CourseSource: Resources

Lesson

2283

views

475

downloads

0

comments

A Lesson on Matter and Energy at the Organismal Scale: Linking Patterns and Processes Across Diverse Taxa

Pathways and transformations of energy and matter (PTEM) are a conceptually challenging but essential component of biological literacy. Curricular gaps about PTEM nevertheless remain; although lessons targeting PTEM at small scales (chemical,...

Courses: Ecology Ecology Introductory Biology

plantsenergyAnimalsfungimatterorganismal scale

Lesson

3995

views

416

downloads

0

comments

Using Place-Based Economically Relevant Organisms to Improve Student Understanding of the Roles of Carbon Dioxide, Sunlight, and Nutrients in Photosynthetic Organisms

Biology students require broad preparation for diverse careers including agriculture, natural resource management, and laboratory research. Concurrent with this need, employers are seeking applicants who have the scientific skills that allow them...

Courses: Cell Biology Ecology Ecology Introductory Biology Plant Biology

energyphotosynthesisbiomass

Lesson

3619

views

954

downloads

0

comments

Life Is Just a Game: An Active Learning Activity to Teach Life History Evolution

A novel activity was designed to introduce students to the concepts of natural selection and life history using an active-learning, constructivist format. It consisted of two parts: 1) a brief introduction to the basic mechanism of natural...

Courses: Ecology Ecology Evolution

Evolutionlife historytrade-offsdiversityNatural Selection

Lesson

814

views

61

downloads

0

comments

Breaking It Down: What Factors Control Microbial Decomposition Rates?

Demonstrating and modeling changes in ecosystem processes in the laboratory classroom can be logistically difficult and expensive. This complexity often leaves little time for students to generate and test hypotheses. Yet, we must foster student...

Courses: Ecology Ecology Microbiology Science Process Skills

data analysishypothesis testingdata visualizationdata managementMicrobial RespirationDecompostionAbiotic ConditionsResults Communication

Lesson

3171

views

1094

downloads

0

comments

Squirreling Around for Science: Observing Sciurid Rodents to Investigate Animal Behavior

Hands-on research experiences are important opportunities for students to learn about the nature of inquiry and gain confidence in solving problems. Here, we present an inquiry-based lesson plan that investigates the foraging behavior of sciurid...

Courses: Ecology Ecology Introductory Biology Science Process Skills

foragingbehaviorbehavioral ecologySciuridSquirrelSquirrel-NetTrade-offVigilance

Science Behind the Lesson

3087

views

162

downloads

0

comments

Science Behind the Lesson: It's a Bird! It's a Plane! It's Biomechanics!

Active flight is a specialized mode of movement found in insects, birds, and mammals. The anatomy, morphology, physiology, and ecology of flying taxa has changed over evolutionary time. Researchers have proposed several hypotheses about the...

Courses: Anatomy-Physiology Ecology Ecology

EvolutionecologybatphysiologyAnatomybiomechanicsbirdFlightinsect

Lesson

1362

views

513

downloads

0

comments

Using Pathway Maps to Link Concepts, Peer Review, Primary Literature Searches and Data Assessment in Large Enrollment Classes: An example from teaching ecosystem ecology

As with many other complex topics, teaching ecosystem ecology can be particularly difficult in terms of helping students understand the relationships between the various component parts. We addressed this challenge in a general ecology course by...

Courses: Ecology Ecology Introductory Biology Science Process Skills

energyecosystemNutrientsPathway

Lesson

981

views

122

downloads

0

comments

My Fish Tank: An Active Learning Activity for Bacterial Nitrogen Metabolism

This active learning activity introduces students to the second part of the nitrogen cycle, nitrification. In terrestrial and aquatic environments, bacteria from the Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter genera oxidize ammonia first to nitrite (via a...

