CourseSource is an open-access, evidence-based journal of peer-reviewed teaching resources for undergraduate biological sciences.
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New Teaching Tools and Strategies! Using the Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes Taxonomy to Assess Written Scientific Arguments. The SOLO taxonomy is a useful tool for scaffolding, providing feedback, and assessing scientific arguments. doi.org/10.24918/cs.2025.22
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New LessonPlus! Pulling Weeds: A Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience Integrating Field Research. This 5-week CURE engages students in field research on invasive species, building skills in ecological research and statistical analysis. doi.org/10.24918/cs.2025.21
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New Lesson! Modeling Short Tandem Repeat (STR) DNA Fingerprinting Using Standard Playing Cards. This hands-on, low-cost activity uses playing cards to model STR alleles, letting students practice analysis of genotypes and model DNA gels in class. doi.org/10.24918/cs.2025.20
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New Lesson! An Instruction-Followed-by-Problem-Solving Approach to Facilitate Biochemistry Students’ Transfer of Learning in Noncovalent Interactions. This lesson uses cognitive load theory with examples and problem-solving to help students grasp noncovalent interactions. (1/2)
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New Lesson! Counting Caterpillars on Campus: Engaging Students in Setting Up a Phenology Site for Participatory Science. Students track arthropod phenology in their local ecosystems and study how rising temperatures is affecting their community. doi.org/10.24918/cs.2025.17
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New Lesson! A Scenario-Based Learning Strategy to Teach the Story of Henrietta Lacks and the Social Determinants of Health. This activity uses scenario-based learning to explore health inequities, ethics, and Social Determinants of Health through film and group work. (1/2)
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New Essay! A Learning Community for Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience Teaching Assistants. The authors created a CURE TA learning community that boosted sense of community, understanding of CURE pedagogy, and professional development. doi.org/10.24918/cs.2025.12
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New Lesson! Facial Expression Response Genotype-Phenotype Correlations in a Hands-On and Cross-Field Laboratory Experiment. This bio/psych lab links CNR1 genotyping with facial recognition to boost student data analysis and interdisciplinary skills. doi.org/10.24918/cs.2025.15
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New Lesson! A Course-Embedded "Plug and Play" Research Project for Teaching Cancer Genomics. This semester-long research project guides students through analysis of human cancer patient genomic data from TCGA and a formal poster presentation, with built-in checkpoints. (1/2)
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New Lesson! Exploring Earth’s Changing Ecosystems: Case Studies and Curriculum Support for Undergraduate Classrooms - These five adaptable case studies teach ecology using real-world issues, building skills in data analysis, modeling, and conservation. doi.org/10.24918/cs.2025.13
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Exploring Participant Risks and Benefits of Ancestry Testing in the Classroom - @rossbiology - Incorporating genetic testing in the classroom can engage students in societally relevant genetics topics, but there are risks and benefits to participating in genetic testing. (1/2)
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New Essay! Building an Inclusive and Equitable STEM Classroom by Creating Community, Sustaining Structure, and Encouraging Engagement. Post-COVID, authors at UC Merced—a Minority-Serving Institution (MSI)—revamped their intro biology course with equity-focused practices. (1/2)
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New Lesson! Fostering Metacognitive Awareness in Introductory Biology: A Lesson on Protein Structure. To help students assess their content knowledge and improve their learning processes, Zhong et al. created a protein structure lesson that embeds metacognitive activities. (1/2)
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New Lesson! Discovering Signal Transduction by Building and Simulating a Bacterial Chemotaxis Model. Using Cell Collective, students model and simulate bacterial chemotaxis to learn signal transduction and practice systems thinking. doi.org/10.24918/cs.2025.7
