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Can We Show Evolution Actually Occurring? YES!
The Atlantic Monthly recently published an article and some videos on this question. There is a remarkable video on the site that shows how bacteria evolve resistance to antibiotics rather quickly. Assign this article, and ask students to identify and explain examples of evolution actually occurring, and/or show the videos (http://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2016/09/stunning-videos-of-evolution-in-action/499136/). Either as a whole class, in small student groups, or in a writing assignment, ask the students to reflect on the benefits and limits of such video-based evidence to understand and communicate about evolution.
Active Learning Slides
The U.C. Berkeley website “Understanding Evolution” has, in its “undergraduate teachers’ lounge” area of the site, a useful and engaging set of slides about evolution that are created to provide active learning opportunities for students. See it here: http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/teach/active_learning.php
Biocultural Evolution on the Web
Assign the websites from the Blog Roll and Web Links section and ask each student to find and collect information about biocultural evolution of one of the following: breastfeeding, addiction, sports, warfare, or disease. Have the students present on their findings, and discuss why anthropology as an approach is best suited for investigating biocultural evolution.
U.C. Berkeley’s Undergraduate Teachers’ Lounge
The useful “Understanding Evolution” website hosted at Berkeley has this site that provides a range of suggestions for in-class exercises and activities: http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/teach/undergradlounge.php