Our Favorite Evolution Resources

[Marta Toran]

I thought it would be useful to have a discussion on our favorite resources for teaching Evolution. Here is one of mine that I am always impressed by every time I visit: the NOVA Evolution series. You can watch programs for free by streaming them, there are interactive activities, interviews with scientists,etc. The programs are really interesting.

Check out the NOVA Evolution Series here.

[Mark]

If you haven't watched the BBC production of "Creation" that is pretty good for a video. It takes the Darwin character to some real depth and looks at his struggles with faith, family and science. I think it offers students a great look at the character. A documentary "Darwin's Nightmare" is a great look at how humans can cause extinction and influence evolution. I show it to AP students with parental permission.

[Marta Toran]

Looks really good Mark, thanks, I'll check it out. The title might throw people off, but it seems like an accurate portrayal of Darwin's character.

What about the rest of you, anyone shown it in class yet? If so, what kind of discussion questions do you introduce it/ follow it with?

[Ian Carmichael]

Some other interesting resources - although you've probably got these tagged somewhere
1. NAP's Teaching about evolution and the nature of science (free pdf download)
2. Science Evolution and Creationism by Fancis Ayala (Templeton Prizewinner, 2010) - again free pdf download.
3. There are a few really nice clips in the 'Judgement Day' documentaries one locating a 'transitional' fossil in just the right stratum of sediment, another describing the missing 24th chromosome in the human genome, and the evidence for the fusion of two chromosomes in humans.
The fourth resource, which I think I saw briefly noted here was the Powerpoint Misconceptions about Evolution and the Mechanisms of Evolution (but I can't locate a URL for you.)

[Colin Matheson]

One of my favs is http://evolution.berkeley.edu/
There are a few great little web quests for students to do (check out analogy and homology)
You can also find What did T-Rex taste like (spoiler alert: Chicken) here http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/education/explorations/tours/Trex/inde...

and finally a great little population genetics simulation here http://www.biologyinmotion.com/evol/index.html