To facilitate understanding of the fundamental genetic concept of the genotype-phenotype relationship in our introductory biology students, we designed an engaging multi-week series of related lessons about canine genetics in which students explore and answer the question, "How does the information encoded in DNA lead to physical traits in an organism?" Dogs are an excellent model organism for students since the genetic basis for complex morphological traits of various breeds is an active area of scientific research and dog DNA is easily accessible. Additionally, examination of students' pets offers a relatable, real-world, connection for students. Of the more than 19,000 genes that control canine genetics, simple genetic mutations in three genes are largely responsible for the coat variations of dogs –specifically, the genes that control hair length, curl, and the presence/absence of furnishings. In our lessons, students collect DNA samples from dogs, isolate and amplify targeted sections of DNA through polymerase chain reactions (PCR), and then sequence and analyze DNA for insertions and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) mutations. Utilizing gel electrophoresis and bioinformatics tools, students connect how the physical manifestation of traits is rooted in genetic sequences. Students also participate in discussions of scientific literature, group collaboration to construct a final poster, and presentation of their findings during a mock scientific poster conference. Through this module students engage in progressive exploration of genetic and molecular techniques that reveal how simple variations in a few DNA sequences in combination lead to a broad diversity of coat quality in domestic dog breeds.

Primary image. Genetic Analysis of Canine Coat Morphologies. Three dogs with differing coat morphologies analyzed by students (A, B, C), an agarose gel post-electrophoresis (D), and a chromatogram of a DNA sequence highlighting a relevant mutation (E). This collage contains original images taken by authors and course participants.

To facilitate understanding of the fundamental genetic concept of the genotype-phenotype relationship in our introductory biology students, we designed an engaging multi-week series of related lessons about canine genetics in which students explore and answer the question, "How does the information encoded in DNA lead to physical traits in an organism?" Dogs are an excellent model organism for students since the genetic basis for complex morphological traits of various breeds is an active area of scientific research and dog DNA is easily accessible. Additionally, examination of students' pets offers a relatable, real-world, connection for students. Of the more than 19,000 genes that control canine genetics, simple genetic mutations in three genes are largely responsible for the coat variations of dogs –specifically, the genes that control hair length, curl, and the presence/absence of furnishings. In our lessons, students collect DNA samples from dogs, isolate and amplify targeted sections of DNA through polymerase chain reactions (PCR), and then sequence and analyze DNA for insertions and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) mutations. Utilizing gel electrophoresis and bioinformatics tools, students connect how the physical manifestation of traits is rooted in genetic sequences. Students also participate in discussions of scientific literature, group collaboration to construct a final poster, and presentation of their findings during a mock scientific poster conference. Through this module students engage in progressive exploration of genetic and molecular techniques that reveal how simple variations in a few DNA sequences in combination lead to a broad diversity of coat quality in domestic dog breeds.

Primary image. Genetic Analysis of Canine Coat Morphologies. Three dogs with differing coat morphologies analyzed by students (A, B, C), an agarose gel post-electrophoresis (D), and a chromatogram of a DNA sequence highlighting a relevant mutation (E). This collage contains original images taken by authors and course participants.

Typical biochemistry labs exploring basic enzyme activity rely on costly, time-consuming protein purification and rarely explore enzyme function in situ. Further, complex purification procedures leave little room for novelty in experimental design. Here we present an inquiry-driven laboratory exercise for biochemistry undergraduates and adaptations for a general education science course. Each student designs a unique experiment to test their hypothesis regarding the nature of avocado browning in a three-hour span. In the presence of oxygen, polyphenol oxidases (PPO) catalyze oxidation of phenolic compounds into quinones, the polymerization of which creates the visible browning of many cut fruits. Avocado fruit, a source of both enzyme and substrate, is a safe, low-cost vehicle for semi-quantitative experimentation. During the incubation, biochemistry students use the Protein Data Bank and primary literature to understand the structure-function relationship of PPO and other molecular components of the avocado. Non-major students discuss how pH, temperature, and substrate availability affect PPO. Visible browning pigments appear on a controllable time scale. Students can photograph results to create a figure to accompany semi-quantitative analysis of experimental results in a single lab period. Since avocados are familiar foods and select test reagents are generally recognized as safe, the optimal protocol investigated in the lab can be further applied to best practices in the kitchen in everyday life, promoting the transfer of knowledge learned in the classroom to practical environments.

