Avoiding Misconceptions When Teaching Evolution common misconceptions and how they can be addressed with diverse students.

P esentation Segments: Presentation Segments The importance of being scientifically literate. What is a misconception? Eight common misconceptions. Misinformation in everyday communication or the media. How to handle misconceptions in general teacher strategies. Resources for Teachers. Comments, Comments Questions, Questions and Discussion. Discussion

Why should students learn science?

To understand their world, think critically, evaluate information, and become problem solvers. To be prepared for high quality jobs in a hi hl technical highly h i l global l b l economy. To be well-informed, educated citizens, able bl to understand d d complex l issues. i

 To

have a good grounding in science and become well-educated citizens, students need to understand the principles of evolutionary theory. Yet students come to class with many misconceptions about evolution. this session, we will explore some of the common misconceptions i ti around d this thi Big Bi Idea Id in science, and how to avoid teaching or perpetuating p p g these misconceptions. p

In

First, What are misconceptions? Misconceptions are ideas that students have about the natural world that are not consistent with scientific accounts of those phenomena They are phenomena. frequently referred to as alternative ideas, nave ideas, or intuitive understandings. understandings

Lets Let s look at some common misconceptions and how we might address them.

Misconception 1.
Evolution is a process in the distant past. It might explain dinosaurs d osau s and a d trilobites, o es, but u does not continue to occur in living populations.

Provide students with examples of current research

Heres one very recent example about the iconic finches of the Galapagos Islands the rapid appearance of a new species based on the songs they sing. At Wired Science: http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/11/speciation-in-action/ ttp // ed co / edsc e ce/ 009/ /spec at o act o / When researchers adjusted the color frequencies of wild guppy populations in Trinidad, they found that unusual variants regardless of color had higher survival rates. This is called frequency-dependent survival: selection favoring the rare and disfavoring the common, common preventing a long-term long term homogeneity that no matter how beneficial in the short term might someday prove disastrous. www.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/12/evolutionexampl/ American songbirds evolve with forests to cope with deforestation http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35440831/ns/technology_and_science -science/from/ET Experimentation with fruit flies demonstrates the power of genetic mutation in the l b t laboratory or science i classroom. l How Does Evolution Impact My Life? There is a whole website devoted to current examples of evolution, with section on evolution in the news. http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/search/topicbrowse2.php?top ic_id=47

Misconception 2.

Organisms are always getting better; evolution states that organisms will improve.

Keep in mind Fitness is linked to environment, environment not to progress.

Misconception 3.

Living individuals adapt to their conditions.

Mi Misconception ti 4. 4

Random mutations explain variations in organisms. g

Keep in mind

Mutations are random; natural selection is directional. directional

Misconception 5.
As new organisms evolve the parent populations of organisms become extinct. extinct

Misconception 6.
Acquired characteristics are passed on to offspring.

Keep in mind

Try to avoid using the word adapt when talking about an individuals efforts to survive in its environment. Reserve the word adaptation for discussions of inherited characteristics that are useful for survival in the current environment.

Misconception 7.
Evolution is just a Theory.

Understanding the difference between laws, theories, hypotheses, and models is one of the BIG IDEAs in Florida Floridas s Next Generation Science Standards: The Role of Theories, Laws, Hypotheses, and Models - The terms that describe examples of

scientific knowledge, for example; "theory," "l " "hypothesis," "law," "h th i " and d "model" " d l" have h very specific meanings and functions within science.

Misconception 8.
Scientific hypotheses, theories and laws are a continuum representing varying levels of certainty. Therefore laws are proven; theories are not.

The 6th grade science benchmarks do a good job of succinctly stating the difference between a theory and a law. For example:

SC.6.N.3.1 Recognize and explain that a scientific theory is a well-supported and widely accepted explanation of nature and is not simply a claim posed by an individual. Thus, the y in science is very y different than how use of the term theory it is used in everyday life. SC.6.N.3.2 Recognize and explain that a scientific law is a description of a specific relationship under given conditions in the natural world. Thus, scientific laws are different from societal laws. i.e. the Law of Conservation of Energy SC.6.P.11.1 or the Law of Gravity SC.6.P.13.2. If teachers are not working with 6th grade, they may not have read through the 6th grade standards.

Lets look at the types of misinformation that students may hear based on misconceptions about evolution.

There is the class of statements about humans evolving to meet modern conditions, like

I heard that because of all the use of texting and digital devices, humans are evolving bigger thumbs; or, I heard because humans work with their brains now more that their bodies, humans are evolving bigger heads.

