Is there more to evolution than just Darwin's finches?

Awhile back I read an article (come to think of it, it was an essay) on the nytimes.com about how almost every time a teacher or textbook mentions evolution, Darwin's name is to follow.  Which is fine...to a degree.  Darwin started the thinking (poor Alfred Wallace is lost in the shuffle) and made his thoughts public in a time where religion still was the reigning thought process.  Darwin observed those wonderful little finches and thought "Hmm...why are there so many little birds on these little islands?"  He pondered and came up with a potential mechanism on what caused the variation in species.

I know I am not the first to say it but it was just sheer dumb luck.  All Darwin did (in a simplistic sense) is look at animals and said (again in a simplistic sense) "the ones that will survive have better abilities to allow them to survive."  Terrific guess but again sheer dumb luck. 

Darwin's hypothesis is in a sense no different from good ole Lammarck.  Lammarck too came up with a guess onto why certain species are around today that were possibly not here before.  I always tell my students, though it may sound ridiculous with the knowledge we have today, Lammarck was using the information he had before him to make his guess.  Darwin did the same thing.  Darwin was missing the key to why certain species are better suited for their environments - DNA and heredity.

And now that we know what DNA is, scientists have added so much more complexity to Darwin's work.  So much so, its as if the science of evolution has evolved.  So many more mechanisms and concepts have been made public to the scientific community which show that evolution is a scientific fact (just some of the mechanisms are theories since we need more time to collect data - Rome wasn't built in a day as they say). 

But the essay talks more about how Darwin is normally given so much credit and talked about so much that we have used his simplistic (compared to today) theories and applied it to almost everything in everyday society.  Social Darwinism, Neo-Darwinism, digital Darwinism (recently saw the phrase) and any other type of Darwinism you can think of, which is why the ideas of Darwin have gone astray.  People are using his thinking in an incorrect way.  For that, we need to somehow correct this in the classroom.  Maybe do not play up Darwin as a folk hero (he did take time to publish his book because he was scared of the repercussions) but just as the starting point to even larger concepts that actually apply to today.  We, as teachers, need to make sure our students truly understand his work so they can reference him correctly, as opposed to the older generations.

Link to nytimes article - http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CDkQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2009%2F02%2F10%2Fscience%2F10essa.html%3Fpagewanted%3Dall&ei=IaOoUazJC-264APqmIHQAQ&usg=AFQjCNF8CgaViRxIjJdD94DN0FzvsjS26A&sig2=a7nYoVhGYwrDS-1esn1nlQ&bvm=bv.47244034,d.dmg

To clone or not to clone - Though who wouldnt want a Mini-Me

Middle school kids find genetics to be one of the coolest topics of the year.  They cant help themselves.  With so much exposure to this topic in the media, they have so much to discuss (many things misconceptions but it still leads to quality discussion).  So to lead into advanced genetics and the importance of the creation of Dolly, I have the students discuss what they know about cloning or any other type of biotech they have seen in movies and tv. 

With the constant bombardment with multiple types of digital media, and with the growing improvements in biotech, we are exposed to various forms of it regularly.  But is what we are exposed to based on reality or completely and utterly fictitious?  And who is not to say that one day the fictitious becomes reality?  Its a fine line with the every advancing improvements.  Who would had thought I would have the power of a computer in the palm of my hand?  Things are progressing at such a high rate, its nearly impossible to determine what the next great invention would be. 

So I enjoy playing the video clip below from a MadTV skit.  I find it hysterical but that may be because I am more accustom to Arnold Schwarzenegger being in every action film (and lets not forget Jingle All The Way).  It gets the kids laughing, its gets the kids to take a moment to imitate "Arnold speak" as I call it.  But again it shows how a simple skit brings up the fact that biotech is something that is being placed into pop culture and we need to address it.  Teachers need to make sure that those moments of laughter do not turn into moments of fact.  Cloning is a more than just a lil DNA and some high tech Easy Bake Oven to make a new organism. 

