biology

In this analysis and discussion activity, students develop their understanding of photosynthesis by answering questions about three different models of photosynthesis.

These models are a chemical equation, a flowchart that shows changes in energy and matter, and a diagram that shows the basic processes in a chloroplast. Students use a drawing of a plant to create another model of photosynthesis.

Finally, students evaluate the advantages of each type of model for understanding photosynthesis; this helps them to appreciate the role of scientific models.

The Student Handout is available in the first two attached files and as a Google doc designed for use in distance learning and online instruction. (For additional information, see https://serendipstudio.org/exchange/bioactivities/Googledocs, especially item 7.) The Teacher Notes, available in the last two attached files, provide instructional suggestions and background information and explain how this activity is aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards.

Most of our activities for helping middle school and high school students learn life sciences are aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS; http://www.nextgenscience.org/next-generation-science-standards and http://www.nextgenscience.org/sites/default/files/HS%20LS%20topics%20combined%206.13.13.pdf). The attached tables summarize our activities that are explicitly aligned with NGSS Disciplinary Core Ideas and Performance Expectations. These tables also summarize how each of these activities engages students in Scientific Practices and provides the opportunity to discuss Crosscutting Concepts. Brief descriptions of these activities are compiled at /exchange/bioactivities/NGSS/listing. The Teacher Notes for each activity provide additional information concerning alignment with the Next Generation Science Standards.

This analysis and discussion activity begins with an introduction to vitamin A deficiency and a review of transcription, translation, and the universal genetic code.

Several questions challenge students to design a basic plan that could produce a genetically engineered rice plant that makes rice grains that contain pro-vitamin A. Subsequent information and questions guide students as they learn how scientists use bacteria to insert desired genes, together with an appropriate promoter, in the DNA of plant cells.

In a final optional section, students evaluate the pro and con arguments in the controversy concerning Golden Rice.

This analysis and discussion activity focuses on two questions. How could something as complex as the human eye or the octopus eye have evolved by natural selection? How can scientists learn about the evolution of eyes, given that there is very little fossil evidence?

To answer these questions, students analyze evidence from comparative anatomy, mathematical modeling, and molecular biology. Students interpret this evidence to develop a likely sequence of intermediate steps in the evolution of complex eyes and to understand how each intermediate step contributed to increased survival and reproduction.

The Teacher Notes suggest additions to the Student Handout that can be used to introduce concepts such as the role of gene duplication in evolution and/or homology and analogy. 

In common experience, the term "adapting" usually refers to changes during an organism's lifetime.

In contrast, evolutionary biologists use the term "adaptation" to refer to a heritable trait that increases fitness.

To help students reconcile these different concepts, this activity introduces the concept of phenotypic plasticity (the ability of an organism to adapt to different environments within its lifetime).

Questions guide students in analyzing how the balance between the advantages and disadvantages of a characteristic (e.g. an animal’s color) can vary in different circumstances, how phenotypic plasticity can be a heritable trait that can optimize fitness in a variable environment, and how natural selection can influence the amount of phenotypic plasticity in a population.

In this analysis and discussion activity, students develop their understanding of the exponential and logistic population growth models by analyzing the recovery of endangered species and growth of bacterial populations. Students learn about the processes that cause exponential or logistic population growth, interpret data from several investigations, and apply their understanding to policy questions.

Next, students analyze examples where the trends in population size do not match the predictions of the exponential or logistic population growth models. They learn that models are based on simplifying assumptions and a model’s predictions are only accurate when the simplifying assumptions are true for the population studied.
In the last section, students analyze trends in human population size and some of the factors that affect the earth’s carrying capacity for humans. 

One version of the Student Handout also includes mathematical equations for exponential and logistic population growth. Appendices to these Teacher Notes offer optional questions on food poisoning, exponential growth of a rabbit population, additional examples of exceptions to the logistic population growth model, and a research challenge (to develop proposals for sustainable use of two resources that may limit the earth’s carrying capacity for humans).

These Teacher Notes provide (1) suggestions for teaching evolution to students with religious concerns, (2) a review of major concepts and common misconceptions concerning natural selection, with recommended learning activities, (3) a review of major concepts and common misconceptions about species, descent with modification, and the evidence for evolution, with recommended learning activities, and (4) recommended general resources for teaching about evolution.

This annotated compilation of some of the best resources for teaching and learning about evolution includes activities, videos and articles. In the attached file, the first section provides general and introductory resources and the second section provides resources for understanding and analyzing the evidence.

The attached file has brief descriptions of the resources with links.