Introductory Biology Animal Behavior Project
(View Complete Item Description)Engaging introductory biology students in course-based undergraduate research (CURE), especially when they are not intending to major in the discipline, can feel challenging and at times, laborious for them. Studying animal behavior is highly accessible for this population because it allows opportunity to engage with animals within their lives, such as pets, or within the community, including native fauna. Designing experiments around animal behavior allows students to employ the scientific method while avoiding the complexity of techniques and skills more commonly found in molecular labs and also fosters connectivity to the world around them, with which they regularly interact, driving a degree of intrinsic motivation. In addition, creating this opportunity for students early on in their undergraduate career can build critical thinking, teamwork, and analytical skills applicable to other coursework. This CURE, highly adaptable and able to be completed in as little as six weeks, is readily implemented to courses at any level.
Material Type: Activity/Lab, Lesson Plan, Module