Different Types of Natural Selection

Different Types of Natural Selection One important thing for teachers to do after introducing a new concept is to check for complete student understanding of the main ideas. They also must be able to use the new knowledge and apply it to other situations if a deep and lasting connection of other scientific and evolution concepts is to be obtained. Critical thinking questions are a good way to monitor a students understanding of a complex topic such as the different types of natural selection. After a student has been introduced to the concept of natural selection and given information about stabilizing selection, disruptive selection, and directional selection, a good teacher will check for understanding. However, sometimes it is hard to come up with well constructed critical thinking questions that apply to the Theory of Evolution. One type of somewhat informal assessment of students is a quick worksheet or questions that introduce a scenario to which they should be able to apply their knowledge to come up with a prediction or a solution to a problem. These types of analysis question can cover many levels of Blooms Taxonomy, depending on how the questions are worded. Whether it is just a quick check on understanding vocabulary at a basic level, applying the knowledge to a real world example, or connecting it to prior knowledge, these types of questions can be adapted to the class population and the teachers immediate needs. Below, there are some of these types of questions that use a students understanding of the types of natural selection and links it back to other important ideas of evolution and various other science topics. Analysis Questions Use the scenario below to answer the following questions: A population of 200 tiny black and brown birds is blown off course and ends up on a fairly large island where there is a lot of open grassland with small shrubs right next to rolling hills with deciduous trees. There are other species on the island such as mammals, many different types of vascular and non-vascular plants, an abundance of insects, a few lizards, and a somewhat small population of large birds of prey similar to hawks, but there are no other species of small birds on the island, so there will be very little competition for the new population. There are two types of plants with seeds edible for the birds. One is a small-seeded tree that is found on the hills and the other is a shrub that has very large seeds. 1. Discuss what you think might happen to this population of birds over many generations with respect to the three different types of selection. Formulate your argument, including backing evidence, for which of the three types of natural selection the birds will likely undergo and debate and defend your thoughts with a classmate. 2. How will the type of natural selection you have chosen for the population of birds affect the other species in the area? Choose one of the given other species and explain what sort of natural selection they may undergo because of this sudden immigration of small birds to the island. 3. Choose one example of each of the following types of relationships between species on the island and fully explain them and how co-evolution may occur if the scenario plays out how you described it. Will the type of natural selection for these species change in any way? Why or why not? Predator and Prey relationshipMutualistic relationshipCompetitive relationship (for food, mates, etc.) 4. After many generations of offspring of the small birds on the island, describe how natural selection could lead to speciation and macroevolution. What would this do to the gene pool and allele frequency for the population of birds? (Note: Scenario and questions adapted from Chapter 15 Active Learning Exercises from first edition of Principles of Life by Hillis)

How to Use Tables and Charts in Microsoft Word

How to Use Tables and Charts in Microsoft Word How to Use Tables and Charts in Microsoft Word You’ve done the hard work in the laboratory, taking precise measurements and recording them diligently. Now comes the time to write up your results. But how should you do this? Is there not some kind of clear, simple and visually striking way to present your data in a Microsoft Word document? Friend, you’ve come to the right place. In today’s blog post, we run through the basics of adding (and formatting) charts and tables in Microsoft Word. Adding a Chart or Graph Microsoft Word enables adding charts and graphs of many kinds in your document, from simple pie charts to 3D surface graphs. To do this, simply: Place the cursor where you want your chart to appear Go to â€Å"Insert† on the main ribbon and select â€Å"Chart† from the â€Å"Illustrations† section In the new window, pick the type of chart you want in your document and click â€Å"OK† Your chart will now appear in the position selected and an Excel spreadsheet window will open (called â€Å"Chart in Microsoft Word†) Edit the values and labels in the Excel window to reflect the data required for your chart To change the chart title, simply double click and type (you can also add a caption by right clicking on the chart and selecting â€Å"Insert Caption†¦) You can customize your chart further via the buttons that appear when you click on the chart (options include layout, chart elements, chart style, colors and the data you wish to be visible). Linking Excel and Word Alternatively, if you already have an Excel spreadsheet containing a chart, you can copy and paste this to a Microsoft Word document using the â€Å"Paste Special†¦Ã¢â‚¬  option on the â€Å"Home† tab (to select this, click the small arrow at the bottom of the normal â€Å"Paste† button). To do this, open the Excel spreadsheet in question and copy the relevant chart. Next, select â€Å"Paste Special.† You can then add the chart to your Word document by selecting â€Å"Paste link† and â€Å"Microsoft Excel Chart Object†. This links the chart in the Word document to the one in the original spreadsheet. It will then update automatically if the values in the spreadsheet are changed. Adding a Table You have various options for adding tables to a Microsoft Word document, so we’ll stick to the three simplest here. Option 1 Go to â€Å"Insert† and select â€Å"Table.† This opens a dropdown menu with a grid. You can then pick the number of columns and rows required. Option 2 In the same dropdown menu, select â€Å"Insert Table.† In the window that opens, pick the number of columns and rows required. Option 3 Draw your own! In the â€Å"Table† menu on the â€Å"Insert† tab, select â€Å"Draw Table.† This lets you draw and edit tables by hand If you click on an existing table, you can edit its design and layout via the â€Å"Table Tools† tab that appears on the ribbon.