1. Group 4: Evolution Team members: Miriam Ferzli John Godwin
Karsten Hueffer
Christa Mulder
Curt Daehler
Alison Sherwood
Facilitator: Peter Armbruster

2. Framework for Teachable Unit: Evolution of species interactions
Course title: Introduction to Evolutionary Biology
Second year course, prerequisite is an introductory biology course
This teaching unit occurs mid-way through the course, following a basic introduction to the mechanisms of evolutionary processes.

3. Learning goals: Students will understand that:
Species influence each other’s evolution, while selection occurs at the individual level
There is a spectrum of species interactions ranging from mutually beneficial, to highly detrimental to at least one member
Relationships between species are conditional upon the environment in which they occur
Evolution of species interactions is important and applicable to real-world problems

4. Today’s Learning Objectives
Infer the costs and benefits to species in an interaction
Critically evaluate the media’s presentation of biology

5. Fig-wasp mutualism

6. The Fig Wasp interaction
Video on the fig wasp mutualism (

7. Individual writing exercise
What are the advantages and disadvantages of this interaction for the fig and for the wasp?
Fill in the squares on the handout
Only fill in those squares that you think apply to this interaction
fig
wasp
advantages
disadvantages

8. Clicker question For which of the following did you write advantages?
A = fig
B = wasp
C = fig and wasp
D = neither
fig
wasp
advantages
disadvantages

9. Clicker question
For which of the following did you write disadvantages?
A = fig
B = wasp
C = fig and wasp
D = neither
fig
wasp
advantages
disadvantages

10. Group discussion
Within your groups, discuss your evaluation of the fig-wasp interaction and come to a group consensus about advantages and disadvantages for both the fig and the wasp.

11. Clicker question re-vote
For which of the following did you write disadvantages?
A = fig
B = wasp
C = fig and wasp
D = neither
fig
wasp
advantages
disadvantages

12. Brainstorming
What are the advantages and disadvantages of this interaction to the fig and the wasp?

13. Group assignment (take-home)
How would you modify the video clip shown during class to reflect your understanding of the costs and benefits of the fig-wasp interaction?
Two options:
1) re-write the script of the video clip to include what you think are all the important pieces of information for a viewer to really understand the nature of this interaction
2) create your own video explaining the interaction

14. SI themes addressed by this teachable tidbit
Active Learning / Formative Assessment:
Advantages / disadvantages exercise – written / spatial
Brainstorming
Video assignment (creative or written options)
Summative Assessment:
Homework assignment
Unit exam
Diversity:
Different approaches to the same content (e.g. individual work / group discussions; video clip)
Alternate homework assignments for different learning styles

15. Clicker question
Is the wasp-fig interaction an example of a mutualism?
A. Yes
B. No
C. Don’t have enough information
D. No idea…

16. Cost-benefit analyses
Advantages (benefits) and disadvantages (costs) associated with each – the balance determines the type of association
Advantages and disadvantages are weighed against each other

17. Species interactions and human affairs
Interactions have a temporal element
The balance can change over time
The nature of the interaction can change over time
What kinds of impacts could change the nature of an interaction?