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New Lesson! Using Composite Narratives to Reflect on Equity Beliefs and Practices. This lesson uses research-based composite narratives to help STEM instructors reflect on equity, explore teaching practices, and engage in discussion on inclusive education. doi.org/10.24918/cs.2025.11
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New Lesson! Developing Science Communication Capabilities: A Customisable, Interactive Tutorial Series for Creating and Presenting Engaging Science Communication - @TaylorGDyba - @Genetics_Stuff - Students need to learn core skills to communicate science effectively. (1/2)
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New Essay! Building Collaborations Across Institutions: Lessons From a Multi-Institutional S-STEM Program. Building multi-institutional coalitions can support the achievement and success of community college students transferring to baccalaureate-granting institutions. (1/2)
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New Lesson! Exploring Pertussis Vaccination Through Systems Vaccinology. Vaccines save lives, but waning immunity and hesitancy fuel outbreaks. This lesson uses R and systems vaccinology to analyze pertussis data, perform modeling, and predict immunity. doi.org/10.24918/cs.2025.3
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New Essay! DBNY: Reimagining the Undergraduate Research Conference. Undergrad research thrives when shared! DBNY offers a cost-free, inclusive space for students to present, network, and explore STEM careers—without the barriers of big conferences. doi.org/10.24918/cs.2025.4
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New Essay! Approaching Eugenics in the Classroom. Eugenics spread pseudoscientific myths that still linger today. Educators must tackle these ideas head-on, teaching students to spot and refute them in both STEM and non-STEM courses. Read more here: doi.org/10.24918/cs.2025.2
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New Lesson! Gaining Intuition About Electric Potential. Students grapple with the concept of electric potential by finding patterns in number grids, comparing them to topographical maps, and using analogies, enhancing engagement and understanding! doi.org/10.24918/cs.2025.1
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New Lesson! Replicating Darwin’s Theory: Teaching Evolution With Microbiology by Means of Replica Plating. Students design a replica plating experiment to test evolutionary models and observe the development of antibiotic resistance in real time! doi.org/10.24918/cs.2024.34
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New Lesson! Analyzing Original Experimental Data Through Peer Learning: Cancer Research – From Animal Models to Clinical Trials. Small-group activities on HER2-targeting drugs help students interpret research literature, analyze data, and collaborate! doi.org/10.24918/cs.2024.35
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New Lesson! A Day in the Life of a Plant Breeder: A Role-Playing Game Integrating Plant Breeding Decisions to Downstream Market Outcomes. Students role-play as breeders and farmers, navigating environmental and market pressures in this engaging genetics activity! (1/2)
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New Lesson! Exploring Biological Variation and the Value of Natural History Collections Using an Online Lesson. Students participate in a museum curation project and and make a meaningful contribution to science beyond the classroom! Check it out here: doi.org/10.24918/cs.2024.33
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New Lesson! Protein Import Into the ER: Understanding Experimental Methods for Old and New Cellular Discoveries. Students learn about experiments that led to discoveries on protein import into the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) via a POGIL problem set. doi.org/10.24918/cs.2024.30
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New Lesson! Osmosis Through the Lens of Sexual Health. Inspired by the WHO's research on lubricant osmolality and pH, this activity connects physiology to public health. Students analyze data and formulate a scientific recommendation for bulk procurement of lubricants. (1/2)
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New Science Behind the Lesson! X-ploring Fragile X: The Science Behind the Syndrome. This review describes the current understanding of Fragile X Syndrome, an X-linked genetic disorder in which transcription of the FMR1 gene is impaired. doi.org/10.24918/cs.2024.26
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New Lesson! Adapting a Traditional Laboratory Exercise to Become Inquiry Based: An Example With an Introductory Biology Lab in Diffusion. In this inquiry-driven lab, which can also be adapted into a virtual format, students authentically engage with the scientific process (1/2).
