Resource Links

Evolution

In this Section:

Evolutionary Teaching

Access Excellence
Find a plethora of links to the Woodrow Wilson Biology Institute on Time, Studying Fossils, Studying Living Organisms, Studying Molecular Evidence, Alternative Methods for Teaching Evolution in reading, writing, simulation, experiment, dioramas, music, drawing, games, concept map resources and more.

American Association of the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

Evolution on the Front Line
AAAS helps science educators convey key evolution concepts to their students with a Project 2061 guide to relevant resources. Download Evolution on the Front Line: An Abbreviated Guide for Teaching Evolution.

The Evolution Dialogues: Science, Christianity, and the Quest for Understanding 
AAAS present a resource in plain language that describes the development of evolutionary theory from before Darwin to the present, the historical interaction of evolution and Christianity, the nature of science and of Christina approaches to understanding and the history of life through the evolutionary sciences. Download a free study guide. 

The Year of Darwin 
Science is celebrating the 150th anniversary of the publication of Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species and the 200th anniversary of the author’s birth with a variety of news features, scientific reviews and other special content, all collected here.

American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) Special Symposia
The AIBS Special Symposia provide access to the symposium program, workshop program, speaker presentations and teaching resources on the topic of Illuminating Biology: an Evolutionary Perspective, Evolution: Applications in Human Health and Populations, Macroevolution: Evolution above the Species Level, Evolution and the Environment/Defending the Teaching of Evolution and much more to explore. 

BBC Science & Nature 
Click on the Darwin link to explore a special series of programs marking 200 years since the birth of Charles Darwin.

Evolution and the Nature of Science Institutes (ENSI)
ENSI’s mission is to improve the teaching of evolution in High School Biology courses. Download lessons, teaching units, archives, and resources on the Nature of Science, Evolution, the Origin of Life and Genetics-DNA materials. Articles, books, access to Journal articles and 15 Evolutionary Gems: Recent Evidence of Evolution from Nature are downloadable.

Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB)
Teaching tools & resources for Scientists including K-12 teaching tools, statements by scientific societies and other resources of interest are available.

National Academies Press (NAP) 
Authored by the National Academy of Sciences, Teaching About Evolution and the Nature of Science is an online book providing a well-structured framework for understanding and teaching evolution. The book explains the diversity and similarity underlying earth’s organisms, how scientists approach the question of evolution, the nature of science, faqs to dispel misconception and sample activities for students.

National Center for Science Education (NCSE)
NESCent shares evolutionary biology research in addition to offering resources from the NABT Evolution Symposium, Evolution in the News stories, Curriculum Resources, Examples of Evolution, Educational Research/Policy, Professional Development Opportunities and more. 

National Geographic (NatGeo)
NatGeo presents the Darwin Legacy Quiz, a ten-question quiz on Charles Darwin and his extraordinary voyage on the H.M.S. Beagle.

National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)
NSTA provides Resources on the Teaching of Evolution, Web Links, books on evolution, Q&A’s and news.

Nature
Read Volume 457, No. 7231 pp 807-848 of natureinsight dedicated to Evolution. Free access is available to the full text or PDF formats. 

Oklahomans for Excellence in Science Education (OESE) 
This non-profit educational organization promotes the education of the public about the methods and values of science and advocates excellence in the science curriculum. Check out their Articles and Flyers, Speakers Bureau, Teaching Resources, Evolution Web Sites, Creationist Web Sites, Web sites on religion/science compatibility and Oklahoma Legislature and Government and more.

Panda’s Thumb
The Table of Contents takes you to a considerable number of resources, including State Science Groups, Anatomy, Answering Creationists, Anthropology, Biology, General Science, Paleontology blogs and Journals and PDF’s, Creationist Journals, Darwiniana, Evolutionary Computation, Medicine, Simulations and Models, Fossil Databases and Paleontology, Legal Decisions, Origins of Life, Pseudo-Science and more.

Scientific American

Darwin’s Living Legacy—Evolutionary Theory 150 Years Later
An in-depth report that includes a photo album, time line, further readings and connections to additional articles like Darwin Speaks: How Faithlessness stalked me, It’s like confessing to a murder and A Skeptic’s Tale on the Public Misunderstanding of Darwin.

The Latest Face of Creationism in the Classroom
An article by Glenn Branch and Eugenie C. Scott about creationists who want religious ideas taught as scientific fact in public schools. You will also find Time Line: Evolution in the US Classroom, further readings and much more.

