SUBJECT: Great experiments in biology
DATE: 4/97
 
 
Hi all,
 
I am going to teach a portion of our 120 university honors course,
Development of Scientific Thought. Usually three or four "great
experiments" are taught for each of our portions. I'd like to get your
opinions on what you'd teach, and on which texts/readings you would use.
Help me decide!
 
Thanks,
 
Ann
 
*****************************************************
 
Ann E. Stapleton
Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
615 McCallie Avenue
Chattanooga, TN 37403-2598
 
(423) 755-4397
fax (423) 785-2285
email Ann-Stapleton@utc.edu
 
 
There a new book out called "Doing Biology" by Hagen, Allchin, Singer.
Harper Collins ISBN 0-673-99638-7. This text seems to do exactly what you
intend. The sections include FOR EXAMPLE:
 
EVOLUTION & DIVERSITY (3 EXPS)
Kettlewell & the Peppered Moths
Margulis & the Question of How Cells Evolved
 
CELLULAR BIOLOGY (5 EXPS)
Steven & Sex determination
Hunt Morgan & the White eyed mutant
Avery
Krebs
Mitchell
 
ORGANISMAL BIOLOGY (5 exps)
Cannon
Selye
 
ECOLOGY & BEHAVIOR (4 EXPS)
 
I haven't read it yet but I like the lay-out (problem solving approach),
historical and biographical and looks to be for educated non-majors although
I don't think majors would be bored with it.
Pat Hauslein, Ph.D Understanding need not
Associate Professor diminish wonder.
Biology & Science Ed
St. Cloud State Uni
St Cloud, MN 56301
 
 
I agree with Pat Hauslein. I haven't used the book in class, but I have
seen it, and talked with the authors at a conference about it last Spring
and it looks like what you are looking for.
 
I was going to suggest it earlier today, but it is at home right now.
Tonight my computer will beep at me and tell me to look for the above
information.
 
 
===========================================================
When A scientist isn't sure of what he's doing, he calls it research.
I must do a lot of research
 
Terry Davin
Biology and Allied Health
Penn Valley Community College
Kansas City MO 64111
davin@kcmetro.cc.mo.us
http://www.kcmetro.cc.mo.us/pennvalley/biology/DAVIN/DAVIN.html
(816) 759-4236 (PHONE)
(816) 759-4553 (FAX)
 
I have read and used the book in an honors course for non-majors. It was
great. It spurred many discussions. The students responded to the
historical information. Fortuitously, the week we read the chapter on
Whittaker, was the same week the articles came out about the archae
bacteria and the three domains. What a powerful lesson in the process of
science. I would recommend this one. --cmw
 
Charlene M. Waggoner, Ph.D. "Great art is eternal;
Department of Biological Sciences great science tends to be
Bowling Green, State University replaced by greater science."
Bowling Green, OH 43403
-- John A. Moore
cwaggon@bgnet.bgsu.edu
 
 
Darwin, Mendel, Hershey-Chase, The Modern Synthesis and Neo-Darwinism,
Watson and Crick, Lindeman (Ecosystem Models). Texts? I don't know.
Notice, by the way, except for Hershey-Chase I didn't suggest "a great
experiment". I really don't see how "a great experiment" fits with the
development of scientific thought. Maybe you could help me out. I'm
sure everything you teach is in context and that many sources are read
with regards to work preceeding and following that of the "great
experiment". I'd like to know more about what you do. My university is
in the process (early discussion stages) of developing an honors
program, and I'm looking for successful models.
 
Dave McNeely, Biology, University of Texas at Brownsville, 80 Fort
Brown, Brownsville, TX 78520; mcneely@utb1.utb.edu
 

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