Students discover the mathematical constant phi, the golden ratio, through hands-on activities. They measure dimensions of "natural objects"—a star, a nautilus shell and human hand bones—and calculate ratios of the measured values, which are close to phi. Then students learn a basic definition of a mathematical sequence, specifically the Fibonacci sequence. By taking ratios of successive terms of the sequence, they find numbers close to phi. They solve a squares puzzle that creates an approximate Fibonacci spiral. Finally, the instructor demonstrates the rule of the Fibonacci sequence via a LEGO® MINDSTORMS® NXT robot equipped with a pen. The robot (already created as part of the companion activity, The Fibonacci Sequence & Robots) draws a Fibonacci spiral that is similar to the nautilus shape.

Using the LEGO® NXT robotics kit, students construct and program robots to illustrate and explore the Fibonacci sequence. Within teams, students are assigned roles: group leader, chassis builder, arm builder, chief programmer, and Fibonacci verifier. By designing a robot that moves based on the Fibonacci sequence of numbers, they can better visualize how quickly the numbers in the sequence grow. To program the robot to move according to these numbers, students break down the sequence into simple algebraic equations so that the computer can understand the Fibonacci sequence.

The shared set of genes for body segments, possessed by all animals, are discussed in this video segment from Evolution: "Great Transformations."

This lesson explains what peer review is, why it's important, and how to practice peer review. Peer review is a valuable communication skill that employers seek out in potential employees. Strategies for how to apply this skill to the job hunt are discussed within the lesson.This lesson was adapted from The Peer Review Kit: A Resource for Educators, developed by learning designers at ed2go, a Cengage company.

The Peer Review Kit: A Resource for Educators was developed by learning designers at ed2go, a Cengage company. The kit provides portable peer review content that can be repurposed and revised by educators to suit their specific online course needs. This lesson explains what peer review is, why it's important, and how to practice peer review in an online setting (both asynchronous and synchronous). Content is specific to creative writing, but can be easily modified to fit other subject areas. Quick true or false self-assessments, a multiple-choice quiz, sample peer review assignments, rubrics, discussion prompts, and resources for further learning are also provided. Peer review is a valuable communication skill that employers seek out in potential employees. Strategies for how to apply this soft skill to the job hunt are discussed within the lesson.