CourseSource: Resources

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Meiosis: A Play in Three Acts, Starring DNA Sequence

Meiosis is well known for being a sticky topic that appears repeatedly in biology curricula. We observe that a typical undergraduate biology major cannot correctly identify haploid and diploid cells or explain how and why chromosomes pair before...

Courses: Cell Biology Genetics Introductory Biology

recombinationmeiosisDNA sequenceCrossingoverchromosome structureHolliday junctionhomology

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433

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66

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The Science and Ethics of Gene Drives: An Active Learning Lesson in Genetics

Coursework connecting biology to socially relevant issues and ethical questions can help students think about biology in interdisciplinary terms. Gene drives represent one topic involving both advanced biology concepts and societally relevant...

Courses: Genetics

bioethicsCRISPR/Cas9Genetic modificationGene drives

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2993

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346

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A Muscular Dystrophy Case Study Illustrating the Phenotypic Effects of Mutation

Mutations in genes can lead to a variety of phenotypes, including various human diseases. Students often understand that a particular mutation in a single gene causes a disease phenotype, but it is more challenging to illustrate complex genetic...

Courses: Developmental Biology Genetics

mutationProtein Structureethicscentral dogmahuman disease

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9298

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1205

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Why Meiosis Matters: The case of the fatherless snake

A compelling reason to learn something can make all the difference in students’ motivation to learn it. Motivation, in turn, is one of the key attitudes that drives learning. This story presents students with a compelling puzzle of a...

Courses: Genetics Science Process Skills

meiosismitosissex determinationAsexual reproductionParthenogenesis

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1799

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343

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Cutthroat trout in Colorado: A case study connecting evolution and conservation

Evaluation of evidence is a key process skill for the core competencies of applying the process of science and using quantitative reasoning. This case study enables upper-division biology students to practice these skills by applying evolutionary...

Courses: Evolution Genetics Science Process Skills

population geneticsphylogeneticsSpeciationdivergencegene flow

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1908

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474

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Why do Some People Inherit a Predisposition to Cancer? A small group activity on cancer genetics

Before undergraduate students take a genetics course they generally know cancer has a genetic basis and involves the proliferation of cells; however, many are uncertain about why only a subset of people have a predisposition to cancer and how that...

Courses: Genetics Science Process Skills

cancerInheritance patternsProbability calculationProto-oncogeneTumor Suppressor Gene

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3763

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285

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0

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Fragile States: A Case Study Exploring Genetics, Molecular Biology, and Biochemistry Through the Lens of Fragile X Syndrome

This case aims to strengthen students’ understanding of molecular biology concepts through study of Fragile X Syndrome (FXS). Students begin by learning the cause and phenotypes of FXS and related conditions. Students then apply genetics...

Courses: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Genetics

gene regulationtranscriptiontranslationFragile X syndrometriplet repeat expansionsex linkagemetabolic pathway

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1732

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422

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How to Find a Gene: Retrieving Information From Gene Databases

A strong understanding of distinct gene components and the ability to retrieve relevant information from gene databases are necessary to answer a diverse set of biological questions. However, often there is a considerable gap between...

Courses: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Bioinformatics Cell Biology Genetics Introductory Biology

NCBItranscriptiontranslationGene StructureGene databasesEnsembl

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An undergraduate bioinformatics curriculum that teaches eukaryotic gene structure

Gene structure, transcription, translation, and alternative splicing are challenging concepts for many undergraduates studying biology. These topics are typically covered in a traditional lecture environment, but students often fail to master and...

Courses: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Bioinformatics Genetics

bioinformaticsGenome BrowsergenomicsRNAseqsplicingComputer ModelGene Structure

Teaching Tools and Strategies

3637

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1719

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A 360˚ View of COVID-19

In March 2020, institutions underwent a massive transition to distance learning as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. With so little time to devise new materials to maximize learning in the new virtual environment, instructors devised a variety of...

