The purpose of TIES is to inform interested middle school science teachers about the most up-to-date concepts of evolution for them to confidently cover the topics in their classrooms and fulfill their curriculum requirements. The Disciplinary Core Idea addressed will be Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity. This idea states that, “Evolution and its underlying genetic mechanisms of inheritance and variability are key to understanding both the unity and the diversity of life on Earth.” Our presentation will guide teachers through our website where we have compiled the best evolutionary resources available in one easy-to-access location. Our resources promote the practices in which scientists regularly engage, such as problem-solving, data collection, and making predictions. Because resources are arranged by curriculum standard, teachers can choose what best suits their needs. These resources range from short videos which can be used as phenomena to investigations where students can seek out patterns in nature, see examples of cause and effect, and witness real-life examples of change over time. TIES also connects science teachers with the experts in the field of evolutionary biology by offering live monthly webinars with authors and scientists, such as Nathan Lents and Kenneth Miller. Check out our website at www.tieseducation.org.
