Genetic Drift part of Starting Point-Teaching Entry Level Geoscience:Mathematical and Statistical Models:Mathematical and Statistical Models Examples
In this biology simulation, students use a mathematical simulation of genetic drift to answer questions about the factors that influence this evolutionary process. Students run a series of simulations varying ...

Constructing Phylogenetic Trees: The Whippo Story part of Merlot Biology Pedagogic Collection:Interactive Lectures:Examples
An interactive lecture in which students use data on feeding habits and habitat, skeletons, and DNA sequences to draw phylogenetic trees. -

Protein Evolution part of Merlot Biology Pedagogic Collection:Teaching with Data:Examples
In this activity students explore the evolution of proteins by comparing 2D and 3D alignments of orthologs and paralogs.

Searching Genbank part of Merlot Biology Pedagogic Collection:Teaching with Data:Examples
An active problem-based assignment that uses the Genbank database to teach the basics of molecular biology and molecular evolution

Evolution, Natural Selection and Speciation part of Merlot Biology Pedagogic Collection:Conceptual Models:Examples
In this out of class tutorial, students explore several examples of natural selection and speciation.

Phenylketonuira part of Merlot Biology Pedagogic Collection:Teaching with Data:Examples
In this activity, students are assigned different alleles of the gene for phenylalanine hydroxylase to research using OMIM (Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man). They are then asked to both explain and illustrate how this mutation may cause the disease phenylketonuria (PKU).

Monohybrid Fruit Fly Crosses: A Simulation part of Merlot Biology Pedagogic Collection:Teaching with Data:Examples
This assignment uses a computer simulation of fruit fly genetics to have students design and interpret monohybrid crosses of a trait with simple dominant and recessive alleles. Detailed instructions with animated examples, background material, a sample report and a rubric are included.

Evolution of Whales part of Cutting Edge:Introductory Courses:Activities
The students read two articles on the evolution of whales and search the web. The students' writing assignment requires them to outline the evolution of whales using major fossil finds. Students start with ...

Darwin and the Galapagos Islands part of Cutting Edge:Introductory Courses:Activities
In this assignment the students read the Chapter 17 "Galapagos Archipelago" from The Voyage of the Beagle by Charles Darwin, and they examine a website about the Galapagos Islands. The students answer two ...

JiTT - Neanderthals and Modern Humans part of Starting Point-Teaching Entry Level Geoscience:Just in Time Teaching:Examples
1) What are Neanderthals? How do they differ from modern humans? 2) Discuss some of the new ideas as to why early human ancestors dispersed from Africa. 3) What are DNA studies telling us about human migrations and ...

JiTT - The Big 5 Extinctions and Then Some part of Starting Point-Teaching Entry Level Geoscience:Just in Time Teaching:Examples
1) What are the three leading ideas for the cause of the Permian mass extinction? What is the evidence for and against each? 2) Why are tropical forest species going extinct the quickest? 3) What are the ...

JiTT - The Legs of Snakes and Whales part of Starting Point-Teaching Entry Level Geoscience:Just in Time Teaching:Examples
1) What are the adaptations needed to move from water to land (whether it be an arthropod or a "pioneering amphibian")? 2) Could snakes be linked to marine lizards? What your view and interpretations of ...

Driving Through Geologic Time part of Quantitative Skills:Activity Collection
An analogy of the Earth's history to a cross-country drive.

Reconstructing the Evolution of Cauliflower and Broccoli part of Teaching Genomics at Small Colleges:Genomics Instructional Units Minicollection
This laboratory exercise focuses on the connections between plant genetics and morphology.

Comparison of Protein Sequences: BLAST searching and Phylogenetic Tree Construction part of Teaching Genomics at Small Colleges:Genomics Instructional Units Minicollection
This laboratory exercise is a guided discovery of computational methods for comparing protein sequences. Students perform BLAST searches of reported CYP1A sequences and construct phylogenetic trees using CYP1A amino acid sequences from various vertebrate species, especially those with multiple CYP1A paralogs.

The Hobbit: When scientists disagree about the evidence part of Process of Science:Examples

Phylogenetics problems part of Pedagogy in Action:Library:Coached Problem Solving:Examples
Students receive information about cladistics and apply this phylogenetic approach to two problems, collecting data, determining whether traits are ancestral or derived, and using this information to select the most parsimonious tree.

Evolution of antibiotic resistance in bacteria part of Cutting Edge:Complex Systems:Teaching Activities
This activity is intended to guide students to apply principles of evolution by natural selection to explain a real world biological phenomenon (the evolution of bacteria populations resistant to common ...

Timeline of the Early Earth part of Cutting Edge:Online Teaching:Activities for Teaching Online
Students assemble timelines of the early evolution of Earth's atmosphere, lithosphere, biosphere, and hydrosphere by examining data from Archean rocks and minerals.

The Four-Winged Dinosaur part of Cutting Edge:Early Career:Previous Workshops:Workshop 2010:Teaching Activities
This is assignment is completed in two parts: It begins in class with a showing of the Nova documentary "The Four-Winged Dinosaur." It continues as a homework assignment in which students write a short ...