To vaccinate or not to vaccinate, that is the question. Much of the recent trend in society against vaccination is that the general population does not understand 1) how vaccines work and 2) how one's vaccination status can influence others. Further compounding this is rather low acceptance of the influenza vaccine, a vaccine which is sometimes not even effective against the strains predominantly in circulation. Through engaging in a conversation about the role of vaccines in immunity not only of oneself but also about surrounding persons, we can increase vaccine acceptance. Herein is a physical assay which illustrates the concept of herd immunity with differing levels of vaccinations within a population. Students will learn that low vaccination rates do little to nothing to stop disease spread and that a large portion of the population (80%) is necessary to achieve near-eradication. This lesson is able to be taught at multiple levels using supplies that can mostly be obtained at the grocery store. In addition to illustrating vaccination, this study approximates a direct enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), enabling students to better understand that technique and how it is used to diagnose disease as well as the interrelation between antigens and antibodies.

Participation in research provides personal and professional benefits for undergraduates. However, some students face institutional barriers that prevent their entry into research, particularly those from underrepresented groups who may stand to gain the most from research experiences. Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) effectively scale research availability, but many only last for a single semester, which is rarely enough time for a novice to develop proficiency. To address these challenges, we present the Pipeline CURE, a framework that integrates a single research question throughout a biology curriculum. Students are introduced to the research system - in this implementation, C. elegans epigenetics research - with their first course in the major. After revisiting the research system in several subsequent courses, students can choose to participate in an upper-level research experience. In the Pipeline, students build resilience via repeated exposure to the same research system. Its iterative, curriculum-embedded approach is flexible enough to be implemented at a range of institutions using a variety of research questions. By uniting evidence-based teaching methods with ongoing scientific research, the Pipeline CURE provides a new model for overcoming barriers to participation in undergraduate research.

The aim of this project is to help undergraduates understand the importance of making their research accessible to a wide audience and to practice this idea by deliberately designing a scientific poster that is accessible to a more inclusive audience. Students will complete an activity that helps them identify the main conclusion of their research and helps them identify the key supporting data for that conclusion. Then, students will use their main conclusion and figures to design a scientific poster. These activities are designed to be used with students that have already completed their research and have results figures.

This series of modules explores the complex world of polyploidy, including species formation, cell division, evolution, conservation, and economic importance. We focus on polyploidy across the plant and animal kingdoms using hands-on exercises and case studies.

This is cool!

Students explore how climate is changing from the recent record. Produced by Project EDDIE.

Students link human behavior in various climate change scenarios to predicted temperature outcomes at both local (their assigned Latitude) and global (Latitudinal trends) scales. This adaptation is intended to be more accessible to non-majors.

The module was used in lab following lecture material on pairwise interactions in ecology (emphasizing consumption, competition, mutualism), and parallel to community ecology (emphasizing food web structure, succession, resistance and resilience).

Write-to-learn (WTL) assignments have been used in a variety of disciplines to encourage conceptual learning and critical thinking in undergraduate education. These assignments focus on facilitating rather than assessing learning. Conversely, write-to-communicate (WTC) assignments (e.g., lab reports and exams), often with the goal of assessing learning, are more commonly employed in foundation STEM courses. We developed a WTL assignment that focuses on promoting curiosity driven learning, critical thinking, and metacognition; skills that promote students’ scientific literacy through writing. We integrated theoretical frameworks for scientific literacy, that include the sub-constructs of third space, authenticity, and multiple discourse as well as science as a human endeavour, and metacognition and self-direction (1, 2) to develop this 3-part WTL assignment. In this assignment, students first select a topic of interest and write freely on their current understanding of the topic (Part 1). They then develop a research question based on their writing and seek answers to their question from published literature (Part 2). Finally, they reflect on their overall experience with the WTL process and propose further avenues of investigation for their research topic (Part 3). Student feedback suggests that they enjoyed the WTL process and their overall satisfaction with the structure of the assignment was high. As we continue to evolve the assignment based on student feedback, we are gratified that students reported high self-efficacy with regard to future writing as a result of participating in this assignment. We recommend use of this type of WTL assignment in large, introductory STEM courses, so as to facilitate rather than simply assess students’ learning.

Primary Image: Scientific literacy through writing. Schematic depicting a write-to-learn assignment format implemented in an introductory undergraduate biology course, along with corresponding science literacy constructs.

As biology becomes more data driven, teaching students data literacy skills has become central to biology curriculum. Despite a wealth of online resources that teach researchers how to use R, there are few that offer practical laboratory-based exercises, with teaching resources such as keys, learning objectives, and assessment materials. Here, we present a modular set of lessons and lab activities to help teach R through the platform of RStudio. Both software applications are free and open source making this curriculum highly accessible across various institutions. This curriculum was developed over several years of teaching a graduate level computational biology course. In response to the pandemic, the class was shifted to be completely online. These resources were then migrated to GitHub to make them broadly accessible to anyone wanting to learn R for the analysis of biological datasets. In the following year, these resources were used to teach the course in a flipped format, which is the lesson plan presented here. In general, students responded well to the flipped format, which used class time to conduct live coding demos and work through challenges with the instructor and teaching assistant. Overall, students were able to use these skills to practice analyzing and interpreting data, as well as producing publication quality graphics. While the modules presented range from very basic, doing simple summary statistics and plotting, to quite advanced, where R is integrated onto the command line, teachers should feel free to pick and choose which elements to incorporate into their own curriculum.