Courses: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Bioinformatics Cell Biology Evolution Genetics Immunology Introductory Biology Microbiology Science Process Skills

geneticsImmunologyBiochemistrybioinformaticsmolecular evolutionpublic healthvirusCOVID19

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2160

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Teaching students to read, interpret, and write about scientific research: A press release assignment in a large, lower-division class

A central skill in any science discipline is the ability to read, understand, and discuss the primary literature of the discipline. However, teaching this skill presents unique challenges within large, lower-division courses. To assess our...

Courses: Cell Biology Science Process Skills

cell biologyScience Communicationscientific literacyGraduate Teaching Assistant Professional DevelopmentBiological LiteracyPrimary ResearchWriting Skills

Teaching Tools and Strategies

2003

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331

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0

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"Reading groups" in an undergraduate biology course: A peer-based model to help students develop skills to evaluate primary literature

Undergraduates who learn to evaluate primary literature demonstrate an enhanced ability to understand the process of science, weigh scientific evidence, and think critically (e.g. 6,8). Studies show that students who learn how to dissect primary...

Courses: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Science Process Skills

primary literaturecritical thinkingSelf-EfficacyDiscussionPeer-based Learning

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1651

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244

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Make It Stick: Teaching Gene Targeting with Ribbons and Fasteners

Manipulating gene expression is a commonly used tool to study the effect of a single gene or the hierarchy of gene networks in many different biological disciplines. When working with mice, the most commonly used techniques to manipulate genes...

Courses: Developmental Biology Genetics

mathematical modelhomologous recombinationCre/loxgene targeting

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9401

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562

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Manuscript 101: A Data-Driven Writing Exercise for Beginning Scientists

Learning to write a scientific manuscript is one of the most important and rewarding scientific training experiences, yet most young scientists only embark on this experience relatively late in graduate school after gathering sufficient data in...

Courses: Bioinformatics Cell Biology Developmental Biology Genetics Microbiology Science Process Skills

geneticsanimaldevelopmentcompetitionbacterial

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8527

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Lights, Camera, Acting Transport! Using role-play to teach membrane transport

Lights, Camera, Acting Transport! is an active and unique role-play exercise designed to teach introductory biology students basic concepts of passive and active membrane transport. The activity involves three acts in which students, representing...

Courses: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Cell Biology Introductory Biology

ATPcarrierschannelsco-transportelectrogenic pumpfacilitated diffusionmembrane transportpassive transportprimary active transportsimple diffusion

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Investigating the Function of a Transport Protein: Where is ABCB6 Located in Human Cells?

One of the challenges of teaching Cell Biology is helping students understand important research methods used to study cells. The goal of understanding cell biology methods is especially challenging in courses without a laboratory...

Courses: Cell Biology

ABC transporter familyDifferential centrifugationImmunoblottingImmunofluorescence assayProtein localizationPurifying organellesSDS-PAGE

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1989

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337

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Discovery Poster Project

Engaging in undergraduate research can be exciting yet intimidating to first-year students at large research universities. For first-generation college students, whose pre-college exposure to research may be limited compared to their continuing...

Courses: Introductory Biology Science Process Skills

researchprimary literaturePostercore concepts

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3102

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Discovering Cellular Respiration with Computational Modeling and Simulations

Cellular respiration, a common topic among introductory and cellular biology curricula, is a complex biological process that exemplifies core biological concepts, including systems, pathways and transformation of energy, and structure and function...

Courses: Introductory Biology

Cellular MechanismsCellular RespirationFermentation

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1685

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394

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Taking the Hassle out of Hasselbalch

Mention pH in a classroom and you can almost see the inner yawn on the faces of your students. The definition may even roll easily from their lips. However, despite multiple exposures to the relationship of pH and pKa throughout a typical...

Courses: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Science Process Skills

pHdrug uptakeHenderson-Hasslbalch equationmedical applicationspKa

Teaching Tools and Strategies

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The Flight Physics Concept Inventory: Reliably Evaluating Aerodynamic Lift, Drag and Associated (Naïve) Concepts of Flight in Class and In-Game

Students often struggle to transfer conceptual understanding from isolated instruction to a coherent mental model. This is especially true for the context of flight physics, fluid dynamics, or the concepts of aerodynamic lift, drag, stall, center...

Courses: Introductory Physics: Calculus-Based