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7:00 video: This film is the first of a two part series on the evolution of new genetic information. Here we focus on Point Mutations - the simplest natural mechanisms known to increase the genetic information of a population. Our second film of the series will focus on duplication events - natural mutations that increase the total amount of genetic information of an individual. This film was produced under the guidance of molecular biologist Dr. Nicholas Casewell. http://www.lstmed.ac.uk/about/people/... Point mutations are small, natural edits in the DNA code of an individual. These edits can be passed from parent to child. Because they are mere edits, point mutations usually do not increase the total amount of information in an individual. As new information is gained, old information is lost. Point mutations do, however, increase the total amount of information within a population. In this film you will see several examples of beneficial point mutations which have enhanced a creatures abilities or even given rise to entirely new abilities. The first two examples were directly observed in bacteria by scientists in the lab. The third is a case found in domestic dogs, the last example was discovered in several species of wild animal.

Introductory Activity in evolution unit; typically adapt to design a moth (no other instructions), select a student predator, attach the moths, let the predator in, repeat twice, then design a moth and model a natural disaster by moving to a different habitat (hallway).

Shape of Life is a series of FREE short classroom videos that beautifully illustrate the evolution of the animal kingdom on planet earth. Based upon an original PBS Series, Shape of Life is especially designed for students and teachers who want a first-hand account of how animals adapt and thrive. The series is NGSS aligned with exquisite focus on diversity, biodiversity, adaptability, body structure, design, behaviors, and the innovative scientists who explore these creatures.

Shape of Life is a series of FREE short classroom videos that beautifully illustrate the evolution of the animal kingdom on planet earth. Based upon an original PBS Series, Shape of Life is especially designed for students and teachers who want a first-hand account of how animals adapt and thrive. The series is NGSS aligned with exquisite focus on diversity, biodiversity, adaptability, body structure, design, behaviors, and the innovative scientists who explore these creatures.

1 page summaries of different lines of evidence for evolution from Nature

Avida-ED is an award-winning educational application developed at Michigan State University for undergraduate biology courses to help students learn about evolution and scientific method by allowing them to design and perform experiments to test hypotheses about evolutionary mechanisms using evolving digital organisms.

Understanding the variability in human hair isn't only interesting from a cosmetic perspective-it also informs the study of evolution. Hair can signal social status, health and fertility, and regulates body temperature.

founder effect examples: Huntington's diseasea Lake Maracaibo NW Venezuela; microcephaly in Old Order Amish in Lancaster PA; S and C American blood type

But now, a century and a half later, scientists from 11 different institutions have joined forces to amass all of that information, plus new data, to create the most comprehensive version of the tree so far. As detailed in a recent article in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the new Tree of Life shows how 2.3 million different types of animals, plants, fungi and microbes are interconnected, and how those relationships have diverged since life began on Earth more than 3.5 billion years ago.

This "clicker case" gives students an opportunity to apply their understanding of three different types of selection (directional, stabilizing, and disruptive) to a variety of model systems. The case describes each type of selection in detail, presents a paradigm case of each, and then uses clicker questions to test whether students can identify the mode of selection in other systems (answers included in the teaching notes).  Nine different studies are presented so that students gain a broad understanding of selection and how environmental factors can impact species differently. The case concludes with an optional discussion activity (also discussed in the teaching notes) to deepen understanding. Although designed for a high school classroom, it could easily be used in a lower-level college course as an engaging introduction or review of concepts. The case could be used at the beginning of an evolution unit, but it would be helpful if the students were familiar with natural selection before completing the activity.

This case study teaches students about allopatric speciation through an investigation of the benthic and limnetic sticklebacks of Paxton Lake, which are among the youngest species on Earth, diverging from each other after the Pleistocene glaciers melted and the Gulf Islands formed. Researchers at the University of British Columbia have carried out a variety of fascinating studies on these hardy little fish. Results from this research (formatted as data sheets included in the teaching notes) are provided to students who design experiments and then compare actual data to investigate why benthic and limnetic sticklebacks seldom interbreed in Paxton Lake. Developed for a first-year biology course for majors organized around the general theme of evolution and the history of life on Earth, this case study is an updated version of another case in the collection, "Something's Fishy in Paxton Lake" (Sharp, 2001). The current version is especially suited for a flipped classroom in which students prepare for class ahead of time with a reading assignment that also involves the viewing of a video by the case authors that introduces the mechanisms of allopatric speciation.

Review of many examples of epigenetics and mechanisms. Discussion incorporates evolution.

Dr Adam Rutherford discusses the early evolution of complex life on Earth with geneticists Professor Steve Jones and Dr. Nick Lane.

Their nervous systems have changed over time to fight off the powerful chemicals-an extraordinary example of evolution in action, according to a new study. "I've been wanting to understand how organisms could acquire neurotoxins, [which] requires an animal to reorganize their nervous system," says study coauthor Rebecca Tarvin, a biologist at the University of Texas at Austin and National Geographic Society grantee.

This clicker case addresses several concepts related to the evolutionary ecology of herbivore defenses. A survey of several different studies that investigated chemical defenses in Thymus vulgaris (thyme) gives students the opportunity to develop hypotheses, pose potential experiments, and interpret data to develop a better understanding of not only herbivore deterrence, but also how natural selection can involve different pressures selecting for different phenotypes. The case study incorporates group discussion, analysis of experimental design, and data evaluation as central activities. It can be taught in a single 50-minute class session, an economy that is achieved in part by using a "flipped" approach. Students prepare outside of class by watching several short videos (one of which was made by the author) that teach the basics of herbivore deterrence and abiotic and biotic forces in the environment that can influence plant adaptations. The case study was designed for use in a large introductory-level class, but would also be appropriate for smaller classes or upper-level evolution courses.

Virtual Biology Lab is a free, online educational resource provided for educational purposes. Includes: Ecology, evolution, cell biology

Students can manipulate mutations in bunnies, such as fur color and teeth length. By altering the environmental factors, students can see how the bunny populations change over time. For example, in a warm environment, more bunnies will have brown fur, but in the cold environment, more bunnies will have white fur. The student worksheet includes instructions on how the simulator works. Then students perform a variety of "experiments" to explore mutations in the populations. I include this as part of a unit on evolution, so students are familiar with VIDA charts. Students complete a chart at the end of the activity to summarize how variations in populations lead to adaptation.

The lab includes a number of short videos explaining aspects of research methods or relating the evolutionary history of stickleback fish. We recommend that you view these videos, especially when going through the lab for the first time. Throughout the lab, bolded words in the text are defined in the glossary under the "Reference" tab.