Springer Darwin Year 2009 Free Access
The home page for Springer Publishing will provide you with access to all articles in the journal Evolution: Education and Outreach in 2009. There are also free reads on dedicated articles and from their online journal archive.

Start Local: Guide to Evolution/Paleontology
This easy to navigate site catalogs a number of resources for teachers, including links and PDFs while offering explanations of concepts like evidence, mechanisms of change, and outcomes.

Teach Evolution & Make It Relevant
A University of Montana site for teaching evolution at the pre-college level about the Nature of Science, Evidence for Evolution, Pathways of Evolution, Human Evolution, Heredity and Variation, Causes of Evolution, Speciation with Additional Resources on misconceptions, print and online resources, and student survey. Make evolution relevant with a focus on practical applications of evolutionary biology to create a non-controversial atmosphere in the classroom.

Understanding Evolution: Your One-Stop Source for Information on Evolution 
This site is a collaborative project of the University of California Museum of Paleontology and the National Center for Science Education. Explore the science and history of evolutionary biology with examples of evolution, history of life on Earth, Agriculture, Medicine, Homology and analogy and much more.

Understanding Evolution for Teachers 
This UC Berkeley Web site provides a place to start, Nature of Science, Evolution 101, Evidence, Relevance of Evolution, Misconceptions, History of Evolutionary Thought, Potential Pitfalls, Overcoming Roadblocks and Teaching Evolution. 

Understanding Science: How Science Really Works
This UC Berkeley Web site provides a fun, accessible and free resource that accurately communicates what science is and how it really works. The site was inspired by work from the Understanding Evolution project that highlighted the fact that many misconceptions regarding evolution spring from misunderstandings of the nature of science.

Dealing with Antievolutionism 
A UC Berkeley essay by Eugenie Scott addressing the importance of evolution in the curriculum, know what you are talking about!, Defuse the religion issue, counter the Equal Time/Fairness sentiment with summary and references.

Voyages Through Time: A High School Integrated Science Curriculum
This is a year-long curriculum divided into six modules: Cosmic Evolution, Planetary Evolution, Origin of Life, Evolution of Life, Hominid Evolution and Evolution of Technology. Individual modules can be used in discipline based science courses. The curriculum uses the guided inquiry approach known as the “5 E’S” from the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS).

Evolutionary Thinking - Comprehensive Sites

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) 
The AAAS Press Room addresses Evolution on the Front Line with multiple links to Resources, Evolution in the News, and AAAS news in regards to evolution as a science.

The Big Picture on Evolution
The Wellcome Trust site provides exclusive online articles on Applying evolution, Extinction events, Taxing taxonomy, The power of prayer with Teacher’s resources and student activity. Links are available to Darwin 200 and through that to the Tree of Life, The art of Darwin and more.

Citizens for Science 
This is a network of grassroots organizations devoted to protecting and promoting science education. The following state and local organizations are connected: AL, DC, NM, CO, FL, GA, IA, KS, MI, MN, NE, OH, OK, PA, SC, TX and WI. 

Darwin Digital Library of Evolution 
Based at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH), the goal of this undertaking is to make the full literature of evolution available online to include the 17th Century to the present and encompasses the history of evolution as a scientific theory with deep roots and broad cultural consequences.

Darwiniana and Evolution 
The essay in science is an art form as well as a means of communicating ideas. Those interested in evolution or natural history can find multiple links to the essays of Gould, Zimmer, Dawkins, Mayr, Simpson, Dobzhansky, Miller, Ruse, Forsdyke and many other writers and discover what earlier generations of scientists once thought about evolution.

The Debate Over Evolution 
The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life present an Overview: The Conflict Between Religion and Evolution that presents a history of landmark evolution cases in the U.S., Darwin’s achievements, an evolution timeline, religious groups’ Views, religious differences on evolution, the fighting over Darwin state by state and much more.

Evolution Education Institute (EEI)
Lesson Plan access on teaching about evolution and the nature of science.

Evolution Library FAQ’s
From PBS find the most frequently asked questions about evolution including The Basics, Where We Came From, Where We’re Going, How We Know, What It Means to Evolve, A Matter of Time, Darwin, Why It’s Important and Evolution on Trial.

Evolution Resources from the National Academies
This redesigned Web page is a collection of books, reports, statements, papers, and articles about evolution. The site organizes materials for educators and attorneys but everyone with an interest in these issues should find the site useful and accessible.

Evolution Selected Papers and Commentary
A site organized by D.R. Forsdyke that presents the historical development of the idea of evolution with an overview, selected papers on variation, heredity, phenotypic (Natural) selection/ isolation, and reproductive (Physiological) selection/isolation. Multiple links to considerable historical links including definitions of evolutionary terms used.

