AAAS creates lesson plan Hanson's book
This lesson is based on the highly engaging book Feathers: The Evolution of a Natural Miracle, by biologist Thor Hanson. The book is one of the winners of the 2012 SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books. SB&F, Science Books & Films, is a project of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Due to the normal demands on class time, you might want to consider using this lesson with an advanced group of students, or as extra credit for highly motivated and focused students. Because this lesson pairs nicely with the ScienceNetlinks' Introduction to Natural Selection lesson, please use that lesson as a prerequisite for this one.
In the 15 chapters of Feathers, Hanson details a sweeping natural history of feathers as he investigates their function in birds of insulating, cooling, waterproofing, enabling prolonged efficient flight, attracting mates, and protecting birds through camouflage. The book ranges from the discovery of feathered dinosaurs that provided the first evidence linking them as the relatives of birds, to the valuable plumes onboard the Titanic, to the problems a feather costume poses to Las Vegas show dancers. The colorful stories are woven together with careful descriptions of scientific experiments, field observations shaped into scientific hypotheses, and an extensive research bibliography.
