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    An active-learning lesson that targets student understanding of population growth in ecology
    Effective teaching and learning of population ecology requires integration of quantitative literacy skills. To facilitate student learning in population ecology and provide students with the opportunity to develop and apply quantitative skills, we...

    Courses: EcologyEcology Introductory BiologyIntroductory Biology

    population growthexponential growthlogistic growthpopulation ecologygrowth rateDensityAbundancecarrying capacitylinear growth
    Lesson
    3615

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    953

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    0

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    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: EcologyEcology EvolutionEvolution

    Evolutionlife historytrade-offsdiversityNatural Selection
    Lesson
    18760

    views

    406

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    0

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    A flexible, multi-week approach to plant biology - How will plants respond to higher levels of CO2?
    To help introductory biology students understand how plants will respond to higher levels of CO2, we have created a multi-week module consisting of a series of four related laboratory lessons. These lessons allow students to make connections among...

    Courses: Introductory BiologyIntroductory Biology Plant BiologyPlant Biology

    statisticsplantsphotosynthesiscarbon dioxidecommunicating sciencegroup workResource AllocationRespirationStomata
    Lesson
    1878

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    636

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    0

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    A Close-Up Look at PCR
    The Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is a fundamental laboratory technique that allows for the amplification of many copies of a desired DNA target sequence. Despite its prevalence, undergraduate students often have poor comprehension about the...

    Courses: Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyBiochemistry and Molecular Biology GeneticsGenetics Introductory BiologyIntroductory Biology Science Process SkillsScience Process Skills

    PCRDNA replication
    Lesson
    2431

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    166

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    0

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    A Rapid Genetic Screen Using Wisconsin Fast Plants®: A Hands-On Approach to Inheritance of de novo Mutations
    Some concepts in genetics, such as genetic screens, are complex for students to visualize in a classroom and can be cumbersome to undertake in the laboratory. Typically, very large populations are needed, which can be addressed by using...

    Courses: GeneticsGenetics Plant BiologyPlant Biology

    mutationInheritancegermlinesomaplant lifecycle
    Lesson
    3988

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    416

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    0

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    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 BiologyCell Biology EcologyEcology Introductory BiologyIntroductory Biology Plant BiologyPlant Biology

    energyphotosynthesisbiomass
    Lesson
    461

    views

    42

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    0

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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: EcologyEcology Introductory BiologyIntroductory Biology Plant BiologyPlant Biology Science Process SkillsScience Process Skills

    ecologycollaborationplant biologyScience CommunicationBioregenerative Life SupportInterdisciplinary Connections
    Lesson
    3039

    views

    515

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    0

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    A Kinesthetic Modeling Activity to Teach PCR Fundamentals
    Most molecular biology and biological sciences students understand that the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is used to amplify DNA. However, we have found that some students experience conceptual misunderstandings, a lack of detailed comprehension...

    Courses: GeneticsGenetics Science Process SkillsScience Process Skills

    PCR
    Lesson
    4305

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    81

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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: GeneticsGenetics Introductory BiologyIntroductory Biology Plant BiologyPlant Biology

    case studyGenetic ModificationsBiochemistry of Flower ColorGMO regulationsGenotype-Phenotype Connections
    Lesson
    2966

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    611

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    0

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    Using Synthetic Biology and pClone Red for Authentic Research on Promoter Function: Introductory Biology (identifying new promoters)
    Students often memorize the definition of a transcriptional promoter but fail to fully understand the critical role promoters play in gene expression. This laboratory lesson allows students to conduct original research by identifying and...

    Courses: GeneticsGenetics Introductory BiologyIntroductory Biology Science Process SkillsScience Process Skills

    bacteriasynthetic biologygene regulationtranscriptionstudent researchcentral dogmacloningpromoterreporter gene/protein
    Teaching Tools and Strategies
    1746

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    234

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    Gratitude Interventions in a Biology Course to Foster Student Persistence and Success
    College students are experiencing a mental health crisis, which has been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This is problematic because stress and anxiety impede learning. One way to combat stress and anxiety is to focus on gratitude,...