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New Lesson! Space Mission Ecology: Making Connections Among Science Disciplines Through the Lens of a Unique Plant. In this case study, students propose how to use duckweed to support life on a space mission in an interdisciplinary context. Check it out: doi.org/10.24918/cs.2024.25
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New Lesson! A Kinesthetic and Collaborative Activity to Improve Conceptual Understanding of Chemical Equilibrium - @Roshini_ - Students demonstrate the dynamic nature of chemical equilibrium kinesthetically and by using objects to track the movement of “molecules.” (1/2)
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New Lesson! Environmental Injustice: When the Grass is Greener on the Other Side - Students discuss principles of environmental pollution and the sociocultural underpinnings that increase exposure risk, using real-life examples of environmental injustice. doi.org/10.24918/cs.2024.27
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New Lesson! Using an Interactive Game, Gutsy, to Examine the Impacts of Pathogens and Everyday Events on the Human Gut Microbiome - Students play a publicly available card game, ‘Gutsy,’ to simulate how various factors affect gut microbiome diversity! doi.org/10.24918/cs.2024.24
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New Lesson! The Science and Ethics of Gene Drives: An Active Learning Lesson in Genetics - Students learn the mechanisms of gene drives, discuss an example from the literature, and propose ideas for ethical guidelines on the regulation of gene drives! doi.org/10.24918/cs.2024.21
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New TTS! A Journal Club Project to Promote Interpreting and Presenting Information From the Primary Scientific Literature - Students work in teams to present primary scientific literature and incorporate peer and instructor feedback into their work. doi.org/10.24918/cs.2024.23
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The authors found that students enjoyed manipulating the cards and that the ability to flip two depictions of the glycolysis structures was really helpful. Students also used the cards for studying later! Check out the activity here: doi.org/10.24918/cs.2024.22 #CSAuthorNotes (2/2)
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New Lesson! Defining Life: Exploring Creativity, Scientific Discovery, and Biology Core Concepts in a Disciplinary First-Year Seminar - @sofiamacgiron, @e_caudill, @WISCIENCE - This unit engages students in thinking like scientists through various hands-on activities (1/3)
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New Lesson! Leveraging Panel Discussions to Promote Positive Representation, Develop Science Identity, and Shift Stereotypes. Students interact with scientists from diverse backgrounds and reflect on what they know about the types of people who do science doi.org/10.24918/cs.2024.20
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New Lesson! A Structured Inquiry-Based Module for the Undergraduate Cell Biology Laboratory That Teaches Fundamental Concepts of Cell Differentiation. Students examine morphological & genetic changes that occur during muscle cell differentiation in culture doi.org/10.24918/cs.2024.16
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New Lesson! The Great Petunia Carnage of 2017: A Clicker Case Study Using Petunias to Describe the Effect of Genetic Modification on the Biochemistry of Flower Color and Phenotype in Plants- @DrNanBoury -Students examine genotype and phenotype via commercially bred petunias (1/2)
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New Lesson! Learning the Landscape: An Active and Applied Lesson on Landscape Ecology for General Ecology Courses. In this lesson, students work in groups to solve applied challenges about a real environment and then apply the concepts to a local context! doi.org/10.24918/cs.2024.11
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New TTS! Using Constructed Response Questions on High-Stakes Assessments in Large Classes With Limited Support. This article describes how to use CR questions on assessments even in large lecture courses with the support of undergraduate assistants. doi.org/10.24918/cs.2024.19
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New Lesson! Using Raw Sequence Data to Analyze Tumor Suppressor Mutations. Students practice working with genomic databases and sequence analysis software using real-world examples of DNA sequence variants seen in tumor suppressor genes. doi.org/10.24918/cs.2024.13
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New Lesson! Breaking It Down: What Factors Control Microbial Decomposition Rates? Using the Tea Bag Index, students develop and investigate research questions on how abiotic factors influence the rate of biomass loss. doi.org/10.24918/cs.2024.17
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New Lesson! Student-Generated Analogies for Learning about Information Flow. Students develop a complex analogy, engaging them in critical thinking and analogical reasoning to foster deeper understanding of molecular processes and their interconnection. doi.org/10.24918/cs.2024.14
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New Lesson! An Interrupted Case Study on Urban Prairie Restoration. This case study focuses on a 40-acre native prairie restoration in an urban park in Austin, TX. Students discuss the challenges, costs, and benefits of ecological restoration. doi.org/10.24918/cs.2024.10
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New Lesson! Exploring Indigenous Viewpoints in the Undergraduate Biology Classroom: An Environmental Case Study Incorporating Hawaiian Traditional Ecological Knowledge- @bekagreenall @BaileyLab_BYU - This lesson introduces Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) to students. (1/3)
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New LessonPlus! Keep It Shrimple: An Adaptable Student-Driven Research Project for the Introductory Biology Laboratory - @PacificUBiology - To align with Vision and Change, Karson and McCormick designed a CURE-like lab that allows students to practice *doing science*. (1/2)
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New Lesson! Understanding the Importance of Microtubules in Normal Cell Division: Chemotherapy Connection. This activity connects the structure and function of microtubules with how some chemotherapy drugs target microtubules. #microtubules #cancerbiology (1/2)
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New Lesson! Promoting Interleaved and Spaced Practice in Anatomy and Physiology Students. This activity helps students practice evidence-based study strategies, preparing them for future, more difficult courses. doi.org/10.24918/cs.2024.7
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