CourseSource: Resources

Lesson

3579

views

505

downloads

0

comments

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

Lesson

1522

views

393

downloads

0

comments

Learning How to Make “Good Enough” Estimations

The ability to estimate physical quantities is a useful skill that can help develop critical thinking and scientific literacy. This lesson provides an accessible way to teach students how to estimate physical quantities by focusing on three key...

Courses: Introductory Physics: Calculus-Based Astronomy Introductory Physics: Algebra-Based

MeasurementestimationcommunicationProblem Solvinggroup workUnit conversion

Lesson

924

views

275

downloads

0

comments

Population Ecology of the Northern Spotted Owl

The mathematical modeling of populations utilizing field-collected demographic data is an important component of lab curricula in a variety of undergraduate biology lab courses. During the global pandemic brought about by the SARS-CoV-2 virus in...

Courses: Ecology Ecology Introductory Biology

demographyCommunity Ecologypopulation ecologyconservation biologylife tables

Lesson

2876

views

1007

downloads

0

comments

Building Trees: Introducing evolutionary concepts by exploring Crassulaceae phylogeny and biogeography

Teaching evolutionary theory is foundational for all biological sciences and a key aspect of overall science literacy. The conceptual framework for understanding evolution relies on thinking clearly about evolutionary trees (phylogenetics) and how...

Courses: Evolution Introductory Biology

EvolutionphylogeneticsTree thinkingbiogeography

Lesson

3670

views

1005

downloads

0

comments

A Quick and Simple Natural Selection Role Play

Teaching evolution remains a challenging task in biology education. Students enter the classroom with stubborn misconceptions and many traditional examples of the process of evolution may not resonate with students. This short role play activity...

Courses: Ecology Ecology Evolution Genetics Plant Biology

EvolutionfitnessNatural Selectionheritability

Lesson

3497

views

852

downloads

0

comments

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

430

views

65

downloads

0

comments

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

1040

views

173

downloads

0

comments

To Vaccinate or Not to Vaccinate

To vaccinate or not to vaccinate, that is the question. Much of the recent trend in society against vaccination is that the general population does not understand 1) how vaccines work and 2) how one's vaccination status can influence others....

Courses: Anatomy-Physiology Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Introductory Biology Microbiology

pathogenELISAimmunityantibodyAntigen

Lesson

1260

views

92

downloads

0

comments

Gender and Classroom Participation: A Case for Quantitative Analysis

Teaching statistics to students using authentic research is one way to highlight the transferability and value of the material taught in the class. Below we describe an activity in Statistics for Biological and Health Sciences (STAT2510), an...

Courses: Science Process Skills

statisticsgenderpopulationProportionSampleEquality

Lesson

3618

views

953

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

1793

views

342

downloads

0

comments

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

Lesson

4368

views

1259

downloads

0

comments

What is Speciation, How Does It Occur, and Why Is It Important for Conservation?

Speciation provides a framework for classifying biodiversity on Earth and is a central concept in evolutionary biology. To help undergraduate students learn about speciation, we designed a student-centered lesson that uses active-learning...

Courses: Ecology Ecology Genetics Introductory Biology Science Process Skills

EvolutionconservationGenetic DriftSpeciationNatural SelectionBiological species conceptgene flowMorphological species conceptPhylogenetic species concept

Lesson

1513

views

210

downloads

0

comments

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

Lesson

2048

views

586

downloads

0

comments

BioVEDA Curriculum: An Approach to Link Conceptual and Quantitative Understanding of Variation During Experimental Design and Data Analysis

When performing a biological investigation, experts constantly cycle between conceptual and quantitative modes of thinking, integrating their understanding in both worlds to make decisions about their work. This cycling and mixing of conceptual...

Courses: Science Process Skills

statisticssample sizeBiological variation

Lesson

2984

views

942

downloads

0

comments

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

Lesson

3406

views

285

downloads

0

comments

Garden Variety Mutations: Using Primary Data to Understand the Central Dogma in Large-Lecture Introductory Biology

The ability to interpret and create an argument from data is a crucial skill for budding scientists, yet one that is seldom practiced in introductory courses. During this argumentation module, students in a large lecture class will work in groups...

Courses: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Genetics Introductory Biology

mutationtranscriptiongene expressioncentral dogmatranslationgel electrophoresisGenotype/Phenotype

Lesson

3342

views

275

downloads

0

comments

Application of a Bacterial Experimental Evolution System to Visualize and Teach Evolution in Action: A Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience

Concepts of evolution are typically taught through examples of extremely long timescales, which do not always resonate broadly. Here, we describe a course-based undergraduate research experience tailored for junior and senior undergraduate biology...

Courses: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Bioinformatics Cell Biology Evolution Genetics Microbiology

EvolutionmutationcompetitionNatural Selectionregulationstructure and functionreproductive fitnessgenotype to phenotypehomologs

Lesson

1842

views

424

downloads

0

comments

Teaching epidemiology and principles of infectious disease using popular media and the case of Typhoid Mary

Allied health students often struggle to understand how particular content, such as epidemiology, connects to their future careers. This activity uses the case of Typhoid Mary as a foundation for exploring epidemiology and infectious disease...

Courses: Microbiology Science Process Skills

epidemiologycase studyinfectous diseasepopular mediaTyphoid Mary

Lesson

1692

views

494

downloads

0

comments

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

Lesson

3549

views

263

downloads

0

comments

SEAS CURE: Exploring Coral Biology Across Scales

Complex biological concepts (like symbiosis and coral biology) that span multiple scales and cross disciplinary boundaries are often difficult for students to understand. This complexity is compounded by the challenges inherent to teaching and...

Courses: Anatomy-Physiology Cell Biology Ecology Ecology Introductory Biology Science Process Skills