CourseSource: Resources

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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

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2986

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943

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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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2803

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703

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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

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3687

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200

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Three Research-Based Quantitative Reasoning Modules for Introductory Organismal Biology Laboratories

We have designed three laboratory modules for an introductory organismal biology course with an emphasis on quantitative reasoning and data analysis skills. Module 1 tests for dimorphism in crayfish chelae using a paired statistical design. Module...

Courses: Introductory Biology Science Process Skills

allometryplantsAnatomytranspirationdimorphisminvertebrate biologyarthropodsplatyhelminths

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3498

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853

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Furry with a chance of evolution: Exploring genetic drift with tuco-tucos

Genetic drift is an important mechanism of evolution, yet undergraduates often fail to understand how it leads to evolutionary change due in part to its random nature. This lesson plan describes a simulation-based activity that allows students to...

Courses: Evolution

EvolutionGenetic DriftBottle neckFounder effectRandom evolutionary processes

Lesson

2406

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350

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Sex and gender: What does it mean to be female or male?

This lesson provides three activities to engage non-science major students in a discussion about sex, gender, gender identity, and sex determination. Students prepare for the lesson by reading a short article titled Sex and gender: What is the...

Courses: Anatomy-Physiology Introductory Biology

gendersex determinationgender identitysex

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1693

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494

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Sex-specific differences in Meiosis: Real-world applications

In traditional classrooms, students are typically presented with facts that they are asked to memorize and recall during an exam. The rapid explosion of available scientific facts in recent years has made this model of teaching...

Courses: Cell Biology Genetics Science Process Skills

meiosisReproductionAneuploidyGameteNon-disjunctionOocyteSpermTrisomy

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1305

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183

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Tying it All Together: An Activity to Help Students Connect Course Experiences to Posted Learning Outcomes

Instructors of undergraduate courses in Biology and other Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines face an ongoing challenge to foster higher-order thinking and learning skills while also developing a sound conceptual...

Courses: Anatomy-Physiology Bioinformatics Cell Biology Developmental Biology Ecology Ecology Genetics Introductory Biology Microbiology Neurobiology Plant Biology Science Process Skills

metacognitionreflectiongoalsOutcomes

Teaching Tools and Strategies

1794

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704

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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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3817

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570

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Knowing your own: A classroom case study using the scientific method to investigate how birds learn to recognize their offspring

Understanding the scientific method provides students with a necessary foundation for careers in science-related fields. Moreover, students can apply scientific inquiry skills in many aspects of their daily lives and decision making. Thus, the...

Courses: Evolution Introductory Biology Science Process Skills

scientific methodNatural Selectionbrood parasitism

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4341

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84

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The Great Petunia Carnage of 2017: A Clicker Case Study Using Petunias to Describe the Effect of Genetic Modification on the Biochemistry of Flower Color and Phenotype in Plants

In this single class period case study, students examine the difference between genotype and phenotype by studying the mechanisms by which commercially available petunias have been bred to have different phenotypes (flower colors). Students review...

Courses: Genetics Introductory Biology Plant Biology

case studyGenetic ModificationsBiochemistry of Flower ColorGMO regulationsGenotype-Phenotype Connections

Teaching Tools and Strategies

2344

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191

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A Pandemic Pivot: Podcast as an Active Engagement Tool in the Classroom and Beyond

Higher education in STEM undoubtedly integrates the use of technology as a primary mode for content delivery to undergraduate students. This became especially salient throughout the shift to online education during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite...

Courses: Science Process Skills

VaccinesReplication of virusesCOVID-19 transmission

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2553

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173

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Forensic Phylogenetics: Implementing Tree-thinking in a Court of Law

Here we describe an in-class activity developed for Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity (BioEE1780) at Cornell University, an introductory course required of all biology majors. This activity offers instructors an engaging and real-life...

Courses: Microbiology

phylogeneticsTree thinkingparaphyly

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1106

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289

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Quantifying and Visualizing Campus Tree Phenology

Large enrollment courses present a challenge for instructors who want to engage students in authentic science practices that fit the recommendations of Vision & Change. Our lesson provides a meaningful science experience for undergraduates in...

Courses: Introductory Biology

ecologyBiodiversityphenologyplant biology

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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

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Electron Location, Location, Location: Understanding Biological Interactions

Introductory Biology courses typically introduce the structure and function of biomolecules such as proteins and nucleic acids. To understand biomolecules fully, students require knowledge of fundamental chemistry concepts such as covalent...

Courses: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Introductory Biology

hydrogen bondshydrophobicity/hydrophilicitypolar and non-polar covalent bonds

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2687

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124

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Film as a Powerful Tool for Increasing Awareness of the Importance of Belonging in STEM

People of color in STEM fields can face a variety of challenges with belonging due to structural, cultural, psychological, and institutional barriers. The professional development sessions described in this lesson involved using film as well as...

Courses: Professional Development and Career Planning

steminclusionfilmbelonging

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3159

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Small Organisms with Big Consequences: Understanding the Microbial World Around Us

Creating a hands-on lab that conveys important information while simultaneously allowing for student autonomy can be difficult. This is particularly true for the field of microbiology, in which labs often rely on “recipe-style”...

Courses: Introductory Biology Microbiology Science Process Skills

disease transmissionmicrobiologymicrobiomeliterature reviewPeer reviewPathogensHealth and WellnessThe Scientific Method

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1289

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352

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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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191

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3

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Exploring Biological Variation and the Value of Natural History Collections Using an Online Lesson

First-year science students in large-enrollment lecture courses are rarely given opportunities to contribute to science beyond their classroom as part of their curriculum. Meanwhile, natural history museums are eager to engage students and the...

Courses: Introductory Biology