Evolution Site - Teaching About Evolution
Despite the best efforts of biology teachers, there are still misconceptions about evolution. People who have taken in popular science myths often assume that biologists are saying they do not believe in evolution.
This site, which is a complement to the PBS program, provides teachers with materials that support the evolution of education while avoiding the types of misconceptions that can undermine it. It's organized in a "bread crumb" format to make navigation and orientation easier.
Definitions
It's not easy to properly teach evolution. 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 particularly applicable to discussions about the meaning of the word itself.
Therefore, it is essential to define terms used in evolutionary biology. The website for the PBS show, Understanding Evolution, does this in a simple and efficient way. The site is a companion site to the show that premiered in 2001, but is also an independent resource. 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 define the nature of evolution and its relationship to evolution to other scientific concepts. The website then provides an overview of how the concept of evolution has been tested and validated. This information will help to 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 for heritable traits to become better adaptable to a specific environment. This is the result of natural selection. Organisms with more adaptable characteristics are more likely than those with less-adapted traits to reproduce and survive.
Common ancestor: The latest common ancestor of two or more species. The common ancestor can be identified by analyzing the DNA of these species.
Deoxyribonucleic Acid: A huge biological molecular containing the information needed for cell replication. The information is stored in nucleotide sequences that are strung into long chains, referred to as chromosomes. Mutations are the cause of new genetic information in cells.
Coevolution is a relation between two species where evolution of one species are influenced evolutionary changes of the other. Examples of coevolution include the interactions between predator and prey, or host and parasite.
Origins
Species (groups which can interbreed), evolve by a series of natural variations in their offspring's traits. Changes can be caused by many factors, such as natural selection, gene drift, and mixing of the gene pool. The evolution of new species could take thousands of years. Environmental circumstances, such as changes in the climate or competition for food and habitat can slow or speed up the process.
The Evolution site follows the emergence of various animal and plant groups with a focus on major changes in each group's history. It also focuses on human evolution and is a subject that is particularly important for students.
When Darwin wrote the Origin in 1859, only a handful of antediluvian human fossils had been discovered. The most famous among them was the skullcap and bones that were discovered in 1856 in the Little Feldhofer Grotto in Germany, which is now known to be an early Homo neanderthalensis. It is unlikely that Darwin knew about the skullcap when it was published in 1858, which was a year after the first edition of The Origin.
The site is primarily a biology site however it also includes a lot of information on geology and paleontology. The site offers numerous features that are particularly impressive, such as a timeline of how geological and climate conditions have changed over time. It also includes a map showing the distribution of fossil groups.
The site is a companion for the PBS TV series but it can also be used as a resource by teachers and students. The site is extremely well-organized and offers clear links between the introductory material in Understanding Evolution (developed with support from the National Science Foundation) and the more sophisticated 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 worlds of research science. There are links to John Endler's experiments with guppies. They demonstrate the importance of ecology in evolutionary theory.
Diversity
The evolution of life has resulted in an array of plants, animals and insects. Paleobiology, the study of these creatures in their natural environment, has many advantages over the current observational or experimental methods of studying evolutionary phenomena. Paleobiology is able to study not only the process and events that take place regularly or over time but also the distribution and frequency of various animal groups across geological time.
The Web site is divided into a variety of 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 history of evolutionary thought.
Each of the main sections on the Evolution website is equally well-designed, with materials that can be used to support a variety of curriculum levels and teaching styles. In addition to the general textual content, the site features a wide range of interactive and multimedia resources including video clips, animations, and virtual laboratories. The breadcrumb-like structure of the content aids in navigation and orientation on the large website.
For example, the page "Coral Reef Connections" provides a comprehensive overview of coral relationships and their interactions with other organisms, then zooms in on a single clam that is able to communicate with its neighbors and respond to changes in the water conditions at the reef level. This page, as well as the other multidisciplinary multimedia and interactive pages, gives a good introduction to a variety of topics in evolutionary biology. The material also provides an explanation of the role of natural selection and the concept of phylogenetic analysis which is a crucial tool for understanding the evolution of change.
Evolutionary Theory
Evolution is an underlying thread that connects all branches of biology. A wide selection of resources helps teachers teach evolution across the life science disciplines.
One resource, a companion to the PBS television series Understanding Evolution, is an exceptional example of an Web site that offers both the depth and breadth of its educational resources. The site offers a 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 huge site that are closer to the world of research science. For instance an animation that explains the concept of genetic inheritance links to a page highlighting John Endler's experiments with artificial selection with guppies in native ponds of Trinidad.
Another helpful resource is the Evolution Library on this site, which contains an extensive library of multimedia resources connected to evolution. The contents are organized into curriculum-based paths that parallel the learning objectives set out in the biology standards. It contains seven videos designed specifically for classroom use, which can be streamed for no cost or purchased on DVD.
A number of important questions remain at the heart of evolutionary biology, such as the factors that trigger evolution and how fast it occurs. This is especially relevant to human evolution, where it has been difficult to reconcile the notion that the innate physical characteristics of humans derived from apes, and the religious beliefs that hold that humanity is unique among living things and holds a an exclusive place in the creation with a soul.
There are a myriad of other ways evolution could occur and natural selection being the most popular theory. Scientists also study different types such as mutation, genetic drift, and sexual selection.
While many fields of scientific inquiry are in conflict with the literal interpretations of the Bible evolutionary biology has been the subject of controversial debate and resistance from religious fundamentalists. While some religions have been able to reconcile their beliefs with the notions of evolution, other religions have not.