Courses: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Ecology Ecology Microbiology

nitrogen cyclenitrificationnitrifying bacteria

Lesson

1715

views

467

downloads

0

comments

Ain't No Mountain Pine Enough: A Case Study of How Mountain Pine Beetles are Affecting Ecosystem Processes

This case study engages students in generating hypotheses and predictions, analyzing and interpreting data, critically evaluating contrasting results in science, and thinking about feedbacks between biota and abiotic ecosystem dynamics. To address...

Courses: Ecology Ecology

population biologycarbon cyclingSpecies-habitat interactions

Lesson

469

views

43

downloads

0

comments

Space Mission Ecology: Making Connections Among Science Disciplines Through the Lens of a Unique Plant

With this case study, we aim to increase awareness of essential services plants provide to society, as well as the importance of fundamental aspects of ecology for other disciplines and the interconnectedness among different fields of science in...

Courses: Ecology Ecology Introductory Biology Plant Biology Science Process Skills

ecologycollaborationplant biologyScience CommunicationBioregenerative Life SupportInterdisciplinary Connections

Lesson

3301

views

643

downloads

0

comments

Sorry to Eat and Run: A Lesson Plan for Testing Trade-off in Squirrel Behavior Using Giving Up Densities (GUDs)

All animals need to find and compete for food, shelter, and mates in order to survive and reproduce. They also need to avoid being eaten by predators. Optimal foraging theory provides a framework to examine the trade-offs individuals make while...

Courses: Ecology Ecology Evolution Science Process Skills

ecologyanimal behaviorAnimal form and functionAnimal nutritionSquirrel-Net

Lesson

3932

views

455

downloads

0

comments

Is Earth Currently Undergoing a Sixth Mass Extinction?

The five Phanerozoic mass extinctions were central in shaping biodiversity on Earth today. Due to increasing biodiversity losses, there is debate about whether we are currently undergoing a sixth mass extinction. To help students better understand...

Courses: Ecology Ecology Evolution Introductory Biology

conservationBiodiversityextinctionMass ExtinctionDeep Time

Lesson

2841

views

867

downloads

0

comments

Exploring Species Interactions with "Snapshot Serengeti"

Authentic learning experiences are a valuable way for students to gain an in-depth understanding of the scientific process. However, implementing such experiences in large enrollment courses can be challenging. Here, we present a community ecology...

Courses: Ecology Ecology

ecologyspecies interactionscitizen scienceCommunity Ecologyanimal behaviorScience Communicationmigrationanimal activityspecies distribution

Lesson

1484

views

435

downloads

0

comments

Using Images of Foraging Leaf-Cutter Ants to Teach Linear Regression

This lesson offers students a realistic, open-inquiry research experience, even when lab or field research is not possible. We first introduce students to leaf-cutter ants and how they forage. Then we provide images and videos of foraging...

Courses: Ecology Ecology Introductory Biology Science Process Skills

linear regressionexperimental designPlant-insect interactionsSymbiosisForaging behavior

Lesson

2599

views

488

downloads

0

comments

A Modeling Exercise in Sexual Selection using a Student-Created Bird Species

Evolution-centered lessons at the undergraduate level can often be jargon-heavy, propagate misconceptions if taught ineffectively, and be uninteresting to students who may not see the relevancy of such concepts. This activity provides a fun and...

Courses: Ecology Ecology Evolution Introductory Biology

Evolutionfitnesssexual selectionNatural Selectionintersexual selectionmate choice

Lesson

1124

views

193

downloads

0

comments

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's biomechanics!

Biomechanics is a discipline that draws from physics and engineering principles to understand the movement and structure of living organisms. It is highly interdisciplinary in nature and can be incorporated into general biology and ecology...

Courses: Anatomy-Physiology Ecology Ecology Evolution

EvolutionecologybatphysiologyAnatomybirdFlightforcesinsect

Lesson

3501

views

767

downloads

2

comments

"Got Algae?" A Sorting Game for Introducing the Weird and Wonderful Diversity of Algae

Algae are a fascinating and diverse organismal group, with global ecological importance, a storied evolutionary history and deep connections to both contemporary and historical human societies. Yet non-experts who teach algal diversity face a lack...

