Lewis/Life - Teaching Techniques

Chapter 1 - Teaching Techniques

A. General Tips
Sometimes the introductory chapter of a book is the most difficult -- both for the students and for the instructor. Students tend to view this chapter as something to be "gotten through" so that the "meat" of the book (or the course) can be digested. Instructors -- particularly new instructors -- tend to look at the opening chapter as something the students must learn in depth, immediately.
This is an exciting chapter. Let the students enjoy it! The hazard is trying to teach the entire course from Chapter 1. Keep in mind that the opening chapter is an overview of the course and not the entire course itself.
You might wish to copy and distribute to your students the Overview of Chapter Objectives flowchart found at the beginning of this Instructor's Manual Chapter.
B. Possible Approaches to the Chapter
You will probably want to give your students a global sense with this chapter. I offer the following three suggestions as viable ways to begin this study of biology.
1. Start the course with a NON-QUIZ. You ask the questions and the students write the answers, but not to hand in. This is a non-threatening tool that can be used either to develop a focus for a particular point or to help the students identify specific conceptual difficulties.
  Questions on your first non-quiz might include: What is Biology? What are the two most important biology-related problems in the world today? (When I give this assignment, I ask for two problems instead just one because "one problem" is usually rote whereas the idea of two problems requires focus.) What should we do to solve these problems? If you are brave, you might ask how the students perceive the science vs. religion controversy. Choose a few additional questions from your personal overview of the introductory material.
  After the students have written the answers to the questions, ask for volunteers to share some of their ideas. You will probably be amazed at the variety of answers you hear.
2. As an opening assignment, try a Biological Observation. The students should go out individually and observe an animal (not a dog or cat) for one hour. They should not feed or disturb the animal in any way. During this time they should write down everything they observe, being careful not to interpret the animal's actions.
  Some students become nervous with this assignment because they are not used to being alone with nature. Other students will gain a tremendous perspective on what life is all about.
3. Prepare an overview of your course objectives. This might include a list of the overriding themes -- themes such as Energy, Evolution, and Equilibrium -- that you will be dealing with throughout the semester (or the year). Put these themes in diagrammatic or flowchart format, distribute copies to your students, and explain each point briefly. Return to this chart often as you traverse the course material.
C. Hints Related to Specific Chapter Topics
- I. To help your students distinguish between LIFE and DEATH, you might ask them to jot down, prior to discussion, what they consider to be the difference between LIFE, DEATH, and NON-LIFE.
- I.A. Students tend to fall back on dictionary definitions of life because they often have difficulty understanding that life can only be defined by its characteristics. Demonstrate that this is true by asking, "How do you know ___ is alive?"
- I.A.1. Some students will have difficulty with the organizational hierarchies presented here -- and in the succeeding sections -- because the concepts are quite foreign to them. I suggest you make simple charts and, without much fanfare, refer to the appropriate chart throughout the course whenever an organizational concept occurs.
- I.A.2. It is important that your students are careful in distinguishing between the terms in this section. Also, some of your students may have learned in other science courses that fungi obtain their nutrients by absorption. Although Lewis does not use this term, it is a valid term used by some biological science teachers.
- I.A.3. You might wish to expand the definition of homeostasis to include more than just the living world. Encourage your students to think about equilibrium and what is necessary to maintain equilibrium, in both the biological and the physical worlds.
- I.A.4. Point out that asexual reproduction occurs within multicellular organisms; this is not just a phenomenon of unicellular organisms.
- I.A.5. Point out the differences between the colloquial and scientific definitions of irritability and adaptation.
  Evolution was mentioned in section I.A.1. Evolution is repeated here. Many of your students do not have any idea of what evolution is all about. Many think evolution means, "Man came from the ape." Many of these students also have problems with evolution based on their religious backgrounds.
  I suggest that you do not dismiss these student concerns as irrelevant; many of these concerns are very relevant to the students. However, I do urge you to postpone discussing the problems until you get to Unit 5. By then your students will be more comfortable with your methods of presentation. They will also be more comfortable with their own thoughts about biology. At that time your discussions of potential evolutionary concerns will be far less threatening -- and far more meaningful.
- II. Students are going to be curious about the possibilities of life on Mars and how we know the rocks in Antarctica came from Mars. Some students will be quite skeptical. Some will maintain that it is impossible for anything to come from Mars, let alone have evidence of life.
  Students are also going to be curious about the Archaea. This new life form is completely altering the way we look at phylogeny.
- II.A. To help your students remember the taxa in order, encourage them to compose a mnemonic, or you might tell them about King Philip. King Philip came over from Greece singing. Some people add subspecies, so Philip was singing softly.
  The intricacies of classifying life will be examined in Chapter 21.
- II.C. See the notes in I.A.5 about evolution.