MTV Arnold Clone Baby clip - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVIZx3Cl78k

Save Fred!!!

Every middle school science teacher discusses the scientific method at the beginning of the year.  How scientist make an observation in nature and become curious about how it work so they pose a question.  Based off of this question they conduct research into the concepts but still have some overlaying question which needs answering and they predict a potential, logical answer to this question.  After designing and conducting an experiment and collecting the subsequent data, they make conclusions about the data relating to the question and determine if their initial guess was correct or incorrect and blah blah blah blah

I can see why students find this boring.  If you do a piss-poor job at introducing the scientific method, the students will tune you out for the week you need to teach it.  Because on the surface, the scientific method is extremely dull.  There isn't much there.  Its just a flow chart of what has to be done to figure out information.  But if you can show students how to apply it and apply it to something other than "science," then you will have them right where you want them:  engaged and fascinated that you were able to relate to them and simplify something that was already simple

Now this is where I introduce Fred.  He is a gummy worm out at sea in his little plastic cup boat.  Fred is enjoying the weather and the fact he isn't at the end of someone's fishing line.  But Fred's peace and relaxation is about the end.  A rogue wave has come along and capsized his boat.  Luckily, our pal Fred was able to climb on top of the boat.  Too bad Fred's life preserver (a gummi life saver) is stuck under the boat and Fred is now beginning to panic when he learns this since he cannot swim.

Once the back story has been explained, the students now will work in small groups to save Fred.  The only tools to use are three metal paper clips.  Students can modify the paper clips in any way to save Fred but they cannot (students hate it when you add this next part in) use their hands to physically touch Fred, the boat, or the life preserver.  And in order to save Fred (this is when the kids really groan and complain) you must place the life preserve securely around Fred's body. 

After a few failed attempts, students figure out why they need to accomplish and the activity goes precisely to plan.  What students do not realize (for one thing I haven't taught the sci meth yet but for the other I have yet to use the words) is they are performing the scientific method doing a basic yet challenging activity.  They were presented a problem with background info.  They came up with potential solutions, tested them and saw if it worked or not.  If it did not work, they modified what they previously did.  Its the perfect activity to introduce something without really introducing it until all is said and done and Fred's family members are eaten (it is too torturous if you let middle schoolers use gummy worms without eating any).

I love it.  It goes perfectly every year and its a great thing to reference to when discussing the actual steps of the scientific method.  If only I can find something to do when introducing sponges (SpongeBob is not an option!)

Looking through the Ocular Lens

If you have not heard of this competition (Nikon Microscopy U:  Small World Competition), check out the link below

I think it is one of the best things I show my classes each year.  Watching students fumble around with the microscope is always frustrating.  Though they are curious what a piece of magazine paper or a cell looks like, they are so fixated on how to use the damn microscope they miss the point.  Completely miss the point and I can absolutely irate over this fact.  I love science.  Have since I was a kid.  Everything I did I didn't just do for the high grade (though it seems now that's what its all about).  I wanted to have a deeper understanding of what I am experiencing and appreciate the fact that some old dude (how I reference scientists when around my students) took the time to figure this out for its purity.

That's what I wish students would do too.  Just take a step back and look through the microscope as if they are looking at a piece of are at the Met.  Though now that I think of it, they probably even take that for granted too.  Education as a way to better the mind and soul has escaped our youth today.  I do what I can to lasso it back but it is really really hard. 

When I show the images of this competition (and yes I go through every single picture every single year), I have the students take all their belongings and put them on the floor.  I want them to appreciate the beauty in nature and that you can find this beauty in places other than a partially frozen creek on the side of a mountain in January; cause who doesn't stop and watch the little bit of water trickling down the ice.  I want them to see that there is more beneath the surface of understanding fine/coarse adjustment knobs and how to identify the nucleus of an animal cell.  I want my students to look through the microscope with an open eye and just view what they see for what it is, not what is going to be on a test.  Hopefully one of these days I can accomplish this tremendous feat.  I am close

Link to the competition website:  http://www.microscopyu.com/smallworld/gallery/