Biology

Evolution: DNA and the Unity of Life

Biology
Science
Curriculum
High

"Evolution: DNA and the Unity of Life" is an eight-week, comprehensive curriculum unit that sharply illuminates the underlying role of genetics in evolution by maintaining a conceptual connection to DNA and heredity throughout. Through paper-based and interactive multimedia lessons, the unit aligns with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) by engaging students in questioning, using models, identifying patterns, analyzing skill-level appropriate data from published scientific studies, and constructing evidence-based arguments. The unit’s lessons are organized into five modules.

Access Link: 
https://teach.genetics.utah.edu/content/evolution/
Author/Presenter: 
Genetic Science Learning Center
Lead Organization(s): 
University of Utah (U of U)
Year: 
2020
Short Description: 

"Evolution: DNA and the Unity of Life" is an eight-week, comprehensive curriculum unit that sharply illuminates the underlying role of genetics in evolution by maintaining a conceptual connection to DNA and heredity throughout.

COVID-19 Curriculum Materials

Biology
Science
High

Societal issues with important connections to science such as COVID-19 (and other challenges like climate change) are part of a broader class of problems known as Socio-Scientific Issues (SSI). In response to COVID-19, this set of learning activities was co-developed with several high school science teachers to create a set of SSI-based learning activities to help students learn about the science of coronavirus while engaging in epistemic practices.

Access Link: 
https://epiclearning.web.unc.edu/covid/
Author/Presenter: 
Troy Sadler et al
Lead Organization(s): 
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC Chapel Hill)
Year: 
2021
Short Description: 

Societal issues with important connections to science such as COVID-19 (and other challenges like climate change) are part of a broader class of problems known as Socio-Scientific Issues (SSI). In response to COVID-19, this set of learning activities was co-developed with several high school science teachers to create a set of SSI-based learning activities to help students learn about the science of coronavirus while engaging in epistemic practices.

Encouraging Collaboration and Building Community in Online Asynchronous Professional Development: Designing for Social Capital

Biology
Science
Professional Development
High

This research investigates a design and development approach to improving science teachers’ access to effective professional development (PD) in a fully online, asynchronous environment. Working with a small number of teachers, this study explores how a design combining social capital mechanisms with essential teacher learning and PD characteristics supported teachers’ abilities to participate in the online course and collaboratively build knowledge.

Access Link: 
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11412-020-09326-2
Author/Presenter: 
Susan A. Yoon
Katherine Miller
Thomas Richman
Daniel Wendel
Ilana Schoenfeld
Emma Anderson
Jooeun Shim
Lead Organization(s): 
University of Pennsylvania (Penn)
Year: 
2020
Short Description: 

This study explores how a design combining social capital mechanisms with essential teacher learning and PD characteristics supported teachers’ abilities to participate in the online course and collaboratively build knowledge.

The Joys of Teaching Ecology in K–12 and Informal Settings

Biology
Earth Science
Environmental Science
Science
Elementary
Middle
High

Esposito, R. M. M, Harris, C., Berkowitz, A. R., & Pregnal, M. (2019). The joys of teaching ecology in K-12 and informal settings. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 17(9), 538-539. https://doi.org/10.1002/fee.2122

Access Link: 
https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/fee.2122
Author/Presenter: 
Rhea M  M Esposito
Cornelia Harris
Alan R Berkowitz
Maribel Pregnall
Lead Organization(s): 
Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies
Year: 
2019
Short Description: 

This article describes opportunities for primary and secondary ecology education in formal and informal settings.

National Association of Biology Teachers 2021 NABT Professional Development Conference; Atlanta, GA

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Event Date: 
Thu, 11/11/2021 (All day) to Sun, 11/14/2021 (All day)
Sponsoring Organization: 
National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT)
Associated Dates and Deadlines: 

To learn more, visit https://nabt.org/Events-Future-Conferences.

