CourseSource: Resources

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The Leaky Neuron: Understanding synaptic integration using an analogy involving leaky cups

Students have difficulty understanding synaptic integration in neural circuits, and how spatial and temporal summation combine in a target neuron to reach threshold. This Lesson uses small cups of water to represent excitatory postsynaptic...

Courses: Neurobiology

neuron physiologyspatial summationsynaptic integrationtemporal summationthreshold

Teaching Tools and Strategies

536

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21

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0

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A Journal Club Project to Promote Interpreting and Presenting Information From the Primary Scientific Literature

Many undergraduate students receive little guidance on how to critically read, interpret data within, or present information from the primary scientific literature before they begin senior independent research experiences or enter professional or...

Courses: Developmental Biology Neurobiology

primary literaturejournal clubScience CommunicationfeedbackPeer reviewgroup workOral presentationProcess skillsPeer evaluationDevelopmental neurobiology

Teaching Tools and Strategies

1113

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111

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Transitioning Two-Stage Exams to an Online Class

Students often find biology courses to be very difficult and isolating, particularly if they identify as part of a group that has been historically excluded from STEM. Some of this anxiety and isolation comes from high-stakes exams. We decided to...

Courses: Anatomy-Physiology

lower division STEMupper division STEM

Lesson

1132

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547

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Understanding Gastric Acid Secretion: An Active Learning Approach

The human digestive system is a diverse network of cells, tissues, and organs that is regulated by systemic (e.g., nervous and endocrine systems) and local factors (e.g., secretions, pH, and the microbiome). Given the volume of content and the...

Courses: Anatomy-Physiology

diseasesignal transductionAcid SecretionAutonomic Nervous SystemEndocrineGastric PhysiologyGPCRHistology of Gastric Pit

Lesson

1478

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324

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Investigating Gene Expression and Cell Specialization in Axolotl Embryos

The process of cell specialization is critical to the formation and function of tissues in animals and plants. Although gene expression, including the regulation of transcription, is taught in most introductory cell biology courses, the...

Courses: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Cell Biology Developmental Biology Science Process Skills

developmenttranscriptiongene expressionmodel organismembryo

Lesson

744

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86

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Discovery and Invention: A Reflection on Representation in Science

Despite increased awareness of the lack of equity and inclusion in the STEMM classroom, lessons on DEI topics are treated as separate to the scientific curriculum being taught. Rarely are intentional reflections and conversations on the lack of...

Courses: Professional Development and Career Planning

EquityDiversity and Inclusionantiracism

Lesson

2698

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996

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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

7706

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379

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Investigating Cell Signaling with Gene Expression Datasets

Modern molecular biology is a data- and computationally-intensive field with few instructional resources for introducing undergraduate students to the requisite skills and techniques for analyzing large data sets. This Lesson helps students: (i)...

Courses: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Cell Biology

genomicstranscriptionsignaling

Lesson

3453

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259

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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

microscopyAnatomySymbiosisMetabolismbleachinginvertebratedinoflagellate

Teaching Tools and Strategies

1590

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314

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0

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SCIENCE/Fiction: Modular Template for Class Design

We present a modular scaffold for designing an introductory seminar using speculative fiction and science papers to welcome university undergraduates to the biology major. A list of twelve possible topics is included, such as Memory, Parasites,...

Courses: Anatomy-Physiology Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Cell Biology Evolution Genetics Introductory Biology Neurobiology

geneticscell biologyneurosciencesystems biologyScience Fiction

Lesson

1127

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155

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Central Dogma, Dictionaries, and Functions: Using Programming Concepts to Simulate Biological Processes

Technologies like next-generation sequencing, proteomics, and high-throughput phenotyping have transformed the way we do biology. There is a continued need for scientists with computational skills to analyze biological data while understanding the...

Courses: Bioinformatics

computationpythonJupyter notebookFunctionscentral dogmaDictionaries

Lesson

2592

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114

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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

Lesson

3052

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522

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A Student-Led Hearing on the Use of HeLa Cells in Research

In this role-playing case study, students will learn about the HeLa cell line and its origins while examining multiple perspectives surrounding the cell line and its uses. The goal of this case study is for students to use guided questions to...

Courses: Cell Biology Science Process Skills

bioethicsscience policycell culturedebateHeLa cellsinformed consentrole playsocial justice issues

Lesson

4985

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2394

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Exploring the Lytic and Lysogenic Life Cycles of Bacteriophages

The goal of this lesson is to introduce students to the lytic and lysogenic cycles of T4 and lambda bacteriophages, respectively, using student-centered pedagogies. Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria and are either virulent or...

Courses: Microbiology

bacteriophagesLysogenic cycleLysogenyLytic cycle

Lesson

1887

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576

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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

2747

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331

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Bacteria to Brains in Backyard Coyotes: An Interdisciplinary Pedagogical Case Study

Our interdisciplinary pedagogical case study explores the differences between rural and urban coyotes at the levels of organismal and community ecology. The focus is on how coyotes’ gut microbiomes could affect their behavior via...

Courses: Cell Biology Ecology Ecology Evolution Immunology Introductory Biology Microbiology

dietanimal behaviorimmune systemmicrobiomeNervous systemgut-brain axisImmunoReachdysbiosisCoyoteCytokines

Lesson

930

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382

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Why Do I Need a Lab Notebook? Teaching Responsible Conduct of Research with CURE Lab Notebooks

There are few instructional tools about data acquisition and management available for undergraduate students. I created this lesson as a Fellow of the Ethics Network for Course-Based Opportunities in Undergraduate Research (ENCOUR) to fill this...

Courses: Microbiology Professional Development and Career Planning Science Process Skills

lab notebookresponsible conduct of researchdata acquisition/ management

Lesson

2970

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440

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Moths and Frogs and E. coli, Oh My!: Agent-based Modeling of Evolutionary Systems

In evolution classrooms, introducing and reinforcing the idea of genetic drift and random selection can be challenging, as can be reinforcing appropriate mental models of evolution. Agent-based models offer students the opportunity to conduct a...

Courses: Bioinformatics Ecology Ecology Evolution Science Process Skills

modelingEvolutionecologyagent-based modelingGenetic Driftenvironmental scienceNatural Selectioncompetitive coevolutionsimulation modelingevolutionary reasoning

Essay

968

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104

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An Active Textbook Converts "Vision and Tweak" to Vision and Change

Multiple reports over more than a century have documented the problems with the way introductory biology has been taught in most colleges and universities. An influential recent report, Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education, has...

Courses: Introductory Biology

Vision and Changeactive learningintroductory biologyFlipped classroomUndergraduatecore competenciescore conceptsactive textbookcurriculum reform

Lesson

578

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510

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Cross-Course Public Health Project on Infectious Disease

The need for collaborative, public health education has never been more important. Students increasingly require necessary skills in effectively communicating critical information to the general public and in working strategically in...

Courses: Microbiology

infectionpublic healthVaccinespathogenesisantibiotics