Multi-Day Thematic Lessons
Despite the importance of evolution in biology, many students have difficulty with this topic and come to the classroom with negative perceptions of the theory of evolution. In addition, macroevolution takes place over such long time periods (apart from some bacteria and viruses) that the process can be hard to conceptualize and appear as a topic that is not relevant to students’ lives. We have also found that students struggle to understand natural selection. It is often taught as a list of rules or steps that students memorize, and therefore, students rarely internalize this important mechanism of evolution. Our hope is that by using a familiar organism, the horse, and engaging in the authentic practices of science including the opportunity to examine actual fossils, take measurements, and make claims based on scientific evidence, students will appreciate the elegance and predicative power of evolutionary theory. The activities in this unit require no prerequisite understanding of evolution or vocabulary associated with evolution. We believe that by focusing on concepts and then presenting the information in a more formal way will result in greater student acceptance and understanding of evolution. We also believe this hands-on inquiry approach to introducing evolution will aide in students’ ability to apply what they learn about horse evolution to other areas of biology.
Grades: Middle, High
Authors: J. Broo & J. Mahoney
Programs: Summer Science Institute, NIH SEPA Summer Research Experience (SRE)
Additional resources:
- Lesson 1: Modified Student Pages | Lesson 1: Modified Data Table Teacher Page | Epoch Slideshow | Lesson 3: Modified Horse Cards
- Tutorial for downloading files from MorphoSource for 3D printing fossil horse teeth study set (PaleoTEACH)
- Video tutorial for measuring fossil horse teeth (YouTube)
- Lesson Three: Fossil Horses, Orthogenesis, and Communicating Evolution in Museums (link to paper)
Dengue provides an excellent opportunity to illustrate the interaction between humans and the environment, the impact those actions can have on the health of an entire community, as well as the medical mystery of dengue and the immune response to the different serotypes. Looking at translational research, there is much work devoted to developing a vaccine, with clinical trials underway evaluating the efficacy and safety of different formulations. Always trying to minimize harm, is it possible to vaccinate against dengue without then putting a vaccinated person at risk for subsequent infection and increased immune response?
Grades: Middle, High
Author: J. Bokor
Program: NIH SEPA Bench to Bedside
Pompe disease affords the rare opportunity for students to consider multiple biological concepts and assemble them into a story. Instead of DNA taught separate from protein structure and function, these areas as well as enzymes, genetics and human disease are all taught together through the story of Pompe disease. If you are currently using sickle cell disease or cystic fibrosis in your curriculum, you may want to consider adding Pompe to your toolbox!
Grades: High
Author: J. Bokor
Program: NIH SEPA Bench to Bedside
Cancer is a word that seems to exist in everyone’s vocabulary in the 21st century. In this curriculum we strive to provide students with an opportunity to learn more about the mechanisms of cancer and help them to realize that even through all cancers are unique, all cancers are a result of mutations in the cell cycle. The role of checkpoints in the cell cycle is often overlooked in the typical high school biology classsroom, so this unit was developed to expand on that particular content area and to utilize student-driven, inquiry style learning methods. We also show students how translational medicine is leading the way to new, less invasive treatments for cancer patients through clinical trials.
Grades: High
Authors: J. Broo & J. Mahoney
Program: NIH SEPA Summer Research Experience (SRE)
Natural selection is a central theme in biology and an important concept for student understanding of a wide variety of topics. One such topic is the ability for organisms to adapt to the increasing environmental stress predicted under contemporary global climate change. Global climate change will likely have substantial impacts on living organisms and it is critical to examine how genetic variation may either facilitate or limit the ability for organisms to adapt to global climate change through natural selection. In the present inquiry-based classroom activity, students will use a chill-coma recovery assay to compare thermal tolerance among six different lines (3 fast recovering lines and 3 slow recovering lines) of the fly Drosophila melanogaster. The objective of the activity is to provide students the opportunity to assess natural genetic variation in cold tolerance in Drosophila melanogaster and to discuss the implications for this variation to allow adaptation by natural selection to occur, thus facilitating persistence of the species despite a changing climate. Possible topics of discussion that can be used in conjunction with this activity include: genetics, evolutionary biology, conservation biology, global climate change, ecology, statistics, the scientific method, and many others, allowing this experiment to facilitate diverse teaching and learning opportunities. This activity will allow students to identify questions and concepts that guide scientific investigations, learn how to conduct a scientific investigation (including use of appropriate tools and techniques for data collection), how to use scientific technology and mathematics including a basic understanding of statistical testing and analysis, and to develop their critical thinking and communication skills.