Discipline / Topic: 
Biology
Event Type: 
Conference

WISE: Web-based Inquiry Science Environment

Biology
Earth Science
Engineering
Environmental Science
Science
Technology
Middle
High

Web-Based Inquiry Science Environment (WISE)

Access Link: 
https://wise.berkeley.edu
Author/Presenter: 
Libby Gerard
Marcia Linn
Korah Wiley
Allison Bradford
Lead Organization(s): 
University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley)
Year: 
2020
Short Description: 

Free, standards-aligned, and research-based inquiry curricula that address NGSS 3D proficiency. Includes Interactive scientific models plus hands-on activities, personalized guidance, and rich embedded assessments. For teachers, WISE offers a a virtual workshop for customizing WISE units for distance learning.

Exploring Infectious Diseases

Biology
Science
High

This site provides an engaging and scientifically accurate set of instructional materials and resources aimed at deepening high school students’ understanding of infectious diseases (including Ebola and COVID-19) and enhancing students’ skills in seeking out additional information they need to make informed decisions, and influence their behaviors in response to future outbreaks and epidemics that undoubtedly will occur.

Access Link: 
http://infectiousdiseases.edc.org/
Author/Presenter: 
Jacqueline Miller
Lead Organization(s): 
Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC)
Year: 
2016
Short Description: 

This site provides an engaging and scientifically accurate set of instructional materials and resources aimed at deepening high school students’ understanding of infectious diseases (including Ebola and COVID-19) and enhancing students’ skills in seeking out additional information they need to make informed decisions, and influence their behaviors in response to future outbreaks and epidemics that undoubtedly will occur.

PhET Interactive Simulations

Astronomy
Biology
Chemistry
Earth Science
Mathematics
Physics
Science
Elementary
Middle
High
Undergraduate

Collection of 158 free interactive math and science simulations from University of Colorado Boulder. Engage students in math and science practices, and virtual labs, during remote learning. Find over 2,000 sim-based lessons under teacher resources. 

Access Link: 
https://phet.colorado.edu/
Author/Presenter: 
Kathy Perkins
Lead Organization(s): 
University of Colorado Boulder
Year: 
2020
Short Description: 

Collection of 158 free interactive math and science simulations from University of Colorado Boulder. Engage students in math and science practices, and virtual labs, during remote learning. Find over 2,000 sim-based lessons under teacher resources. 

The Impact of High School Life Science Teachers’ Subject Matter Knowledge and Knowledge of Student Misconceptions on Students’ Learning

Biology
Science
Disciplinary Content Knowledge
Pedagogical Content Knowledge
High
One of the foundational assumptions in education is that greater teacher knowledge contributes to greater gains in student knowledge, but empirical evidence in support of this assumption is scarce. Using a U.S. sample of 79 biology teachers and their 2749 high school students, we investigate whether teachers’ subject matter knowledge (SMK) and knowledge of students’ misconceptions (KOSM) in high school life science are associated with students’ posttest performance on multiple-choice test items designed to reveal student misconceptions, after controlling for their pretest scores.
Access Link: 
https://www.lifescied.org/doi/10.1187/cbe.19-08-0164
Author/Presenter: 
Chen Chen
Gerhard Sonnert
Philip M. Sadler
Susan Sunbury
Lead Organization(s): 
Harvard University
Year: 
2020
Short Description: 

This article investigates whether teachers’ subject matter knowledge (SMK) and knowledge of students’ misconceptions (KOSM) in high school life science are associated with students’ posttest performance on multiple-choice test items designed to reveal student misconceptions.

Socio-Ecological Scales of Time

Biology
Earth Science
Science
Elementary

This graphic is designed to support students, teachers, and families in thinking across timescales to understand socio-ecological relationships to place across time.

Author/Presenter: 
Learning in Places
Lead Organization(s): 
University of Washington (UW)
Year: 
2019
Short Description: 

This graphic is designed to support students, teachers, and families in thinking across timescales to understand socio-ecological relationships to place across time.

Resource(s): 
PDF icon Socio-ecological Scales of Time.pdf

Pages

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