Harvard University Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology 
Find biology links to general evolution resources, journals, software, Academic Departments and Laboratories, Organizations, Museums and Exhibits, Collections, Molecular Evolution, Phylogenetics, Systematics, and Taxonomy and more.


Smithsonian's Human Origins Program
The website features a variety of useful tools under the Education and Resources sections: a downloadable Educator Guide to the exhibition hall for class field trips; links to human evolution lesson plans; a private discussion forum for teachers; a human evolution glossary; a section on "What's Hot in Human Origins?" so you can keep up with the latest discoveries; and an introduction to human evolution.

TalkOrigins Archive
This Site Outline gives you a comprehensive look at the topics of Evolution, Creationism, Anti-evolutionism, Biology and the Living World, Fossils and Paleontology, Human Evolution, Geology, Complexity, Physics, Astronomy, Cosmology, Religion and Philosophy, Social Issues and History Books and more. 

Voices for Evolution
This is a publication of the National Center for Science Education that was posted in electronic form with permission by Don Lindsay. Part One: Legal Background, Part Two: Scientific Organizations, Part Three: Religious Organizations, Part Four: Educational Organizations, and Part Five: Civil Liberties Organizations.

Evolutionary Thinkers- Historical

Alfred Russel Wallace

Alfred Wallace & the Origin of Species
Written by Ami Friedman, this inquiry-style case study/presentation focuses on Wallace's story, highlighting his middle class background, his career as a collector, and the observations and experience that led to his own insights.

The Alfred Russel Wallace Page
Maintained by a professor and science librarian at Western Kentucky University, the site is dedicated to celebrating the life and work of this English naturalist, evolutionist, and social critics. 

Evolutionary Classics
This page contains links to two classic papers written by Wallace: On The Law Which Has Regulated The Introduction Of New Species and The Tendency of Varieties

Charles Darwin

Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online 
This site contains Darwin’s complete publications, many handwritten manuscripts and the largest Darwin bibliography and manuscript catalogue ever published. Free mp3 downloads are available.

Evolutionary Classics
This page contains links to three classic papers written by Darwin: The Origin of Species, The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex and The Voyage of the Beagle.

Hidden Facets of Darwin
This page is from Natural History, the Online Museum’s Findings and musing from the Natural History’s fact-finder Annie Gottlieb about Darwin. There is also a connection to the Evolution of Sociality 101 featuring a discussion of kin selection.

The Huxley File 
A site dedicated to Darwin’s “bulldog,” Thomas Henry Huxley, President of the Royal Society. Scroll down to multiple links of information.

Portraits and Quotations 
Historical views of species and speciation of Henry W. Bates, Charles Darwin, Ronald Fisher, Sir Francis Galton, Jean Baptiste Lamarck, Gerardo Lamas, Ernst Mayr, Fritz Muller, Vladimir Nabokov, Tomas Pyrcz, Edward B. Poulton, Michael Singer, Dick Vane-Wright, and Alfred Russel Wallace. 

The Victorian Web 
This site contains information about the literature, history, & culture in the age of Victoria. Find information about G. Cuvier, Erasmus Darwin, T.H. Huxley, J.B. Lamarck, Charles Lyell, Richard Owen, William Paley, A.R. Wallace and many other Men of Science featured on the site.

Evolutionary Multimedia

Darwin’s Gifts 
Read the December 2008 issue of THE LANCET online. The issue includes articles on Darwin’s Fantastic Voyage, The Origin of Species, Art and Evolution, Evolution: medicine’s most basis science, Darwin’s charm, Epigenetics in evolution and disease and much more. 

Darwin: The Genius of Evolution
A BBC Four Program Radio Series re-assessing Darwin’s life and work featuring Melvyn Bragg interacting with Darwin biographer Jim More, geneticist Steve Jones, Cambridge Fellow David Norman and Cambridge assistant librarian Colin Higgins. Many related links to Darwin Online, Down House, Natural History Museum and more. 

Evolution 101 
This site posts a series of podcasts by Zachary Moore, Ph.D with additional resources for educators and the lay community. 

Evolution Video
AAAS CEO Alan Leshner and teachers from Dover, Pennsylvania, discuss the importance of teaching evolution.

Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI)

 Evolution: Constant Change and Common Threads
HHMI presents the 2005 Holiday Lectures on Science featuring Sean B. Carroll, PhD and David M. Kingsley, Ph.D. The DVD is available free upon request along with classroom activities on evolution.

