Evolution Site - Teaching About Evolution
Despite the best efforts of biology educators, there are still a lot of misconceptions about the evolution. People who have taken in popular science myths often assume that biologists claim they don't believe in evolution.
This site, a companion to the PBS program that provides teachers with resources that promote evolution education, while avoiding the kinds of misconceptions that can make it difficult to understand. It's organized in a nested "bread crumb" format to facilitate navigation and orientation.
Definitions
It's not easy to teach evolution well. 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 relevant to debates about the definition of the word itself.
It is therefore essential to define the terms used in evolutionary biology. Understanding Evolution's website helps you define these terms in a straightforward and useful way. The site is a companion to the show which first aired in 2001, but it is also an independent resource. The information is organized in a manner that makes it easier to navigate and comprehend.
The site defines terms like common ancestor, gradual process and so on. These terms help to frame the nature of evolution as well as its relation to other concepts in science. The site then offers an overview of how the concept of evolution has been researched and validated. This information can help dispel the 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 hereditary traits to become more suitable to their environment. This is the result of natural selection. It occurs when organisms that have more adaptable traits are more likely to survive and reproduce than those with less adapted traits.
Common ancestor (also known as common ancestor) is the most recent ancestor shared by two or more species. The common ancestor can be identified by analyzing the DNA of the species.
Deoxyribonucleic acid: A large biological molecule that holds 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 source of new genetic information within cells.
Coevolution is a relationship between two species in which the evolution of one species are influenced evolutionary changes in the other. Examples of coevolution include the interactions between predator and prey, or host and parasite.
Origins
Species (groups of individuals who can interbreed) change through an array of natural changes in the characteristics of their offspring. These changes are caused by a variety of factors such as natural selection, genetic drift, and gene pool mixing. The evolution of new species could take thousands of years. Environmental conditions, like climate changes or competition for food resources and habitat, can slow or accelerate the process.
The Evolution site tracks the evolution of a variety of groups of animals and plants over time with a focus on the key shifts that occurred throughout the history of each group. It also focuses on the evolutionary origin of humans and humans, a subject that is crucial for students to know.
Darwin's Origin was written in 1859, when only a handful of antediluvian fossils of human beings had been discovered. The famous skullcap, along with the bones associated with it, was discovered in 1856 in the Little Feldhofer Grotto of Germany. It is now known as an early Homo neanderthalensis. It is highly unlikely that Darwin knew about the skullcap, which was first published in 1858, one year following the initial edition of The Origin.
While the site is focused on biology, it contains a wealth of information about geology and paleontology. The most impressive features of the website are a series of timelines which show how geological and climatic conditions have changed over time and an interactive map of the distribution of some of the fossil groups featured on the site.
The site is a companion to the PBS television series, but it could also be used as an educational resource by teachers and students. The site is well-organized, and provides easy links to the introductory information of Understanding Evolution (developed under the National Science Foundation's assistance) and the more specific features of the museum website. These hyperlinks make it easier to transition from the cartoon-style Understanding Evolution pages into the more sophisticated realms of research science. There are also links to John Endler's experiments with guppies that demonstrate the importance of ecology in evolutionary theory.
Diversity
The evolution of life has resulted in many species of plants, animals and insects. Paleobiology is the study of these creatures in their natural environment and has numerous advantages over the modern observational and research methods for analyzing evolutionary phenomena. In addition to examining the processes and events that happen frequently or over a long period of time, paleobiology is able to analyze the relative abundance of various groups of organisms and their distribution across the geological time.
The site is divided up into several paths that can be chosen to learn about evolution. One of these paths, "Evolution 101," walks the reader through the evolution of nature and the evidence of evolution. The path also explores misconceptions about evolution, as well as the history of evolutionary thought.
Each of the main sections of the Evolution website is equally well-designed, with materials that support a variety levels of curriculum and teaching methods. In addition to the general textual content, the site features an array of multimedia and interactive resources including videos, animations, and virtual laboratories. The breadcrumb-like organization of the content helps with navigation and orientation on the large Web site.
The page "Coral Reef Connections", for example, provides an overview of coral relationships and interactions with other organisms and then is enlarged to show one clam, which is able communicate with its neighbours and respond to changes in water conditions that occur on the reef level. This page, as well as the other multidisciplinary multimedia and interactive pages, provides an excellent introduction to many topics in evolutionary biology. The information also includes an explanation of the role of natural selection and the concept of phylogenetic analysis which is an important method to understand evolutionary change.
Evolutionary Theory
Evolution is an underlying thread that runs through all branches of biology. A wide range of resources helps teachers teach about evolution across all life sciences.
One resource, which is a companion to the PBS television series Understanding Evolution, is an outstanding example of a Web site that provides depth and a variety of educational resources. The site has a wide array of interactive learning modules. It also features a "bread crumb structure" that assists students in moving away from the cartoon-like style that is used in Understanding Evolution and onto elements of this vast website that are closely related to the worlds of research science. For instance, an animation introducing the notion of genetic inheritance leads to a page highlighting John Endler's experiments in artificial selection with guppies in native ponds of Trinidad.
Another useful resource is the Evolution Library on this site, which contains an extensive collection of multimedia assets connected to evolution. The content is organized according to the form of curriculum-based pathways that are in line with the learning objectives set out in the standards for biology. It includes seven short videos designed specifically for use in the classroom, and can be streamed for no cost or purchased on DVD.
A number of important questions remain in the midst of evolutionary biology, such as the factors that trigger evolution and how fast it occurs. 에볼루션 슬롯 is especially true in the case of human evolution which was a challenge to reconcile religious beliefs that held that humanity has a unique place in the creation and a soul, with the idea that innate physical traits evolved from Apes.
There are a myriad of other ways evolution can take place and natural selection being the most popular theory. However scientists also study different kinds of evolution like mutation, genetic drift and sexual selection, among others.
While many fields of scientific inquiry conflict with literal interpretations of religious texts, evolutionary biology has been the subject of particularly controversial debate and resistance from religious fundamentalists. Some religions have reconciled their beliefs to evolution but others haven't.