Experimental design is an uncontroversial component of science curricula. It helps students learn methodology, how to spot flaws in arguments, and, partly, how scientists create knowledge. Yet, much of what we teachers see in experimental…
The nephron is a tricky concept for many students, but it doesn’t have to be. In this post, I explain how I’ve taught it recently, without any slides, to 16-year-olds. See how I introduce stock…
Oxygen dissociation curves are difficult for students. I often find that difficulty comes from trying to visualise the mechanism through a graph. In this post, I’ll show you how I’ve built a model of the…
The lac operon is a classic of genetics and is common in biology curricula. Yet, students can sometimes find it difficult. I want to show you how I’ve taught it using a stock and flow…
If you’re teaching Mendelian genetics, monogenic disorders are on the cards. But which ones are good examples? The IB has once again decided on PKU (phenylketonuria). In this post, I’ll show you how I teach…
The peppered moth of industrial England (and the Galapagos finches on Daphne Major during the 1976 drought) are common examples used in teaching natural selection. What unites them is their method: observational work. John Endler’s…
When I first saw stock and flow diagrams, I knew they were immensely useful in the biology classroom. Yet, it took a few years of trial and error until I found a powerful way to…
The nitrogen cycle is one of my favourite lessons. There’s so much to connect to: history and everyday life. But, students need a clear model to understand what’s going on, lest it be abstract and…
To understand p-values, you must discern a critical aspect: how confident you can interpret data. You must see how the relationship between the means and their data spread can vary, and how this affects your…
Teaching about natural selection gives a mechanism for how species change but it doesn’t directly address how one species can diverge into two. Speciation, then, needs its own lesson. This post shows you how I’ve…