Biology Stories

After numerous research jobs and 30 years in a college classroom, Mike Tveten discovered the magic of storytelling in keeping students engaged. This book follows up on the success of his first book, Imperative Narratives: Storytelling Secrets for Teachers, Staff, and Administrators.

• Table of ContentsForewordPrefaceAcknowledgmentsIntroductionSection I. Scientific MethodChapter 1. How Three Girls from Ireland Changed the WorldSection II. ChemistryChapter 2. The Danbury ShakesChapter 3. The Radium GirlsSection III. Organic and BiochemistryChapter 4. High Fructose Corn Syrup Ruined Their EconomiesChapter 5. A Hike Across the Grand CanyonChapter 6. The Life and Death of Lyle AlzadoChapter 7. Mummies and Bog BodiesSection IV. CellsChapter 8. Evidence of Life in a Martian Meteorite?Chapter 9. Lynn Margulis and the Endosymbiotic TheorySection V. Membrane TransportChapter 10. Genesis BurkettChapter 11. Hold Your Wee For a WiiSection VI. EnzymesChapter 12. The Return of Stonewashed JeansChapter 13. The Death of Korey StringerChapter 14. A Drink at the Pub Made Them SickChapter 15. Beth’s StorySection VII. Cellular RespirationChapter 16. The End of Halloween as We Knew ItChapter 17. The Story of Johnny AppleseedSection VIII. PhotosynthesisChapter 18. Fall Colors Are PricelessChapter 19. The Magic of Maple SyrupSection IX. Mitosis, Meiosis, Chromosomes, and CancerChapter 20. Choosing the Sex of Your ChildChapter 21. Genghis Khan’s DescendantsChapter 22. George Washington’s ChromosomesChapter 23. Sigmund Freud’s CancerSection X. GeneticsChapter 24. A Parent’s Weekend SurpriseChapter 25. Nancy Wexler and Huntington’s DiseaseChapter 26. Treyvon’s PainChapter 27. Charlie Chaplin’s Blood TypeChapter 28. Are They Really Twins?Chapter 29. Alexei’s HemophiliaSection XI. DNA and Protein SynthesisChapter 30. Sometimes There is Genius in SimplicityChapter 31. Rosalind FranklinSection XII. BiotechnologyChapter 32. The Story of DollyChapter 33. The First Conviction Based on DNA FingerprintingChapter 34. The Telltale Palo Verde Seed PodsChapter 35. Kary Mullis and the Discovery of PCRChapter 36. Jesse Gelsinger’s Fight for LifeSection XIII. Disease and ImmunityChapter 37. Antibiotic Resistant Tuberculosis on an AirplaneChapter 38. The H1N1 Flu Strikes AgainChapter 39. The Last Death From SmallpoxSection XIV. EvolutionChapter 40. Neil Shubin and the Discovery of TiktaalikChapter 41. When Did Humans Start Wearing Clothes?Chapter 42. Why the Deer Has No Gall and the Pronghorn Has No DewclawsSection XV. Ecosystem EcologyChapter 43. The First Mammal Extinction Due to Climate ChangeChapter 44. Henry Ford’s New CarChapter 45. Thomas Midgley’s LegacySection XVI. Community EcologyChapter 46. The Birds of ShakespeareChapter 47. Egret Plume HatsChapter 48. The Return of the American BisonSection XVII. Population EcologyChapter 49. The Lessons of Easter Island and TikopiaChapter 50. Colin Beavan, the No Impact ManAbout the Author

A growing body of educational research shows, as evidenced by this text, that storytelling is an effective teaching tool. The book provides 50 scientific discovery stories that reinforce the content generally taught in high school and college introductory biology courses. The author writes with the intent that faculty will read stories to students and follow up with a class conversation about the reading. Critical-thinking discussion questions are provided for each story. A section on how to use the book is included in the introduction. . . Effort has been devoted to addressing issues of diversity and equity in the breadth of selected stories, and most stories focus on contemporary issues at the intersection of biology and society. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower- and upper-division undergraduates. Students in two-year technical programs. General readers.