Evolution: Fossils, Genes, and Mousetraps 
HHMI presents leading evolution educator Ken Miller discussing the controversy surrounding the teaching of evolution and reasons why “intelligent design” is not scientific. The DVD is available free upon request and can be viewed online.

MERLOT Multimedia Educational Research for Learning and Online Teaching 
This link connects you to one hundred and thirty four resources on the topic of evolution. Resources may be animations, case studies, collections, drill and practice, learning object repositories, lecture presentations, online courses, open journal-articles, open textbooks, reference materials, quiz/test, simulations tutorials, workshop and training materials. 

National Evolutionary Synthesis Center (NESCent)
NESCent and Understanding Evolution collaborate to present a monthly Evolution in the News stories and podcasts along with links to background literature and classroom resources. 

Public Broadcasting Service (PBS)

Evolution
PBS offers the Evolution project’s eight-hour television miniseries, a co-production of the WGBH/NOVA Science Unit. View the all eight videos: Darwin, Change, Extinction, Survival, Sex, Humans and Religion plus Teaching Evolution Case Studies and Online Lessons for Students.

Faith and Reason 
This hour length documentary is about the interaction between science and religion, both historically and today. The site includes sections on History, Evolution, Genetics, Cosmology, Purpose, Technology and the Future.

NOVA
NOVA presents Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial capturing the turmoil in Dover, Pennsylvania in one of the latest battles over teaching evolution in public schools.

The Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science
The Foundation makes available the following videos for viewing: The Four Horseman-Hour 1 and Hour 2, Lectures on Neo-Darwinism, Sex Ratio Theory and Sexual Selection, Richard Dawkins talks about Darwin and his visit to the Galapagos, an interview with the Bishop of Oxford

National Geographic Channel UK
Professor Richard Dawkins on Darwin. Six short videos where Dawkins addresses his views.

Science and Society Podcasts 
Each week Science and Society presents interviews with trendsetting and groundbreaking researchers, industry-leading executives and senior government officials providing in-depth coverage of core areas. Check out Evolution, Biodiversity and Paleontology.

Science & the City (S&C)
S&C delivers a new podcast every Friday featuring interview, conversations, and lectures by noted scientists and authors. There is a special section celebrating Darwin 2009.

Human Evolution - Sites and Multimedia

Australopithecus afarensis (Lucy) 
A site organized by Terri Winson from Kutztown University presenting information about the discovery and significance of Lucy. 

Early Hominin Evolution: A Survey of the Australopithecines and Related Genera 
A site created and maintained by Dr. Dennis O’Neil of Palomar College as a tutorial on the topics of discovery and analysis of Early Hominins. There are crossword puzzles, flashcards, related Internet sites, Glossary of Terms, Table of Early Hominins, Web Expeditions and accessibility information for disable users.

The eSkeleton Project
A website devoted to the study of human and primate comparative anatomy. View the bones of both human and non-human primates ranging from the gorilla to the tiny mouse lemurs.

The Evolution of Morality
This website aims to profile morality in an evolutionary context and to provide support for teaching about it in a standard introductory biology course. Main sections address: why the topic is important; a textbook-style scientific overview; book reviews; and classroom resources, including an image bank and classroom presentations in both lecture and inquiry mode.

Hominid Evolution 
A University of Glasgow /Hunterian Museum & Art Gallery site that provides background information, Pre 5 million years ago, Australopithecus, first humans and modern humans on hominid evolution.

In Search of What Makes Us Human
The Smithsonian Institution Human Origins Program that includes The Hall of Human Ancestors, What’s Hot in Paleoanthropology, FAQ’s, Summary of Human Origins and a resources to ask a question for their researchers.

The Institute of Human Origins 
The Institute conducts, interprets and publicizes scientific research on the human career. Follow Lucy’s Story and links to the work of Donald Johanson.

On Becoming Human 
The Institute of Human Origin’s presents this interactive documentary that tells the story of our origins. Providing evidence, anatomy, lineages and culture through four million years of human evolution with Donald Johanson. Listen in English, Spanish or Italian.

The Leakey Foundation 
A member supported organization committed to research relating to human origins. Find information about the Leakey Family.

TalkOrigins Archive on Fossil Hominids
This web site is the product of The TalkOrigins Foundation, a Texas nonprofit corporation that hosts the Archive that provides an overview of the study of human evolution and of the currently accepted fossil evidence. It also contains a comprehensive treatment of creationist claims about human evolution.