Backyard evolutionary biology: Investigating local flowers brings learning to life

Abstract Inquiry‐based learning allows students to actively engage in and appreciate the process of science. As college courses transition to online instruction in response to COVID‐19, incorporating inquiry‐based learning is all the more essential for student engagement. However, with the cancelation of in‐person laboratory courses, implementing inquiry can prove challenging for instructors. Here, I describe a case that exemplifies a strategy for inquiry‐based learning and can be adapted for use in various course modalities, from traditional face‐to‐face laboratory courses to asynchronous and synchronous online courses. I detail an assignment where students explore the developmental basis of morphological evolution. Flowers offer an excellent example to address this concept and are easy for students to access and describe. Students research local flowering plants, collect and dissect flower specimens to determine their whorl patterns, and generate hypotheses to explain the developmental genetic basis of the patterns identified. This task allows students to apply their scientific thinking skills, conduct guided exploration in nature, and connect their understanding of the developmental basis of evolutionary change to everyday life. Incorporating inquiry using readily available, tangible, tractable real‐world examples represents a pragmatic and effective model that can be applied in a variety of disciplines during and beyond COVID‐19.

. Gene A products are associated with the formation of sepals in the outermost whorl. In the second concentric whorl, products of A, B, and SEP genes promote petal formation while expression of B, C, and SEP genes in the third whorl promotes stamens.
Finally, C and SEP genes promote carpel formation in the innermost whorl. The number and arrangement of whorls vary widely. Changes in ABC genes' spatial expression patterns are associated with the changes in whorl patterns in different floral species (Figure 2). Therefore, flower whorl variation provides an excellent example to illustrate how changes in gene expression during development can generate variation between species.
I developed an assignment where students research their local flowering plants by collecting and dissecting flower specimens to describe how the whorl patterns differ from that in Arabidopsis.
Observing and documenting flower morphology is straightforward and does not require extensive instructor or student training. Whorl patterns can be determined with the naked eye for most flowers, so it is a cost-effective activity with little need for equipment or supplies. Students then generate and justify a hypothesis to explain the developmental genetic basis of the whorl patterns observed; that is, students explain how changes in the spatial expression patterns of ABC genes might lead to the changes in whorl patterns seen in their flower as compared to Arabidopsis. These tasks sharpen students' scientific skills and connect their learning to the natural world around them.

| A SS I G NMENT DE SCRIP TI ON
The assignment I describe was implemented in an upper-level genetics course at the Minerva Schools at Keck Graduate Institute (California, USA). Minerva is a primarily undergraduate institution where students are in a global rotation program, living in different cities during their studies. We teach all courses in virtual classrooms F I G U R E 1 Arabidopsis thaliana (a) wildtype flower (adapted from Sui-Setz, 2020) and (b) floral diagram showing the four concentric whorls. (c) Expression patterns of ABC genes specify whorl identity: Expression of A alone is associated with sepal identity in the outermost whorl. A combination of A, B, and SEP is associated with petals in the second whorl and B, C, and SEP with stamens in the third whorl. Expression of C and SEP genes is associated with carpel formation in the fourth whorl In their submission, students were asked to describe their selected plant, with a focus on adaptations that allow it to grow in the regional conditions such as climate, type of soil, and pollinator species. I also encouraged students to note whether the flower has any cultural significance (e.g., wedding flower or other celebrations).
Students reported the flower whorl pattern, including images of the flower and floral diagrams (Figure 2). They proposed and justified a hypothesis to explain how changes in ABC genes' expression patterns might lead to the whorl patterns seen in their flower compared to Arabidopsis. I assigned students chapters from their course textbook (Brooker, 2012) and open-source articles (Irish, 2017; Krizek & Fletcher, 2005) as resources for their research.

| OUTCOME S
The assignment was successful in allowing students to connect their coursework to everyday life. In the end of term course survey, data collection (Creech & Shriner, 2020;Long & Wyse, 2012 (Brownell andTanner, 2012, Borcherding et al., 2019). The model that we describe allows instructors to infuse inquiry practically during COVID-19 and beyond.

ACK N OWLED G M ENTS
The author thanks Andy Dosmann, Suzanne Kern, and Amit Indap for feedback on assignment design and the manuscript.

CO N FLI C T O F I NTE R E S T
The author declares no conflict of interest.

DATA AVA I L A B I L I T Y S TAT E M E N T
The submission does not include any supporting information files.