The release of A Framework for K—12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas (NRC, 2012) provides the basis for the next generation of science standards. This article first describes that foundation for the life sciences; it then presents a draft standard for natural selection and evolution. Finally, there is a discussion of the implications of the new standards for biology programs in general and curriculum, instruction, and assessment in particular.

In today's global society, with science and technology advancing at a rapid pace, issues about biological topics are common. A typical standards-based high school or general college-level biology classroom naturally lends itself to teaching issue-oriented science. In an issue-oriented classroom, students analyze and discuss personal, societal, and global issues that require an application of relevant scientific evidence. Learning in the context of issues can help engage students in higher-order thinking skills that will help them to become the scientifically literate citizens needed in the current global community.

The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is a powerful immunological technique for quantifying small amounts of compounds and has been used in research and clinical settings for years. Although there are laboratory exercises developed to introduce the ELISA technique to students, their ability to promote student learning has not been thoroughly assessed. We found that a commercially available ELISA kit increased student performance on pre- and post-tests in three undergraduate college courses, especially in those taught to general-education students. Student confidence levels about ELISA methodology, as well as comfort level in performing the technique, increased significantly in both generaleducation and biology-major courses.

We designed a microbiology project that fully engaged undergraduate biology students, high school students, and their teachers in a summer research program as part of the Research Education Vitalizing Science University Program conducted at California State University Bakersfield. Modern molecular biological methods and microscopy were used to detect and identify microcrustacean species in ponds around Bakersfield, California, that harbor the amphibian pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). The students learned about the amphibian decline in California and worldwide due to chytridiomycosis and how microcrustaceans as natural predators of Bd-zoospores can be used in mitigation strategies for amphibian conservation.

I propose three guided questions for reflection as a jumpstart organizational formula for students with poor writing application skills to follow when responding to an open-ended question. The recipe prescribes that the student (1) understand the question design, (2) identify the intent or objective of the question, and (3) proceed to identify the key words or phrases that are relevant to answer the question. The three prompts serve as a “getting started” writing template for students to organize their thoughts and then compose the introductory sentences of their answer. The identified significant words and phrases should then be further explained and clarified by the student to complete the main body of the response. In addition, these opening sentences serve as an index at the outset of the response for a teacher to gauge the student's understanding of and approach toward answering the question.

The growth of pollen tubes is one of the most characteristic events in angiosperm reproduction. This article describes an activity for visualizing the journey and guidance of pollen tubes in the reproductive structures of a flowering plant. The activity uses a semi-in vivo system with rapid-cycling Brassica rapa, also known as Fast Plants. Isolated ovules were used to attract pollen tubes that were triggered to grow through explants of female flower parts. The activity provides insight into the in vivo situation of plant reproduction, appealing visual results, and the development of science process skills.