Evolution Site - Teaching About Evolution
Despite the best efforts of biology educators, misconceptions about evolution persist. People who have absorbed popular science myths often assume that biologists are saying they do not believe in evolution.
This site, which is a companion to the PBS series offers teachers with resources that 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
It is difficult to effectively teach evolution. Many non-scientists are unable to grasp the concept, and some scientists even use a definition which confuses it. This is particularly true when it comes to discussions about the meaning of the word itself.
It is therefore crucial to define the terms that are used in evolutionary biology. Understanding Evolution's website provides this in an easy and helpful manner. The site is both a companion for the 2001 series, but also a resource of its own. The content is presented in a way that assists in navigation and orientation.
The site defines terms like common ancestor, gradual process, and adaptation. These terms help frame the nature and significance of evolution to other scientific concepts. The website provides a summary of the manner the concept of evolution has been examined. This information can help dispel the myths created by creationists.
It is also possible to get a glossary of terms that are used in evolutionary biology. These terms include:
Adaptation is the tendency of heritable traits to be more suited to the environment. This is a result of natural selection. Organisms with better-adapted characteristics are more likely than those with less adapted traits to reproduce and survive.
Common ancestor: The latest common ancestor of two or more different species. The common ancestor can be identified through analyzing the DNA of these species.
Deoxyribonucleic acid: A massive biological molecule that contains the information needed for cell replication. The information is stored in nucleotide sequences that are strung into long chains known as chromosomes. 에볼루션 블랙잭 are the basis for new genetic information in cells.
Coevolution is a relation between two species in which the evolutionary changes of one species are influenced by evolutionary changes of the other. Examples of coevolution include the interactions between predator and prey, or host and parasite.
Origins
Species (groups that can crossbreed), evolve through a series of natural changes in their offspring's traits. The changes can be triggered by a variety such as natural selection, genetic drift, and mixing of gene pools. The development of a new species can take thousands of years, and the process could be slowed down or accelerated due to environmental conditions, such as climate change or competition for food or habitat.
The Evolution site tracks the evolution of a number of different animal and plant groups through time with a focus on the key shifts that occurred throughout the evolution of each group's history. It also explores human evolution as a subject of particular importance for students.
When Darwin wrote the Origin, only a handful of antediluvian human fossils had been found. The skullcap that is famous, along with the bones associated with it, was discovered in 1856 in the Little Feldhofer Grotto of Germany. It is now recognized as an early Homo neanderthalensis. It is highly unlikely that Darwin was aware of the skullcap, which was published in 1858, one year after the first edition of The Origin. Origin.
While the site is focused on biology, it includes a good deal of information about geology as well as paleontology. One of the most appealing features on the site are a series of timelines that show how geological and climatic conditions have changed over time as well as an outline of the distribution of some fossil groups listed on the site.
Although the site is a companion piece to the PBS television series but it also stands on its own as a great source for teachers and students. The site is well-organized, and provides clear links to the introductory information of Understanding Evolution (developed under the National Science Foundation's support) and the more specific features of the museum's website. These hyperlinks facilitate the move from the enthralling cartoon style of the Understanding Evolution pages to the more sophisticated world of research science. There are also links to John Endler's experiments with guppies, which illustrate 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 in their geological context and has a number of advantages over modern observational and experimental methods of examining evolutionary phenomena. Paleobiology focuses on not just the processes and events that happen frequently or over time, but also the relative abundance and distribution of different species of animals in space throughout geological time.
The website is divided into several routes that can be taken to gain knowledge about evolution. One of the paths, "Evolution 101," walks the reader through the evolution of nature and the evidence of evolution. The path also reveals the most common misconceptions about evolution, as well as the history of evolutionary thought.
Each of the other main sections of the Evolution site is similarly constructed, with materials that can be used to support a range of curriculum levels and pedagogical styles. The site offers a wide array of interactive and multimedia resources that include video clips, animations and virtual labs as well as general textual content. The content is organized in a nested, bread crumb-like fashion that helps with navigation and orientation on the web site.
For example, the page "Coral Reef Connections" provides a comprehensive overview of the relationships between corals and their interaction with other organisms, then narrows down to a single clam that is able to communicate with its neighbours and respond to changes in the water conditions at the reef level. This page, as well as the other multidisciplinary, multimedia and interactive pages on the site, provide an excellent introduction to a wide variety of topics in evolutionary biology. The content also includes an explanation of the significance of natural selectivity and the concept of phylogenetics analysis, an important method for understanding the evolution of changes.
Evolutionary Theory
Evolution is a common thread that runs through all branches of biology. A rich collection of resources supports teaching about evolution across the life sciences.
One resource, a companion to the PBS television series Understanding Evolution, is an exceptional example of a Web site that provides depth and a variety of educational resources. The site features a wealth of interactive learning modules. It also has a nested "bread crumb" structure that allows students to 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. For instance, an animation introducing the concept of genetic inheritance links to a page that focuses on John Endler's artificial selection experiments with guppies in native ponds of Trinidad.
The Evolution Library on this website has a huge multimedia library of resources that are associated with evolution. The content is organized in curriculum-based pathways that correspond to the learning objectives set out in the biology standards. It contains seven short videos that are designed for use in classrooms. They can be viewed online or purchased as DVDs.
Evolutionary biology is still a field of study that poses many important questions, such as what causes evolution and how quickly it happens. This is particularly applicable to human evolution where it's been difficult to reconcile that the physical traits of humans derived from apes with religions that believe that humanity is unique in the universe and has a special place in creation, with soul.
There are a myriad of other ways evolution can occur, with natural selection as the most well-known theory. However, scientists also study other kinds of evolution like mutation, genetic drift, and sexual selection, among others.
While many fields of scientific inquiry are in conflict with the literal interpretations of religious texts Evolutionary biology has been the subject of intense controversy and resistance from religious fundamentalists. While certain religions have managed to reconcile their beliefs with the ideas of evolution, others have not.