Evolution Site - Teaching About Evolution
Despite the best efforts of biology teachers, there are still misconceptions regarding evolution. People who have been exposed to pop science nonsense often assume that biologists claim they don't believe in evolution.
This rich Web site, which is a complement to the PBS program, provides teachers with materials which support evolution education, while avoiding the kinds of misconceptions that can make it difficult to understand. It's laid out in a nested "bread crumb" format to facilitate navigation and orientation.
Definitions
It's not easy to effectively teach evolution. It is often misunderstood even by non-scientists, and even some scientists are guilty of using a definition that confuses the issue. 에볼루션 바카라 체험 is particularly true when it comes to debates about the nature of the word.
It is important to define terms used in evolutionary biology. 에볼루션 게이밍 for the PBS show, Understanding Evolution, does this in a simple and efficient way. The site is a companion site to the show which first aired in 2001, but can also function as an independent resource. The content is presented in an organized manner that makes it easier to navigate and comprehend.
The site defines terms like common ancestor, the gradual process and adaptation. These terms help to frame the nature of evolution as well as its relationship to other scientific concepts. The website then provides an overview of how the concept of evolution has been vetted and confirmed. This information can be used to dispel myths that have been engendered by the creationists.
It is also possible to access a glossary of terms used in evolutionary biology. These terms include:
The process of adaptation is the tendency of hereditary traits to become better suited to an environment. This is a result of natural selection. Organisms that have better-adapted traits are more likely than those with less adapted characteristics to survive and reproduce.
Common ancestor (also known as common ancestor) The most recent ancestral ancestor shared by two or more species. By studying the DNA of these species it is possible to identify the common ancestor.
Deoxyribonucleic acid: A massive biological molecule that holds the information needed for cell replication. The information is stored in nucleotides arranged in sequences that are strung together into long chains, referred to as chromosomes. Mutations are the cause of new genetic information in cells.
Coevolution: A relationship between two species where evolutionary changes in one species are influenced by evolutionary changes in the other. Examples of coevolution include the interactions between predator and prey, or the parasite and the host.
Origins
Species (groups that can crossbreed), evolve through a series of natural changes in the traits of their offspring. Changes can be caused by numerous factors, like natural selection, gene drift, and mixing of the gene pool. The development of new species can take thousands of years. Environmental circumstances, such as climate changes or competition for food or habitat, can slow or accelerate the process.
The Evolution site follows the evolution of different animal and plant groups, focusing on major transitions in each group's history. It also examines the human evolutionary roots and humans, a subject that is crucial for students to comprehend.
When Darwin wrote the Origin in 1859, only a handful of antediluvian human fossils had been discovered. One of them was the infamous skullcap and associated bones found in 1856 in the Little Feldhofer Grotto in Germany that is now thought to be an early Homo neanderthalensis. Although the skullcap was not published until 1858, a year before the first edition of the Origin was published, it is very unlikely that Darwin had ever heard of it.
The site is primarily one of biology however it also includes lots of information about paleontology and geology. The website has numerous features that are especially impressive, including the timeline of how geological and climate conditions have changed over time. It also includes a map showing the distribution of fossil groups.
Although the site is a companion to a PBS television series, it also stands on its own as an excellent source for teachers and students. The site is well-organized and offers easy links to the introductory information of Understanding Evolution (developed under the National Science Foundation's support) as well as the more specialized features of the museum website. These links make it easier to transition from the cartoon style of Understanding Evolution pages into the more sophisticated realms of research science. Particularly there are links to John Endler's experiments with guppies that illustrate the importance of ecology in evolutionary theory.
Diversity
The evolution of life has produced a variety of plants, animals and insects. Paleobiology is the study of these creatures within their geographical context and offers numerous advantages over the modern observational and research methods in its exploration of evolutionary phenomena. In addition to exploring processes and events that take place regularly or over a long period of time, paleobiology allows to examine the relative abundance of different species of organisms and their distribution in space over the course of geological time.
The Web site is divided into various pathways to understanding evolution, including "Evolution 101," which takes the viewer on a liner path through the scientific process and the evidence supporting the theory of evolution. The course also focuses on the most common misconceptions about evolution, as well as the evolution of thought.
Each of the other major sections of the Evolution site is equally created, with resources that support a variety of curriculum levels and pedagogical styles. The site has a range of interactive and multimedia content, including videos, animations, and virtual laboratories in addition to general textual content. The breadcrumb-like organization of the content assists with navigation and orientation on the large website.
The page "Coral Reef Connections" For instance, the page "Coral Reef Connections" provides an overview of coral relationships, their interaction with other organisms, and then is enlarged to show one clam, which is able communicate with its neighbors and react to changes in water conditions that occur on the reef level. This page, along with the other multidisciplinary, multimedia and interactive pages on the site, offer an excellent introduction to a wide variety of topics in evolutionary biology. The material includes a discussion on the significance of natural selectivity and the concept of phylogenetics which is a crucial method for understanding the evolution of change.
Evolutionary Theory
Evolution is a common thread that runs through all branches of biology. A vast collection of resources helps teachers teach about evolution across the life sciences.
One resource, a companion to the PBS television series Understanding Evolution, is an outstanding example of an Web site that offers both the depth and breadth of its educational resources. The site features a wide range of interactive learning modules. It also has an encased "bread crumb" structure that helps students move from the cartoon style of Understanding Evolution to elements on this massive website that are more closely linked to the world of research science. Animation that introduces the concept of genetics, which links to a page that highlights John Endler's experiments in artificial selection using Guppies in native ponds in Trinidad.
The Evolution Library on this website is a vast multimedia library of materials that deal to evolution. The content is organized in the form of curriculum-based pathways that are in line with the learning objectives set out in biology standards. It contains seven videos designed specifically for use in classrooms, and can be streamed for free or purchased on DVD.
A number of important questions remain at the heart of evolutionary biology, including what causes evolution to occur and how fast it happens. This is particularly true for the evolution of humans, where it was difficult to reconcile religious beliefs that held that humanity has a unique position in the universe and a soul with the idea that innate physical traits evolved from Apes.
Additionally there are a myriad of ways in which evolution could occur and natural selection is the most widely accepted theory. Scientists also study different types such as mutation, genetic drift, and sexual selection.
While many scientific fields of study conflict with the literal interpretations of religious texts, evolution biology has been a source of intense debate and opposition from religious fundamentalists. Certain religions have reconciled their beliefs with evolution, while others haven't.