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Group 4: Evolution

This teaching unit explores the evolution of species interactions, focusing on the mutualistic relationship between figs and wasps. Students will analyze the advantages and disadvantages of this interaction and critically evaluate media presentations of biology.

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Group 4: Evolution

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  1. Group 4: Evolution Team members: Miriam Ferzli John Godwin Karsten Hueffer Christa Mulder Curt Daehler Alison Sherwood Facilitator: Peter Armbruster

  2. Framework for Teachable Unit:Evolution of species interactions • Course title: Introduction to Evolutionary Biology • Second year course, prerequisite is an introductory biology course • This teaching unit occurs mid-way through the course, following a basic introduction to the mechanisms of evolutionary processes.

  3. Learning goals: Students will understand that: • Species influence each other’s evolution, while selection occurs at the individual level • There is a spectrum of species interactions ranging from mutually beneficial, to highly detrimental to at least one member • Relationships between species are conditional upon the environment in which they occur • Evolution of species interactions is important and applicable to real-world problems

  4. Today’s Learning Objectives • Infer the costs and benefits to species in an interaction • Critically evaluate the media’s presentation of biology

  5. Fig-wasp mutualism

  6. The Fig Wasp interaction • Video on the fig wasp mutualism (http://youtube.com/watch?v=JNbMyavunbQ&feature=related)

  7. Individual writing exercise • What are the advantages and disadvantages of this interaction for the fig and for the wasp? • Fill in the squares on the handout • Only fill in those squares that you think apply to this interaction fig wasp advantages disadvantages

  8. Clicker question • For which of the following did you write advantages? A = fig B = wasp C = fig and wasp D = neither fig wasp advantages disadvantages

  9. Clicker question • For which of the following did you write disadvantages? A = fig B = wasp C = fig and wasp D = neither fig wasp advantages disadvantages

  10. Group discussion • Within your groups, discuss your evaluation of the fig-wasp interaction and come to a group consensus about advantages and disadvantages for both the fig and the wasp.

  11. Clicker question re-vote • For which of the following did you write disadvantages? A = fig B = wasp C = fig and wasp D = neither fig wasp advantages disadvantages

  12. Brainstorming • What are the advantages and disadvantages of this interaction to the fig and the wasp?

  13. Group assignment (take-home) • How would you modify the video clip shown during class to reflect your understanding of the costs and benefits of the fig-wasp interaction? • Two options: 1) re-write the script of the video clip to include what you think are all the important pieces of information for a viewer to really understand the nature of this interaction 2) create your own video explaining the interaction

  14. SI themes addressed by this teachable tidbit • Active Learning / Formative Assessment: • Advantages / disadvantages exercise – written / spatial • Brainstorming • Video assignment (creative or written options) • Summative Assessment: • Homework assignment • Unit exam • Diversity: • Different approaches to the same content (e.g. individual work / group discussions; video clip) • Alternate homework assignments for different learning styles

  15. Clicker question • Is the wasp-fig interaction an example of a mutualism? A. Yes B. No C. Don’t have enough information D. No idea…

  16. Cost-benefit analyses • Advantages (benefits) and disadvantages (costs) associated with each – the balance determines the type of association • Advantages and disadvantages are weighed against each other

  17. Species interactions and human affairs • Interactions have a temporal element • The balance can change over time • The nature of the interaction can change over time • What kinds of impacts could change the nature of an interaction?

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