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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: EcologyEcology Introductory BiologyIntroductory Biology Science Process SkillsScience Process Skills

    population ecologypopulation modelingdiscrete generationpopulation management
    Lesson
    3204

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    806

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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: EvolutionEvolution

    EvolutionGenetic DriftBottle neckFounder effectRandom evolutionary processes
    Lesson
    605

    views

    39

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    0

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    Breaking It Down: What Factors Control Microbial Decomposition Rates?
    Demonstrating and modeling changes in ecosystem processes in the laboratory classroom can be logistically difficult and expensive. This complexity often leaves little time for students to generate and test hypotheses. Yet, we must foster student...

    Courses: EcologyEcology MicrobiologyMicrobiology Science Process SkillsScience Process Skills

    data analysishypothesis testingdata visualizationdata managementMicrobial RespirationDecompostionAbiotic ConditionsResults Communication
    Lesson
    3583

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    376

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    Discovering Prokaryotic Gene Regulation with Simulations of the trp Operon
    The trp operon exemplifies important biological concepts, including the central dogma of molecular biology, feedback inhibition, and gene regulation. For this reason, regulation of the trp operon is a common theme in introductory biology,...

    Courses: GeneticsGenetics Introductory BiologyIntroductory Biology MicrobiologyMicrobiology

    prokaryotesgene regulationattenuationfeedback inhibitionrepressible operontrp operon
    Lesson
    2211

    views

    148

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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
    1871

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    347

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    Engaging Undergraduates in Mechanisms of Tubular Reabsorption and Secretion in the Mammalian Kidney
    If students fail to see the connections among physiological systems, they can become overwhelmed with the amount of information they need to learn. Some students have particular difficulty with the renal system for this reason. This lesson was...

    Courses: Anatomy-PhysiologyAnatomy-Physiology Cell BiologyCell Biology

    OsmosisActive transportMass flowRenal reabsorptionRenal secretionTransport across membranes
    Lesson
    5375

    views

    1084

    downloads

    2

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    Meiosis: A Play in Three Acts, Starring DNA Sequence
    Meiosis is well known for being a sticky topic that appears repeatedly in biology curricula. We observe that a typical undergraduate biology major cannot correctly identify haploid and diploid cells or explain how and why chromosomes pair before...

    Courses: Cell BiologyCell Biology GeneticsGenetics Introductory BiologyIntroductory Biology

    recombinationmeiosisDNA sequenceCrossingoverchromosome structureHolliday junctionhomology
    Teaching Tools and Strategies
    4611

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    775

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    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
    4067

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    272

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    Analysis of Microbiomes Using Free Web-Based Tools in Online and In-Person Undergraduate Science Courses
    Our understanding of microbiomes, or the collection of microorganisms and their genes in a given environment, has been revolutionized by technological and computational advances. However, many undergraduate students do not get hands-on experiences...

    Courses: BioinformaticsBioinformatics EcologyEcology MicrobiologyMicrobiology

    microbiomeDNA SubwayCyVerseCourse based undergraduate researchQIIME2ranacapa
    Science Behind the Lesson
    1779

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    238

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    0

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    The Science Behind Parthenogenesis: Interesting things happen when meiosis goes “wrong”
    Parthenogenetic reproduction is a fascinating, complex topic.  This article accompanies “Why Meiosis Matters: The case of the fatherless snake.” It summarizes the basic information an introductory biology or genetics instructor...

    Courses: Cell BiologyCell Biology GeneticsGenetics Introductory BiologyIntroductory Biology

    meiosismitosissex determinationAsexual reproductionParthenogenesis
    Teaching Tools and Strategies
    1109

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    224

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    0

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    Sanger Sequencing by Hand: Using Paper Clips to Demonstrate Chain Termination
    Sanger sequencing is commonly taught with a hands-on approach. Sanger sequencing involves chain termination by dideoxynucleotides, because they are missing the oxygen on the 3’ carbon atom, which is required for the addition of subsequent...

    Courses: GeneticsGenetics

    nucleotidessequencingDNAgel electrophoresisChain Termination
    Lesson
    2690

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    460

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    0

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    GMC: Genes, Mutations and Cancer - Group Concept Map Development
    It has been shown that active learning strategies used in the classroom can increase student learning and retention of information. We generated an active learning exercise that can be used in the classroom to explore the relationship between...

    Courses: Cell BiologyCell Biology GeneticsGenetics Introductory BiologyIntroductory Biology

    mutationcancerCell Division
    Lesson
    3394

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    563

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    Teaching RNAseq at Undergraduate Institutions: A tutorial and R package from the Genome Consortium for Active Teaching
    Next-generation sequencing is radically changing the study of biology, but there are currently few resources aimed at teaching the required laboratory and data-analysis skills to undergraduate students. This gap is especially true at primarily...

    Courses: BioinformaticsBioinformatics Introductory BiologyIntroductory Biology

    statisticsbioinformaticsRNAseqgene expressioncomputer programming
    Lesson
    2909

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    863

    downloads

    1

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    Fruit Fly Genetics in a Day: A Guided Exploration to Help Many Large Sections of Beginning Students Uncover the Secrets of Sex-linked Inheritance
    Moving beyond the basic concepts of autosomal Mendelian inheritance to sex-linkage can be difficult for introductory biology students. Although crosses with Drosophila fruit flies have long been a mainstay of genetics units that teach these...

    Courses: GeneticsGenetics

    Mendelian Geneticsfruit fly biologysex-linked inheritance
    Lesson
    1164

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    10

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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 PlanningProfessional Development and Career Planning

    professional developmentEquitydiversityscience identitysense of belongingCentering Student VoicesCareer Paneland InclusionPositive Representation of Diverse ScientistsFostering Community Between Students
    Lesson
    3417

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    954

    downloads

    0

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    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: EcologyEcology EvolutionEvolution GeneticsGenetics Plant BiologyPlant Biology

    EvolutionfitnessNatural Selectionheritability
    Lesson
    3320

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    888

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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
    4307

    views

    671

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    0

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    A simple way for students to visualize cellular respiration: adapting the board game MousetrapTM to model complexity
    Lecture-based introductory biology courses are typically content-heavy as instructors strive to provide students with foundational knowledge in a broad range of topics.  One topic traditionally covered is cellular respiration, the series of...

    Courses: Introductory BiologyIntroductory Biology

    ATPGlycolysisCellular RespirationElectron Transport ChainKrebs Cycle
    LessonPlus
    1456

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    306

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    Keep It Shrimple: An Adaptable Student-Driven Research Project for the Introductory Biology Laboratory
    A challenge in introductory biology laboratory courses is to provide students with authentic, engaging research opportunities that allow them to take ownership of their experiments. We present a nine-week introductory biology module that allows...

    Courses: Introductory BiologyIntroductory Biology Science Process SkillsScience Process Skills

    hypothesis testingexperimental designanimal behaviorbrine shrimp
    Lesson
    1346

    views

    118

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    The Developmental Origins of Mythology: A Pandemic-Inspired Innovative Developmental Biology Laboratory Exercise
    From an experiential, hands-on perspective, the Developmental Biology Laboratory is easily amenable to a wide range of undergraduate-friendly experiments. Thus, pivoting to a virtual laboratory during the COVID-19 pandemic required significant...

    Courses: Developmental BiologyDevelopmental Biology

    gastrulationaxis formationlimb developmentchimeramidline