    Courses: Introductory BiologyIntroductory Biology Professional Development and Career PlanningProfessional Development and Career Planning Science Process SkillsScience Process Skills

    mental healthgratitudepositive psychologydegree commitment
    Teaching Tools and Strategies
    5656

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    820

    downloads

    0

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    Science “Fails”: A Bank of Historical Examples for Learning From Failure in Science
    Learning from failure is critically important to the processes of scientific inquiry, discovery, and invention. However, students are not routinely taught how to reflect on, learn from, and ultimately embrace failure, and relatively few curricular...

    Courses: Introductory Physics: Calculus-BasedIntroductory Physics: Calculus-Based Introductory BiologyIntroductory Biology Professional Development and Career PlanningProfessional Development and Career Planning Science Process SkillsScience Process Skills

    metacognitionScience process skillsLearning from failurepower and privilegestudent wellbeing
    Lesson
    1149

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    164

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    0

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    Using Musical Instruments to Model Negative Feedback in the Hypothalamo-Pituitary-Target Gland Axes
    Homeostasis and negative feedback are crucial, yet difficult, concepts for undergraduates, particularly in the context of the hypothalamo-pituitary axes. This interactive activity was designed to (1) reveal how negative feedback can restore...

    Courses: Anatomy-PhysiologyAnatomy-Physiology

    cell-cell communicationhomeostasisnegative feedback
    Lesson
    2194

    views

    459

    downloads

    0

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    Antibiotic Resistance Genes Detection in Environmental Samples
    Our aim is to provide an authentic research experience for undergraduate students in a variety of biology courses through collaboration between a four-year university and a community college. This lab series teaches transferable and universal...

    Courses: Introductory BiologyIntroductory Biology MicrobiologyMicrobiology Science Process SkillsScience Process Skills

    geneticsenvironmentmicrobiologyUndergraduateantibiotic-resistancePCRgel electrophoresisauthentic inquiry
    Lesson
    1710

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    466

    downloads

    0

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    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: EcologyEcology

    population biologycarbon cyclingSpecies-habitat interactions
    Lesson
    1271

    views

    289

    downloads

    0

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    Using a Primary Cell Culture Model to Study the Neural Extracellular Matrix
    The extracellular matrix (ECM) provides structural support to cells, but also has key roles in mediating cell adhesion, cell signaling, and differentiation. While this topic is discussed in the lecture setting, it is not heavily studied in...

    Courses: Cell BiologyCell Biology NeurobiologyNeurobiology

    Neural extracellular matrixPerineuronal netPrimary neuronal culture
    Lesson
    2679

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    229

    downloads

    0

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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 BiologyIntroductory Biology Plant BiologyPlant Biology Science Process SkillsScience Process Skills

    plant pathologygenetic diversityDisease TriangleModes of Reproduction
    Lesson
    4804

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    769

    downloads

    0

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    Teaching Cancer Biology Through a Lens of Social Justice
    The biology classroom is not separate from the greater context of society; social issues can and should be presented in connection with the content. Here we present an example of antiracist teaching using the molecular/cellular biology of cancer...

    Courses: Cell BiologyCell Biology

    assessmentcancersocial justicePOGILAlignmentPublic ExamPublic
    Essay
    2870

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    268

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    0

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    An Introduction to the Squirrel-Net Teaching Modules
    Although course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) are gaining popularity in biology, most are designed for benchwork-based laboratory courses while few focus on field-based skills. Many barriers to implementing field CUREs exist,...

    Courses: EcologyEcology

    ecologybehaviortrade-offsScientific ProcessSquirrel-Net
    Lesson
    2112

    views

    309

    downloads

    0

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    Debating Conservation: Developing Critical Thinking Skills in Introductory Biology Classes
    Role-playing activities in the classroom promote students’ critical thinking, research, and communication skills. We present an activity where students debate a current controversy in conservation. In our case study, students debate the...

    Courses: EcologyEcology Introductory BiologyIntroductory Biology

    Restorationtrophic cascadeecosystem function