Evolution Site - Teaching About Evolution
Despite the best efforts of biology educators, misinformation about evolution persist. Pop science nonsense has led people to think that biologists don't believe in evolution.
This site, which is a companion to the PBS program that provides teachers with resources which support evolution education, while avoiding the kinds of misconceptions that make it difficult to understand. It's organized in a nested "bread crumb" format to make it easy for navigation and orientation.
Definitions
Evolution is a complicated and challenging subject to teach well. It is often misunderstood even by non-scientists, and even scientists have been guilty of using definitions that confuse the issue. 에볼루션 카지노 is particularly true when it comes to discussions about the meaning of the word itself.
It is important to define terms that are used in evolutionary biology. Understanding Evolution's website provides this in an easy and helpful way. It is a companion for the 2001 series, but also a resource of its own. The material is presented in a nested fashion which aids navigation and orientation.
The site defines terms such as common ancestor and the gradual process. These terms help to frame the nature of evolution as well as its relation to other scientific concepts. The website then provides an overview of how the concept of evolution has been vetted 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 is the process of changing heritable traits to become more suitable to their environment. This is the result of natural selection. Organisms with better-adapted traits are more likely than those with less adapted characteristics to survive and reproduce.
Common ancestor (also called common ancestor) is the most recent ancestor shared by two or more species. The common ancestor can be identified through analyzing the DNA of the species.
Deoxyribonucleic Acid: A massive biological molecular that holds the information required for cell replication. The information is contained in a sequence 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 the evolution of one species are influenced evolutionary changes in the other. Examples of coevolution are the interactions between predator and prey or the parasite and the host.
Origins
Species (groups of individuals who can interbreed) develop 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 evolution of a new species can take thousands of years and the process may be slowed down or speeded up due to environmental conditions, such as climate change or the competition for food or habitat.
The Evolution site tracks through time the emergence of various animal and plant groups, focusing on major transitions in each group's past. It also explores the evolutionary history of humans which is especially important for students to comprehend.
Darwin's Origin was written in 1859, when just a handful of antediluvian fossils of human beings had been discovered. The most famous among them was the skullcap and the associated bones discovered in 1856 at the Little Feldhofer Grotto in Germany, which is now known as an early Homo neanderthalensis. While the skullcap wasn't published until 1858, which was a year before the first edition of the Origin was published, it's very unlikely that Darwin had seen or heard of it.
The site is primarily a biology site however, it also has a lot of information on geology and paleontology. One of the most appealing features of the Web site are a series of timelines which show the way in which climatic and geological conditions have changed over time as well as a map of the geographical distribution of some of the fossil groups featured on the site.
The site is a companion for the PBS television series, but it can also be used as a source for teachers and students. The site is well-organized and has clear links between the introduction content in Understanding Evolution (developed with support from the National Science Foundation) and the more specialized components of the museum's Web site. These links 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 links to John Endler's experiments with guppies that illustrate the importance of ecology in evolutionary theory.
Diversity
The evolution of life has led to a variety of plants, animals and insects. Paleobiology, the study of these creatures in their geological environment is a superior method of study over the current observational or experimental methods for exploring evolutionary phenomena. In addition to examining processes and events that take place regularly or over a lengthy period of time, paleobiology allows to study the diversity of kinds of organisms as well as their distribution across the course of geological time.
The website is divided into several optional pathways to understanding evolution that include "Evolution 101," which takes the user on a linear path through the nature of science and the evidence that supports the theory of evolution. The path also reveals common misconceptions about evolution as well as the evolution theory's history.
Each of the other sections of the Evolution site is similarly created, with resources that can support a variety of different pedagogical levels and curriculum levels. The site has a range of interactive and multimedia resources which include video clips, animations and virtual labs, in addition to its general textual content. The content is organized in a nested, bread crumb fashion that aids navigation and orientation on the Web site.
For example the page "Coral Reef Connections" provides an overview of the relationships between corals and their interactions with other organisms, then concentrates on a specific clam that can communicate with its neighbours and respond to changes in the water conditions that take place at the level of the reef. This page, along with the other multidisciplinary multimedia and interactive pages, offers a great introduction to a variety of topics in evolutionary biology. The content also includes an overview of the importance of natural selection as well as the concept of phylogenetic analysis which is an important tool in understanding evolutionary change.
Evolutionary Theory
For biology students the concept of evolution is a major thread that connects all the branches of the field. A vast collection of resources helps teachers teach about evolution across the life sciences.
One resource, which is a companion to the PBS television series Understanding Evolution, is an excellent example of an Web site that provides the depth and breadth of its educational resources. The site offers a range of interactive learning modules. It also features an encased "bread crumb" structure that allows students to transition from the cartoon style of Understanding Evolution to elements on this massive website that are more closely tied to the field of research science. Animation that introduces the concept of genetics is linked to a page that highlights John Endler's experiments in artificial selection using Guppies living in ponds native to Trinidad.
The Evolution Library on this website contains a large multimedia library of assets related with evolution. The contents are organized into curriculum-based paths that parallel the learning objectives set out in the biology standards. It includes seven short videos specifically designed for use in the classroom, and can be streamed for no cost or purchased on DVD.
A variety of crucial questions remain at the heart of evolutionary biology, including what triggers evolution and how fast it occurs. This is especially relevant to human evolution, which has made it difficult to reconcile that the physical characteristics of humans evolved from apes with religions that believe that humanity is unique among living things and has a special place in creation with soul.
There are a variety of other ways evolution can take place including natural selection, which is the most well-known theory. Scientists also study other kinds such as genetic drift, and sexual selection.
Although many scientific fields of study are in conflict with literal interpretations found in religious texts, the concept of evolution biology has been the subject of intense debate and opposition from religious fundamentalists. While certain religions have been able to reconcile their beliefs with the theories of evolution, others have not.