Smithsonian Institution
Natural Selection: Common Misconceptions
Overcoming pupil misconceptions is much harder than teaching a new topic. Anticipate misconceptions to avoid having to reteach and relearn by showing a lesson resource from the Good Thinking PD series that highlights common mistakes. A...
PBS
How Evolution Works (And How We Figured It Out)
The concept of evolution changed the way scientists view the world. Part of the PBS Ions series, a thorough video lesson explains the process of evolution by exploring the work of scientists like Charles Darwin and Gregor Mendel. The...
PBS
The Hellacious Lives of the "Hell Pigs"
Some animals have more in common than meets the eye. An episode of the PBS Eon series analyzes the fossil records of a mammal nicknamed the hell pig. The lesson describes how evolutionary methods determine the genetic evolution of the...
PBS
The History of Climate Cycles (And the Woolly Rhino) Explained
Subtle changes in climate can have a significant effect on habitats. An installment of the PBS Eons series describes the history of climate changes. The instructor describes specific causes of the changes throughout history and how the...
PBS
The Ghostly Origins of the Big Cats
A lack of fossil records forces scientists to piece together the evolution of the big cats. The PBS Eons video lesson describes the processes scientists use to infer evolutionary details and predict possible species. Scholars get an...
PBS
When We Took over the World
Exactly how did humans become the top of the food chain? Follow archeologists through an analysis of the fossil records during a video presentation from the PBS Eons series. The ancient artifacts trace human evolution from Africa to the...
PBS
The Mystery behind the Biggest Bears of All Time
Bears come in many different shapes and sizes. Follow the evolution of the prehistoric bear through time in an episode from the PBS Eon series. The narrator discusses the evolution of the bear by examining adaptations and their...
Bite Sci-zed
Theory vs. Scientific Theory
Why do people have scientific theories but not scientific facts? A quick video presentation defines scientific theory and the components necessary for developing a theory. The presenter emphasizes the difference between scientific proof...
Bite Sci-zed
DNA Extraction!
Extracting DNA is probably easier than pupils think! A quick video demonstrates one method of extracting an individual's DNA. The presentation shows each step of the process as well as the results.
Bite Sci-zed
DNA and RNA, A Nucleic Acid Primer!
Every single cell in the human body is packed with genetic material! A video presentation provides a thorough overview of the components of this genetic material. An engaging instructor defines DNA and RNA and discusses its structure and...
Bite Sci-zed
Why Red Blood Cells Look Like Donuts
There are specific reasons for the intricate anatomy of the body, and the shape of the red blood cells is no exception! A video presentation explains the role of red blood cells and why their shape is important to function. The...
PBS
When We Tamed Fire
Was the first use of fire intentional or accidental? Although the answer to the question may never be known, we do know that the discovery of fire was a turning point in humans' evolution. Explore the history of fire use and its...
PBS
When We First Made Tools
The origin of technology began when early hominins began using tools so they could eat more easily. A video lesson presents the fossil evidence of tool usage of the ancestors of humans. Although tools began very simple, their evolution...
PBS
When Giant Scorpions Swarmed the Seas
Bigger and faster is not always better! Explore the characteristics of the ancestors of the current scorpions with an intriguing video. Scholars learn the connections of these changes to the environment of the different time periods.
TED-Ed
How to Biohack Your Cells to Fight Cancer
Is it possible to use biotechnology to trick your body into fixing cancer-causing mutations? A video presentation discusses both traditional and new technologies that fight cancer. The amazing technologies are sure to intrigue viewers as...
American Chemical Society
Why Don’t Antarctic Fish Freeze to Death?
Some fish not only survive but thrive in Antarctic waters. Learn their secret in a lesson in an informative video about the freezing point of the salty sea water as well as the antifreeze proteins in the species' circulatory system.
Be Smart
Which Life Form Really Dominates Earth?
Humans only make up 0.01 percent of all life forms on Earth. We sure know how to make an impact though! An episode of the It's Okay to be Smart series examines the proportion of different species that inhabit Earth. The...
Be Smart
It's Okay to Fart (The Science of Flatulence)
Like it or not, passing gas is part of life ... almost all life! Flatulence has many different purposes in different species including communication, defense, and buoyancy. Pupils learn where farts come from and what contributes to their...
Be Smart
The Surprising Reason We Eat Spicy Food
Is there a connection between climate and how people cook? Interestingly enough, cultures that live closer to the equator cook with many more spices than those farther away. Learn the scientific explanation to this phenomenon in an...
Be Smart
Why Do We Cry Sad Tears?
Although some may be crocodile tears, crying is a distinct honor humans hold. Scholars learn the biological reason behind the emotional crying in a video lesson. The lesson instructor explores the anatomical and psychological connections...
Be Smart
3 Incredible Examples of Evolution Hidden in Your Body
Human traits trace back to simpler species—such as chickens, for example. Using the human genomes, scientists connect these traits to their ancestral origins. A video presentation highlights the structure of human DNA and makes a...
Be Smart
Why Do Disney Princesses All Look like Babies?
Could Disney be tricking people into caring about their characters? It seems the design of characters in recent years triggers our nurturing instincts. A video explains the science behind these instinctual habits—and why viewers are...
Be Smart
How Some Words Get Forgetted
There's nothing regular about them—irregular verbs turn out to be the most common verbs in the English language. Through an analysis of data, learners discover that Zipf's Law describes the patterns of word usage.
Be Smart
How Habits Change Your Brain
Have you ever driven home and weren't quite sure how you got there? If it's a path you take regularly, it's easy to recreate the habit without much thought. Learners explore the concept with a focus on the neurological pathways that make...