Introduction to Evolution (Historical Geology)
Amber Kumpf, Muskegon Community College
This is a guided question note sheet with interactive elements linked within for an online course in Earth History or Historical Geology. NOVA evolution lab is one component, along with other introductory videos ...

Evolution of Extinct Animals
Phil Novack-Gottshall, Benedictine University
A classroom/lab activity using the Paleobiology Database to produce and interpret diversity curves for various groups of important and popular extinct animals, such as trilobites, ammonites, and dinosaurs. Activity ...

Paleobiology: Evolution and Extinction
Carrie Schweitzer, Kent State University at Stark
This activity introduces students to the impact of population size, population distribution, and environmental events on extinction processes.

Testing the Ortholog Conjecture: Evolution of Gene Expression During Mammalian Embryonic Development
SUSANTA BEHURA, University of Missouri-Columbia
This Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) introduces students to authentic computational research in evolutionary developmental biology by investigating how gene duplication and evolutionary selection shape gene expression during mammalian embryonic development. The central research question is whether orthologous genes exhibit more conserved expression patterns across species than paralogous genes, as predicted by the ortholog conjecture, or whether expression similarity is more strongly influenced by developmental stage and cellular context.Students first learn fundamental concepts of gene duplication, orthology, paralogy, natural selection, and functional evolution, followed by hands-on training in Unix/Linux-based computational tools and analysis of publicly available transcriptomic datasets. Using embryonic gene expression data from multiple mammalian species and orthology/paralogy annotations from Ensembl, students apply a reproducible computational analysis pipeline to compare evolutionary patterns of gene expression. Different student groups investigate distinct gene families associated with reproduction and embryonic development, formulate hypotheses, analyze expression conservation and divergence, and interpret their findings in the context of evolutionary mechanisms, including functional conservation and neofunctionalization.This entirely computational CURE integrates classroom learning with original research without requiring specialized laboratory infrastructure. Students develop skills in bioinformatics, comparative genomics, data analysis, hypothesis testing, and scientific communication while generating potentially novel insights into the evolutionary regulation of mammalian embryonic development. The modular design allows instructors to adapt the experience to different undergraduate courses and levels of computational expertise.

Mechanisms of Evolution
Rene Shroat-Lewis, University of Arkansas at Little Rock
This exercise uses simple experiments to examine the process of natural selection, which is driven by variation in genetic traits within a population, the potential for offspring to inherit traits from their ...

Landscape Evolution Debate
Amanda Schmidt, Oberlin College
Students are assigned to read one of the three papers on tectonic geomorphology (landscape evolution) published by Nature in 2003 (Burbank et al., Dadson et al., and Reiners et al.). All also read the editorial by ...

Evolution of antibiotic resistance in bacteria
Elena Bray Speth, Saint Louis University; Tammy Long, Michigan State University; Jenni Momsen
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 ...

Evolution of Whales
Mitchell Colgan, College of Charleston
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 ...

Molecular Techniques in Ecology and Evolution
steven kimble, Towson University
Microbiomes are the huge communities of microbes that live in and on host organisms, and are typically intimately involved with the host in myriad ways, including in immune, metabolic, and behavior functions. As ecosystems, these microbiomes are sensitive to changes in their environments, such as host aging, disease state, or contact with pollutants. They could therefore be used as bioindicators of host health, but the membership and functions of microbiomes are poorly understood in almost all creatures, especially reptiles and amphibians. In this CURE we use modern field, laboratory, and bioinformatic tools to describe and analyze the microbiomes of non-model organisms such as frogs, turtles, and reef fish.

Thermal Evolution of the Oceanic Lithosphere
Mark Behn, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The goal of this problem set is to evaluate the thermal evolution of the oceanic lithosphere. As discussed in class, temperature in the oceanic upper mantle is well described by a half-space cooling model, in which ...