CourseSource: Resources

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How Many Squirrels Are in the Shrubs? A Lesson Plan for Comparing Methods for Population Estimation

Estimating the population sizes of animals is a key skill for any student interested in ecology, conservation, or management. However, counting animals in natural habitats is difficult, and the many techniques that exist each rely on assumptions...

Courses: Ecology Ecology Introductory Biology Professional Development and Career Planning Science Process Skills

population ecologywildlife managementpopulation estimationsciuridaeSquirrel-Net

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1274

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351

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A first lesson in mathematical modeling for biologists: Rocs

Using a fictitious population of Rocs, a mythical species of giant raptor, students accomplish two broad objectives: 1) they undertake the process of building a first mathematical model of a population, and 2) they begin to develop their...

Courses: Ecology Ecology Introductory Biology Science Process Skills

population ecologypopulation modelingdiscrete generationpopulation management

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1503

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208

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Modeling Strep Throat Detection, Infection, and Spread Using an SIR Model and the Vensim Simulation Software

The overarching goal of this lesson is to provide students with an opportunity to gain experience making and using biological models. Biological modeling can be used to investigate complex, real-world problems so that predictions can be made about...

Courses: Cell Biology Immunology Introductory Biology Microbiology

infectious diseasebiological modelingSIR model

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1777

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340

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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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2961

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937

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Coevolution or not? Crossbills, squirrels and pinecones

This case reinforces the concept of coevolution as a reciprocal change in genetic structure between or among two or more populations, by having students analyze and interpret data, build a descriptive model of the system, and use data to make...

Courses: Ecology Ecology Evolution Introductory Biology Science Process Skills

fitnessCoevolutionCo-adaptation

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2889

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630

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Biodiversity Show and Tell: An Accessible Activity to Encourage Students to Explore the Tree of Life

An appreciation of organismal diversity is a requirement for understanding evolution and ecology, and can serve as a source of amazement and wonder that inspires students to enjoy biology. However, biodiversity can be a challenging subject to...

Courses: Ecology Ecology Evolution Introductory Biology

EvolutionecologyBiodiversity

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336

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53

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Environmental Injustice: When the Grass is Greener on the Other Side

Environmental pollution is a global threat that is especially prevalent in heavily industrialized and urbanized areas. Pollution can be found in many forms, such as natural and synthetic pollutants from natural and anthropogenic processes. These...

Courses: Ecology Ecology Introductory Biology Science Process Skills Toxicology

human healthenvironmental injusticeEnvironmental PollutionSystemic BiasesIdeological AwarenessUrban Ecology and Development

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2233

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476

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Air Quality Data Mining: Mining the US EPA AirData website for student-led evaluation of air quality issues

Air pollution directly affects human health endpoints including growth, respiratory processes, cardiovascular health, fertility, pregnancy outcomes, and cancer. Therefore, the distribution of air pollution is a topic that is relevant to all, and...

Courses: Ecology Ecology Introductory Biology Science Process Skills

data miningenvironmental justiceair qualityairpollutionspatial reasoning

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6719

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255

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Exploring the City of Biofilms: An Engaging Analogy-Based Activity for Students to Learn Biofilms

Multicellular biofilms constructed by microbes are key aspects of microbiology with significant implications in various fields, including medicine, environmental science, and biotechnology. While bacteria spend nearly all their lives in biofilms,...

Courses: Microbiology

bacteriaBiofilmsquorum sensing

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404

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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

Lesson

425

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37

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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

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1589

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436

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Using Structured Decision Making to Explore Complex Environmental Issues

Environmental issues are inherently complex, often requiring multiple interested parties to come together before agreeing on a solution. Structured decision making is a tool used by federal and state management agencies to find solutions that...

Courses: Ecology Ecology

interdisciplinarysocio-ecological systemsscience policystakeholderstructured decision making

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1108

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187

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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

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1558

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46

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Leveraging Panel Discussions to Promote Positive Representation, Develop Science Identity, and Shift Stereotypes

The overrepresentation of cis straight white male scientists in examples used in Biology curriculum makes it difficult for students with other axes of diversity (race/ethnicity, gender, sexuality, first-generation college-going, socioeconomic...

Courses: Professional Development and Career Planning

professional developmentEquitydiversityscience identitysense of belongingCentering Student VoicesCareer Paneland InclusionPositive Representation of Diverse ScientistsFostering Community Between Students

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1358

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310

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Using Seafood Traceability to Teach the Complexities of Natural Resource Management and Sustainability

This lesson plan addresses the challenge of conveying to students the globalized nature and complexity of natural resource management. Specifically, it uses seafood traceability, or the ability to track seafood as it moves through the global...

Courses: Ecology Ecology

sustainabilityfisheriesaquacultureAnthropogenic ImpactsNatural Resource Management

Essay

900

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200

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Thinking deeply about quantitative analysis: Building a Biologist's Toolkit

Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education encouraged faculty to focus on core concepts and competencies in undergraduate curriculum. We created a sophomore-level course, Biologists' Toolkit, to focus on the competencies of...

Courses: Introductory Biology

Vision and ChangeRRStudioquantitative literacystatistical analysisScientific communication

Teaching Tools and Strategies

1780

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700

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"Boost your evolution IQ": An evolution misconceptions game

Students often enter introductory biology courses with misconceptions about evolution. For example, many students believe that traits arise when a species needs them or that evolutionary processes are goal-oriented. To address these and other...

Courses: Evolution

Evolutionactive learningNatural Selectiongroup workmisconceptions

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1539

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Defining and Understanding Pathogenic Disease: An Engaging Activity that Connects Students' Lived Experiences with their Academic Studies

Contagious diseases are unavoidable realities of life. Thus, understanding pathogens and their respective diseases is important in many biological subfields including evolution, ecology, health sciences, microbiology, and others. While all college...

Courses: Ecology Ecology Introductory Biology Microbiology

infectious diseasePathogenspathogenic disease

Teaching Tools and Strategies

3618

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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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2663

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229

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Role of Crop Genetic Diversity on Pathogen Impact: The Tale of Two Pathogens

Introductory genetics courses are part of the core curriculum in many different fields, including plant breeding, animal science, biology, microbiology, and natural resource management. Concepts involving genes, inheritance, evolution, and genome...

Courses: Introductory Biology Plant Biology Science Process Skills