Grades: High
Authors: J. Broo & J. Mahoney
Program: Summer Science Institute (SSI); NIH SEPA Summer Research Experience (SRE)
Additional resources:
- Lesson 1 Presentation | Lesson 2 Presentation | Lesson 3 Presentation
- Chill Coma Recovery Sample Data | Fly Care Instructions
- Article from American Biology Teacher (includes information for ordering fly lines)
Download Full Curriculum | Lesson 3 : Gene Cards
This curriculum unit was created with the purpose of introducing high school students to comparative genomics and the computer based tools that scientists use to identify genomic islands. Specifically, this unit is meant to guide students to discover virulent genes and proteins found in pathogenicity islands within the genomes of disease causing bacteria. Explore concepts such as benefits and disadvantages of diversifying the genome; relating genome diversity to bacterial survival and fitness; modes of gene transfer; the driving forces behind genome diversity; familiarity with common pathogenic factors and the significance of these genes to pathogenesis. Gain a better understanding of the global impact of disease outbreaks as well as a realistic comprehension of the caveats in pharmaceutical advancements and the significance of the comparative genomics in accelerating identification of targets and drug development. Facilitate discussion about natural products, cancer research, and pharmaceutical synthesis, and ethics.
Grades: High
Authors: J. Bacusmo & K. Savage
Program: NIH SEPA Summer Research Experience (SRE)
Ecological Niche Modeling: The Evolution of a Species
This unit was designed to give students the chance to accurately depict the current and future distributions of a species through the use of ecological niche modeling software. Students will observe how a specific population of their choice could evolve over the next 35 years.
Grades: High
Author: J. Benskin
Programs: Summer Science Institute (SSI); NIH SEPA Summer Research Experience (SRE)
Download Curriculum | Download Student Worksheets | ELISA Extension: Detecting Disease | Download Map of Guinea |
This lesson engages students in a series of inquiry-based activities providing information on the current outbreak of Ebola in West Africa, including: a jigsaw/webquest using resources from the Centers for Disease Control, a simulation based on fluid exchange to model the spread of an outbreak of infectious disease, and a “disease detective”-style mapping activity based on published data outlining the start of the Ebola outbreak in Guinea.
Grades: Middle, High
Author: H. Pruitt
Program: NIH SEPA Bench to Bedside
| Download Curriculum | Hands on Human Evolution Powerpoint |
In this unit, students use both morphological evidence and genetic evidence to understand our closest living relatives and other extinct species within the human family tree. In lesson one, students investigate different aspects of human evolution through a series of seven laboratory stations. Each station is specifically designed to allow students to investigate evolution in an evidence based manner, while providing intuitive questions to guide their critical thinking. Lesson one introduces students to the human fossil record and shows the importance of using morphological characteristics when investigating phylogenetic relationships. In lesson two, students compare stained chromosomes, amino acid sequences and base pair sequences for a variety of extant primates. They will use critical thinking skills to construct small phylogenies and determine which primates are more closely related to humans. This lesson provides the students with a basis in using multiple lines of evidence to come to scientific conclusions. Lesson two introduces students to modern techniques in the investigation of phylogenetic relationships and also highlights the importance of using both the fossil record and DNA to draw conclusions regarding relatedness.
Grades: Middle, High
Authors: M. Hernandez, S. Engling, D. Ouellette
Programs: Summer Science Institute (SSI); NIH SEPA Summer Research Experience (SRE)