Using analogies is a standard practice for both teaching and communicating ideas in science. Here we upend the traditional lesson, where the instructor provides a fully constructed analogy and explains it, by having the students develop a complex analogy themselves. This high engagement, peer learning activity engages students in critical thinking and analogical reasoning to foster deeper understanding of molecular processes and their interconnection. In this lesson, groups of students are asked to relate given items to DNA and to decide which level it best represents (nucleotide, gene, chromosome, or genome). Next they are tasked with extending the analogy to include other actors in the central dogma of molecular biology (RNA, protein, polymerases, ribosomes, etc.), and then to extend it even further (introns/exons, mutations, evolution, etc.). Finally, each group presents their analogy to the class, and they evaluate each other. We provide multiple examples of items that can be used in the activity, but others can be identified with some creativity. This exercise is also an excellent tool for instructors to discover where their students have gaps and need help making connections to bridge their understanding of processes in molecular biology.

Primary Image: Items to compare to DNA. Is each most similar to a gene, a chromosome, or a genome? 

Engaging students in meaningful discussions can be a challenging task for science instructors, especially in introductory courses. The story-telling approach used in case studies can increase student participation by demonstrating the relevance of scientific inquiry to society. We developed an interrupted case study focused on a real-world example of a 40-acre native prairie restoration in an urban park in Austin, TX, for use in introductory undergraduate Ecology, Biology, or Environmental Science classes. The case study consists of five modules that challenge students to generate hypotheses, calculate summary statistics and generate graphs in Microsoft Excel, and discuss the challenges, costs, and benefits of ecological restoration in urban settings and the role of prescribed fire in land management. This lesson was tested in an introductory Environmental Science class at a liberal arts college, but it can be adapted for use in a variety of Biology courses over one to multiple class periods.

Primary Image: Student researchers surveying the plant community at a restored prairie outside of Austin, Texas. The data collected at this site is analyzed and interpreted by students during this lesson.