In church I heard g are biologists wrong. - Evolution and Religion are in conflict. fli t

Keep in mind

One of the Big Ideas in the Next Generation Science Standards

Scientific knowledge is based on empirical evidence, and is appropriate for understanding the natural world, but it provides only a limited understanding of the supernatural, aesthetic, or other ways of knowing, such as art, philosophy, or religion.

Respect and communicate that students may have a wide range of beliefs about religion and that religious beliefs are a personal issue. Point out that students are expected only to learn about evolution, not accept it. it How they integrate it with their own beliefs is a personal matter.

Organisms Organisms will just evolve to deal with climate change.

How to Handle Misconceptions

1.

Elicit student misconceptions.

Several researchers have emphasized the importance of allowing students to explore their own ideas in a non-threatening atmosphere. Teachers need to create the necessary classroom climate and elicit student concepts about evolution.
A 5Es Science Lesson: Engage (Elicit) Explore Explain (Exchange) Extend Evaluate (For a review of the 5Es Learning ( g Cycle y see http://www.miamisci.org/ph/lpintro5e.html )

2 2.

Teachers need to consider the extent to which misconceptions may be language difficulties.

Whenever concepts or
definitions are i t d introduced, d provide id significant numbers of examples and nonexamples.

3.

Explanations of any links between new information and prior knowledge should be made in a variety of ways. visual, verbal and di diagrammatic ti formats f t of the principles to be g Allow learners taught. to manipulate materials and physically explore the concepts.

Present learners with

4 4.

Look for evidence that students have changed their thinking or behaviors.

Journal entries,
science notebooks, portfolios, tf li and d ideas id shared within the group provide insights g g into student thinking beyond exams.

Resources for Teachers

(grant no. 0096613) and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (grant no. 51003439). The site provides quick tutorials for the basics of evolutionary theory as well as a section on misconceptions. Lesson plans are included. http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evosite/evohome.html p // y / / The National Center for Science Education, www.natcenscied.org, is a national clearinghouse for information on evolution in the science classroom. The website contains background g information on the antievolution movement, detailed information on the Creation/Evolution controversy from 1859 to the present, and resources for parents, teachers, school boards, and the general public. The National Science Teachers Association website provides both historical and legal background on the evolution issue in science classrooms and includes recommendations for addressing this issue, as well as other references. www.nsta.org/about/positions/evolution.aspx.

Understanding Evolution for Teachers. National Science Foundation

Biointeractive website contains downloadable lesson plans, access to free educator resources including videos, animations, virtual labs, etc. Part of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute grant. http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/index.html Evolution o ut o a and dt the e Nature atu e of o Science Sc e ce Institutes st tutes lessons esso s and other useful resources on evolution and the nature of science put together by a group from Indiana University. http://www.indiana.edu/~ensiweb/home.html Florida Citizens for Science provides links to several good sites that help p explain p evolution. http://www.flascience.org/sciedlinks.html

PBS/WGBHs guide PBS/WGBH id t to evolution l ti f for teachers t h contains t i lesson ideas embedded within each topic as well as useful short video clips. http://www pbs org/wgbh/evolution/educators/teachst http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/educators/teachst uds/tguide.html BSCS C Center t f for C Curriculum i l D Development l t - has h several l excellent programs with activities for the classroom. http://www.bscs.org/curriculumdevelopment/highscho ol/evolution/ l/ l ti / Florida Museum of Natural Historys Cyber Horse provides a good description of horse evolution to use as an example. http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fhc/firstCM.htm

Making Sense of Secondary Science Research Into Childrens Ideas by Rosalind Driver, et. al. This book was given to MSSI Teams in Year 1 and contains a summary of research into student ideas and misconceptions. Refer to the chapter on reproduction and inheritance to explore other student misconceptions. Note: A q quick Google g internet search of any y science concept and misconceptions will result in multiple website resources.

Seasons
For resources on this topic, see http://www-istp.gsfc.nasa.gov/stargaze/Sseason.htm and http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/ask_astro/answers/980211f.html or for a really nice animation, see http://www.astro.illinois.edu/projects/data/Seasons/seasons.html

Legal Issues

Moore, , Randy, y, 2004. How Well Do Biology gy Teachers Understand the Legal Issues Associated with the Teaching of Evolution? BioScience, 54 (September ( p 2004): ) 860-865. For a review of the relevant case law, go to The National Center for Science Education, www.natcenscied.org

Comments, Questions and Discussion?