characteristics.
Common ancestor (also called common ancestor): The most recent ancestor shared by two or more species. The common ancestor can be identified by analyzing the DNA of the species.
Deoxyribonucleic Acid: A large biological molecular containing the information required for cell replication. The information is stored in nucleotide sequences that are strung into long chains known as chromosomes. Mutations are the source of new genetic information within cells.
Coevolution is a relationship between two species in which evolutionary changes in one species are affected by changes in evolutionary processes in the other. Examples of coevolution are the interactions between predator and prey, or host and parasite.
Origins
Species (groups of individuals that can interbreed) develop through an array of natural changes in the traits of their offspring. These changes can be caused by various factors, including natural selection, gene drift, and mixing of the gene pool. The evolution of new species could take thousands of years. Environmental conditions, like climate changes or competition for food and habitat, can slow or accelerate the process.
The Evolution site traces the emergence of a number of different groups of animals and plants over time, focusing on the major transitions that occurred in the evolution of each group's history. It also focuses on the evolutionary history of humans which is particularly important for students to comprehend.
When Darwin wrote the Origin, only a handful of antediluvian human fossils had been found. One of them was the infamous skullcap and bones that were discovered in 1856 at the Little Feldhofer Grotto in Germany which is now believed to be an early Homo neanderthalensis. It is unlikely that Darwin knew about the skullcap, which was first published in 1858, which was a year after the first edition of The Origin.
The site is mostly one of biology, but it also contains lots of information about geology and paleontology. One of the most appealing features on the site are a set of timelines that show how geological and climatic conditions have changed over time, as well as an outline of the geographical distribution of some fossil groups listed on the site.
The site is a companion to the PBS TV series but it can also be used as a resource for teachers and students. The site is extremely well-organized and has clear links between the introductory content in Understanding Evolution (developed with support from the National Science Foundation) and the more sophisticated components of the museum's Web site. These hyperlinks make it easier to transition from the cartoon style of Understanding Evolution pages into the more sophisticated realms of research science. In particular there are hyperlinks to John Endler's research with Guppies that demonstrate the importance of ecology in evolutionary theory.
Diversity
The evolution of life on Earth has resulted in a variety of animals, plants, and insects. Paleobiology is the study of these creatures within their geological context and has many advantages over the modern observational and research methods in its exploration of evolutionary processes. In addition to examining processes and events that occur regularly or over a long period of time, paleobiology allows to examine the relative abundance of various kinds of organisms as well as their distribution in space over the course of geological time.
에볼루션 바카라 무료체험 Evolution is divided into different routes that can be taken to learn about evolution. One of the paths, "Evolution 101," takes the viewer through the nature and evidence of evolution. The path also explores common misconceptions about evolution and the evolution theory's history.
Each of the other major sections of the Evolution site is equally constructed, with materials that can be used to support a range of curriculum levels and pedagogical styles. The site has a range of interactive and multimedia content that include animations, video clips and virtual labs in addition to general textual content. The breadcrumb-like structure of the content assists with navigation and orientation on the massive Web site.
For instance the page "Coral Reef Connections" provides an overview of the relationships between corals and their interaction with other organisms. It then concentrates on a specific clam that is able to communicate with its neighbors and react to changes in the water conditions that occur at the reef level. This page, along with the other multidisciplinary interactive and multimedia pages offers a great introduction to many topics in evolutionary biology. The content also includes an overview of the significance of natural selectivity and the concept of phylogenetics which is a crucial method for understanding the evolution of changes.
Evolutionary Theory
For biology students, evolution is a key thread that connects all branches of the field. A rich collection supports teaching evolution across the disciplines of life science.
One resource, the companion to PBS's television series Understanding Evolution is an excellent example of an Web page that offers both the depth and the broadness in terms of educational resources. The site offers a variety of interactive learning modules. It also features a "bread crumb structure" that assists students in moving away from the cartoon-like style of Understanding Evolution and onto elements on this large website more closely connected to the realms of research science. For example an animation that introduces the concept of genetic inheritance links to a page that focuses on John Endler's experiments in artificial selection with guppies in native ponds of Trinidad.
Another resource that is worth mentioning is the Evolution Library on this website, which includes an extensive collection of multimedia items that are related to evolution. The content is organized in curricula-based paths that correspond to the learning objectives set out in the biology standards. It includes seven short videos intended for use in the classroom. These can be streamed or purchased as DVDs.
Evolutionary biology is a field of study that poses many important questions to answer, such as what causes evolution and the speed at which it occurs. This is particularly true for human evolution, where it's been difficult to reconcile the notion that the physical traits of humans were derived from apes and religious beliefs that claim that humanity is unique in the universe and has an exclusive place in the creation with soul.
There are also a number of other ways in which evolution can take place, with natural selection as the most well-known theory. Scientists also study different types such as genetic drift, and sexual selection.
While many fields of scientific study have a conflict with literal interpretations found in religious texts, evolution biology has been a subject of intense controversy and opposition from religious fundamentalists. Certain religions have embraced their beliefs with evolution, while others haven't.