Evolution Site - Teaching About Evolution
Despite the best efforts of biology educators, misinformation about evolution persist. People who have been exposed to popular science myths often assume that biologists claim they don't believe in evolution.
This site, which is a companion to the PBS series offers teachers with resources which support evolution education and avoids the kinds of misconceptions that make it difficult to understand. It's organized in a nested "bread crumb" format to facilitate navigation and orientation.
Definitions
Evolution is a complex and difficult subject matter to teach effectively. People who are not scientists often have a difficult time understanding the subject, and some scientists even use a definition that confuses it. This is particularly relevant when it comes to the meaning of the words themselves.
As such, 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 simple and efficient manner. The website is a companion to the show which first aired in 2001, but also functions as an independent resource. The information is organized in a way that makes it easy to navigate and understand.
The site defines terms such as common ancestor (or common ancestor), gradual process and adaptation. These terms help frame the nature and relationship of evolution to other scientific concepts. The website then provides an overview of how the concept of evolution has been researched and validated. This information can help dispel the myths created by creationists.
You can also consult a glossary that includes terms used in evolutionary biology. These terms include:
Adaptation: The tendency of heritable traits to become better adaptable to a specific environment. This is a result of natural selection. It occurs when organisms that are more adaptable traits are more likely survive and reproduce than those with less adapted characteristics.
Common ancestor (also known as common ancestor): The most recent ancestral ancestor shared by two or more species. The common ancestor can be identified through analyzing the DNA of these species.
Deoxyribonucleic acid: A huge biological molecule that contains the information required for cell replication. The information is stored in nucleotide sequences, which are strung into long chains, referred to as chromosomes. Mutations are the basis for new genetic information within cells.
Coevolution is a relation between two species where evolution of one species are influenced evolutionary changes of the other. Coevolution can be observed in the interactions between predator and prey, or parasite and hosts.
Origins
Species (groups of individuals who can interbreed) develop through a series of natural changes in the traits of their offspring. These changes can be caused by numerous factors, like natural selection, gene drift and mixing of the gene pool. The evolution of a new species may take thousands of years, and the process can be slowed down or speeded up by environmental factors like climate change or the competition for food or habitat.
The Evolution site traces through time the evolution of different groups of animals and plants with a focus on major changes in each group's past. It also explores the human evolutionary roots which is particularly important for students to comprehend.
Darwin's Origin was published in 1859, at a time when only a handful of antediluvian fossils of humans were discovered. The skullcap that is famous, along with the associated bones were discovered in 1856 in the Little Feldhofer Grotto of Germany. It is now regarded as an early Homo neanderthalensis. It is unlikely that Darwin knew about the skullcap, which was first published in 1858, one year following the initial edition of The Origin.
The site is primarily one of biology however, it also has a lot of information on geology and paleontology. The website has several aspects that are quite impressive, such as the timeline of how geological and climate conditions have changed over the course of time. It also includes maps that show the locations of fossil groups.
The site is a companion for the PBS television series, but it can also be used as a resource by teachers and students. The site is well-organized and provides clear links to the introduction information of Understanding Evolution (developed under the National Science Foundation's support) as well as the more specialized features of the museum's website. These links make it easier to transition from the cartoon style of Understanding Evolution pages into the more sophisticated worlds of research science. There are links to John Endler’s experiments with guppies, which demonstrate the importance of ecology in evolutionary theory.
에볼루션 of life on Earth has resulted in a variety of animals, plants, and insects. Paleobiology is the study of these creatures in their geological context and has a number of advantages over the current observational and experimental methods of examining evolutionary phenomena. Paleobiology is able to study not just the processes and events that happen frequently or over time, but also the distribution and frequency of various animal groups in space throughout the geological time.
The Web site is divided into a variety of pathways to understanding evolution which include "Evolution 101," which takes the viewer on a line through the science of nature and the evidence that supports the theory of evolution. The path also examines myths about evolution and also the history of evolutionary thought.
Each of the other main sections of the Evolution site is equally well developed, with materials that can be used to support a range of educational levels and pedagogical styles. The site includes a variety of interactive and multimedia content that include video clips, animations and virtual labs in addition to general textual content. The content is laid out 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" provides a comprehensive overview of the coral's relationships and their interactions with other organisms and then is enlarged to show a single clam, which is able communicate with its neighbours and respond to changes in the conditions of the water that occur at the reef level. This page, along with the other multidisciplinary interactive and multimedia pages gives a good introduction to many topics in evolutionary biology. The content includes a discussion on the significance of natural selectivity and the concept of phylogenetics as a key tool to understand evolutionary changes.
Evolutionary Theory
For biology students evolution is a crucial thread that connects all branches of the field. A vast collection of books helps in teaching evolution across all disciplines of life sciences.
One resource, which is a companion to the PBS television series Understanding Evolution, is an outstanding example of an Web site that provides depth and a variety of educational resources. The site features a wide range of interactive learning modules. It also has an embedded "bread crumb" structure that allows students to transition from the cartoon style of Understanding Evolution to elements on this massive website that are closer to the field of research science. An animation that introduces the concept of genetics links to a page about John Endler's experiments with artificial selection using guppies on native ponds in Trinidad.
Another helpful resource is the Evolution Library on this Web website, which includes an extensive multimedia library of items connected to evolution. The content is organized into curriculum-based pathways that correspond to the learning goals set forth in biology standards. It contains seven short videos specifically intended for use in the classroom. These can be viewed online or purchased as DVDs.
A variety of crucial questions remain at the heart of evolutionary biology, including what triggers evolution and how fast it happens. This is especially applicable to 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 hold that humanity is unique among living things and has an exclusive place in the creation. 에볼루션 코리아 is a soul.
There are a variety of other ways in which evolution could occur including natural selection, which is the most popular theory. However scientists also study different kinds of evolution, such as genetic drift, mutation, and sexual selection, among others.
Many fields of inquiry conflict with the literal interpretations of the Bible evolutionary biology has been the subject of fierce debate and opposition from religious fundamentalists. While certain religions have managed to reconcile their beliefs with the notions of evolution, other religions aren't.