Courses: Ecology Ecology Evolution Plant Biology

phylogenyBiodiversityphotosynthesisalgaeseaweedmonophyly

Lesson

2803

views

703

downloads

0

comments

Teaching Biodiversity with Museum Specimens in an Inquiry-Based Lab

In response to the growth of biology datasets and broad efforts to digitize data, an increasingly important skill for science students is the management and analysis of large datasets. We designed an inquiry-based lab module to introduce students...

Courses: Ecology Ecology Evolution Introductory Biology Science Process Skills

data analysisnatural historyphylogenyBiodiversitymammalsAllen's RuleBergmann's Ruleecogeographymuseum research

Teaching Tools and Strategies

5683

views

186

downloads

0

comments

Walkabout: An Easy to Use, Experiential Learning Activity for Applying Abstract Concepts to the Real-World

Students can have difficulty recognizing examples of course concepts in the real-world. They particularly struggle with phenomena that are ambiguously defined, have mimics, or are hard to distinguish from other phenomena. Students can better...

Courses: Ecology Ecology Science Process Skills

data gatheringgreen technologyobservations

Lesson

3075

views

453

downloads

0

comments

Moths and Frogs and E. coli, Oh My!: Agent-based Modeling of Evolutionary Systems

In evolution classrooms, introducing and reinforcing the idea of genetic drift and random selection can be challenging, as can be reinforcing appropriate mental models of evolution. Agent-based models offer students the opportunity to conduct a...

Courses: Bioinformatics Ecology Ecology Evolution Science Process Skills

modelingEvolutionecologyagent-based modelingGenetic Driftenvironmental scienceNatural Selectioncompetitive coevolutionsimulation modelingevolutionary reasoning

Text Search:

Applied Filters

A Lesson on Matter and Energy at the Organismal Scale: Linking Patterns and Processes Across Diverse Taxa

Using Place-Based Economically Relevant Organisms to Improve Student Understanding of the Roles of Carbon Dioxide, Sunlight, and Nutrients in Photosynthetic Organisms

Life Is Just a Game: An Active Learning Activity to Teach Life History Evolution

Breaking It Down: What Factors Control Microbial Decomposition Rates?

Squirreling Around for Science: Observing Sciurid Rodents to Investigate Animal Behavior

Science Behind the Lesson: It's a Bird! It's a Plane! It's Biomechanics!

Using Pathway Maps to Link Concepts, Peer Review, Primary Literature Searches and Data Assessment in Large Enrollment Classes: An example from teaching ecosystem ecology

My Fish Tank: An Active Learning Activity for Bacterial Nitrogen Metabolism

Ain't No Mountain Pine Enough: A Case Study of How Mountain Pine Beetles are Affecting Ecosystem Processes

Space Mission Ecology: Making Connections Among Science Disciplines Through the Lens of a Unique Plant

Sorry to Eat and Run: A Lesson Plan for Testing Trade-off in Squirrel Behavior Using Giving Up Densities (GUDs)

Is Earth Currently Undergoing a Sixth Mass Extinction?

Exploring Species Interactions with "Snapshot Serengeti"

Using Images of Foraging Leaf-Cutter Ants to Teach Linear Regression

A Modeling Exercise in Sexual Selection using a Student-Created Bird Species

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's biomechanics!

"Got Algae?" A Sorting Game for Introducing the Weird and Wonderful Diversity of Algae

Teaching Biodiversity with Museum Specimens in an Inquiry-Based Lab

Walkabout: An Easy to Use, Experiential Learning Activity for Applying Abstract Concepts to the Real-World

Moths and Frogs and E. coli, Oh My!: Agent-based Modeling of Evolutionary Systems

Text Search:

Course (105)

Article Type (30)

Course Level (29)

Bloom's Cognitive Level (28)

Vision and Change Core Competencies (27)

Vision and Change Core Concepts (26)

Class Type (29)

Class Size (27)

Audience (29)

Lesson Length (28)

Pedagogical Approaches (27)

Principles of How People Learn (28)

Assessment Type (28)

Applied Filters