Evolution Site - Teaching About Evolution
Despite the best efforts of biology teachers, there are still misconceptions about the evolution. Pop science fiction has led a lot of people to think that biologists don't believe in evolution.
This rich Web site - companion to the PBS series - provides teachers with materials that support evolution education and avoid the kinds of misconceptions that hinder it. It's organized in the "bread crumb" format to aid in navigation and orientation.
Definitions
It's not easy to teach evolution well. It is often misunderstood by non-scientists, and even scientists use an interpretation that is confusing the issue. This is particularly relevant to discussions about the definition of the word itself.
It is essential to define terms used in evolutionary biology. Understanding Evolution's website helps you define these terms in an easy and helpful manner. The site serves as an accompaniment to the 2001 series, and also a resource on its own. The material is presented in a structured manner that makes it simpler to navigate and comprehend.
The site defines terms like common ancestor, gradual process and so on. These terms help define the nature and significance of evolution to other concepts in science. The website then provides an overview of how the concept of evolution has been researched and validated. This information can help dispel myths created by creationists.
It is also possible to access the glossary of terms used in evolutionary biology. These terms include:
Adaptation is the process of changing heritable traits to be more suited to the environment. This is the result of natural selection. Organisms with more adaptable characteristics are more likely than those with less adaptable traits to reproduce and survive.
Common ancestor (also called common ancestor) The most recent ancestral ancestor shared by two or more species. The common ancestor can be identified by analyzing the DNA of these species.
Deoxyribonucleic acid: A huge biological molecule that contains the information required for cell replication. The information is contained in a sequence of nucleotides that are strung together into long chains, referred to as chromosomes. Mutations are the reason behind the creation of new genetic information within cells.
Coevolution: A relationship between two species in which evolutionary changes in one species are affected by changes in evolutionary processes in the other. Coevolution can be seen in the interactions between predator and prey, or parasites and hosts.
Origins
Species (groups that can crossbreed), evolve through a series of natural changes in the traits of their offspring. The changes can be caused by a variety of factors such as natural selection, genetic drift, and gene pool mixing. The evolution of new species can take thousands of years. Environmental circumstances, such as climate changes or competition for food and habitat, can slow or accelerate the process.
The Evolution site tracks through time the evolution of various animal and plant groups, focusing on major transitions in each group's past. 에볼루션바카라사이트 examines the evolution of humans as a subject that is of particular interest for students.
Darwin's Origin was written in 1859, when only a few antediluvian fossils of humans had been found. The famous skullcap, along with the bones that accompanied it were discovered in 1856 in the Little Feldhofer Grotto of Germany. It is now recognized as an early Homo neanderthalensis. While the skullcap wasn't published until 1858, one year after the first edition of the Origin was published, it is extremely unlikely that Darwin had seen or heard of it.
The site is mostly one of biology, but it also contains a lot of information on geology and paleontology. The most impressive features of the Web site are a set of timelines that show the way in which climatic and geological conditions changed over time, as well as an outline of the distribution of some fossil groups that are featured on the site.
While the site is a companion to a PBS television show however, it can stand on its own as an excellent resource for teachers and students. The site is extremely 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 elements of the museum 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. In particular there are hyperlinks to John Endler's experiments using Guppies, which demonstrate the importance of ecology in evolutionary theory.
Diversity
The evolution of life has led to an array of plants, animals and insects. Paleobiology is the study of these creatures in their geological context and has many advantages over modern observational and experimental methods in its exploration of evolutionary processes. Paleobiology is able to study not only the process and events that occur regularly or over time, but also the relative abundance and distribution of different species of animals in space throughout the geological time.
The site is divided into a variety of ways to learn about evolution which include "Evolution 101," which takes the viewer on a line through the science of nature and the evidence to support the theory of evolution. The path also reveals common misconceptions about evolution as well as the evolution theory's history.
Each of the main sections on the Evolution website is equally well-designed, with materials that are suited to a variety of curriculum levels and teaching styles. The site offers a wide array of multimedia and interactive resources, including video clips, animations and virtual laboratories as well as general textual content. The breadcrumb-like structure of the content assists with navigation and orientation on the massive web site.
The page "Coral Reef Connections" For instance, the page "Coral Reef Connections" provides a comprehensive overview of the relationships between corals and interactions with other organisms and is enlarged to show a single clam, which is able to communicate with its neighbors and respond to changes in water conditions that occur on the reef level. 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 includes an explanation of the significance of natural selectivity and the concept of phylogenetics analysis as a key tool to understand evolutionary changes.
Evolutionary Theory
Evolution is an underlying thread that connects all branches of biology. A vast collection of books helps in teaching evolution across all life science disciplines.
One resource, which is the companion to PBS's television show Understanding Evolution is an excellent example of a Web page that offers both the depth and the breadth in terms of its educational resources. The site has a wide array of interactive learning modules. It also features a nested "bread crumb" structure that helps students move from the cartoon style of Understanding Evolution to elements on this large Web site more closely linked to the field of research science. An animation that introduces the concept of genetics links to a page that highlights John Endler's experiments in artificial selection using guppies on native ponds in Trinidad.
The Evolution Library on this website is a vast multimedia library of assets related to evolution. The contents are organized into curriculum-based paths that parallel the learning objectives outlined in biology standards. It includes seven short videos specifically designed for use in classrooms, and can be streamed at no cost or purchased on DVD.
Evolutionary biology is a field of study with a lot of important questions, such as what triggers evolution and the speed at which it occurs. This is particularly relevant to human evolution, where it's been difficult to reconcile the idea that the physical traits of humans were derived from apes, and the religious beliefs that claim that humanity is unique in the universe and has an enviable place in creation with soul.
Additionally there are a variety of ways in which evolution could be triggered with natural selection being the most widely accepted theory. Scientists also study other kinds like mutation, genetic drift and sexual selection.
While many scientific fields of inquiry have a conflict with the literal interpretations of the Bible, evolutionary biology has been the subject of particularly controversial debate and resistance from religious fundamentalists. While certain religions have been able to reconcile their beliefs with the theories of evolution, others aren't.