Primary Image: R‐Mini‐Course: An Introduction to R. The primary image was generated with BioRender to be a small representation of the applicability of R that we cover in our course.

How to determine physiochemical features of proteins using ExPasy Protpram, SOSUI server, and PSortB programs.

This case focuses on understanding how a mutation in a cell signalling protein (a kinase) can prevent insulin function and lead to diabetes.

Evolutionary trees communicate both the diversity and unity of life, a central and important scientific concept, as highlighted by the Vision and Change undergraduate biology education movement. Evolutionary trees and cladograms are diagrams viewed by biologists as Rosetta Stone-like in how well they convey an enormous amount of information with clarity and precision. However, the majority of undergraduates in introductory biology courses find the non-linear diagram confusing and do not immediately understand the tree-thinking central to interpreting the evolutionary tree’s branching structure. Go Extinct! is an original board game featuring land vertebrates (i.e., amphibians, mammals, birds and reptiles) and it is designed to engage students in reading this evolutionary tree. Go Extinct! won the Society for the Study of Evolution’s Huxley Award for outstanding outreach achievements in recognition for how the gameplay itself incentivizes students to identify clades and common ancestors on a stylized tree. The game can be completed in about 30 minutes, which allows instructors time to give follow-up activity sheets that help students transfer their new ability to read a stylized tree into the ability to read more traditional-looking trees found in textbooks and the literature. Overall, teaching the game, playing the game, and completing the follow-up transfer activity can be completed in a 50-minute section. Each game can serve up to 6 students, which means 3 games can cover a section of 18 students. Go Extinct! provides a fun and effective learning experience that students will remember and may even request to play again.

Primary Image: Biologists play Go Extinct! Students who play Go Extinct! gain a mastery of reading an evolutionary tree or cladogram. The winning strategy depends on identifying common ancestors of animal cards in your hand. Photo taken by the author.

As biology becomes more data driven, teaching students data literacy skills has become central to biology curriculum. Despite a wealth of online resources that teach researchers how to use R, there are few that offer practical laboratory-based exercises, with teaching resources such as keys, learning objectives, and assessment materials. Here, we present a modular set of lessons and lab activities to help teach R through the platform of RStudio. Both software applications are free and open source making this curriculum highly accessible across various institutions. This curriculum was developed over several years of teaching a graduate level computational biology course. In response to the pandemic, the class was shifted to be completely online. These resources were then migrated to GitHub to make them broadly accessible to anyone wanting to learn R for the analysis of biological datasets. In the following year, these resources were used to teach the course in a flipped format, which is the lesson plan presented here. In general, students responded well to the flipped format, which used class time to conduct live coding demos and work through challenges with the instructor and teaching assistant. Overall, students were able to use these skills to practice analyzing and interpreting data, as well as producing publication quality graphics. While the modules presented range from very basic, doing simple summary statistics and plotting, to quite advanced, where R is integrated onto the command line, teachers should feel free to pick and choose which elements to incorporate into their own curriculum.

Primary Image: R‐Mini‐Course: An Introduction to R. The primary image was generated with BioRender to be a small representation of the applicability of R that we cover in our course.

Write-to-learn (WTL) assignments have been used in a variety of disciplines to encourage conceptual learning and critical thinking in undergraduate education. These assignments focus on facilitating rather than assessing learning. Conversely, write-to-communicate (WTC) assignments (e.g., lab reports and exams), often with the goal of assessing learning, are more commonly employed in foundation STEM courses. We developed a WTL assignment that focuses on promoting curiosity driven learning, critical thinking, and metacognition; skills that promote students’ scientific literacy through writing. We integrated theoretical frameworks for scientific literacy, that include the sub-constructs of third space, authenticity, and multiple discourse as well as science as a human endeavour, and metacognition and self-direction (1, 2) to develop this 3-part WTL assignment. In this assignment, students first select a topic of interest and write freely on their current understanding of the topic (Part 1). They then develop a research question based on their writing and seek answers to their question from published literature (Part 2). Finally, they reflect on their overall experience with the WTL process and propose further avenues of investigation for their research topic (Part 3). Student feedback suggests that they enjoyed the WTL process and their overall satisfaction with the structure of the assignment was high. As we continue to evolve the assignment based on student feedback, we are gratified that students reported high self-efficacy with regard to future writing as a result of participating in this assignment. We recommend use of this type of WTL assignment in large, introductory STEM courses, so as to facilitate rather than simply assess students’ learning.

Primary Image: Scientific literacy through writing. Schematic depicting a write-to-learn assignment format implemented in an introductory undergraduate biology course, along with corresponding science literacy constructs.