Exploratorium
Life Size - Explore the Size and Scale of Microscopic Biology
Compare sizes of microscopic items. Given a set of labels of microscopic objects, pupils try to place them in order from smallest to largest. Scholars then compare their lists to the actual comparisons along with the measurements of the...
Exploratorium
Cellular Soap Opera - Soap Films Can Behave Like Membranes
Soap, suds, and cell membranes. Pupils create a model of a cell membrane by using soap films. They experiment with trying to pass different objects through the film without popping it. Using a tube, they create a passageway through the...
Exploratorium
Viral Packaging
Create a protective protein shell as a package. Using the included template, pupils tape together 20 triangles to create a 20-sided shape to represent the protective shell of a virus. The model of the protein shell incases the nucleic...
National Academy of Sciences
Genetic Disease: Putting DNA to Work
Scientific knowledge of genetic information has grown quickly over the last decade. An interactive lesson has learners research the role of science and medicine in diagnosing and treating genetic disorders. They consider the job of the...
National Academy of Sciences
Infectious Diseases: Bird Flu Today
Understanding how viruses spread has never been more important. A well-designed WebQuest lesson has young scientists research viruses, how they spread, and how they are treated. They also consider the trends in common viruses in the world.
American Museum of Natural History
What's This? Frozen Tissue
Take a peek into thousands of frozen samples. Learners try to identify an image of a piece of frozen tissue. After choosing the correct answer, scholars find out more information about the American Museum of Natural History's Frozen...
American Museum of Natural History
What's the Big Idea About Genetics?
Here's a quick read on genetics. An engaging online resource provides six slides of information about genetics. Learners read about the meaning of genetics to information about DNA. They also learn about the study of genes and the...
American Museum of Natural History
What Do You Know About Genetics?
Just what do you know about genetics? The online resource contains 10 questions about genetics. Scholars work through the questions ranging from what DNA stands for to how much of human DNA is similar to that of a fruit fly. Scholars...
American Museum of Natural History
Differentiate! The Stem Cell Card Game
Let the games grow. Groups play a card game to grow cells. Players start growing cells from stem cells to create specialized cells in the human body. Learners use full-grown cells from the human body to create stem cells in the lab to...
American Museum of Natural History
DNA Detective
DNA is like the fingerprint of genetics. A quick lesson introduces the topic of DNA sequences with a mystery about an endangered species. The lesson shows how DNA extraction, replication, and sequencing often provide undeniable evidence...
National Association of Biology Teachers
Using the Discovery of the Structure of DNA to Illustrate Cultural Aspects of Science
Times have changed—and so have science practices. An introductory instructional activity describing the components of DNA begins with a discussion of the discovery of DNA and its perception in different cultures and genders. Scholars...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Icefish Blood Adaptations: Antifreeze Proteins
Ever wonder how fish survive in freezing cold water—especially Antarctic waters? Some fish have an adaptation that lowers the freezing point of their life fluids. Learners model these adaptations in two lab explorations. The first...
College Board
2013 AP® Biology Free-Response Questions
AP® free-response questions are often challenging for scholars. Give them practice writing free-response questions using former questions from the AP® Biology exam on topics such as genetic mutations, cellular respiration, evolution, and...
BC Open Textbooks
Concepts of Biology – 1st Canadian Edition
How diverse are living things? Individuals explore topics such as cells as the foundation for life, cell division and genetics, molecular biology, and animal reproduction using an open resource Biology textbook. They learn key terms...
Agriculture in the Classroom
Design 'Y'er Genes
How do changes in DNA affect an organism? Scholars explore chromosomes, genes, DNA, and mutations by modeling the DNA of a strawberry. They build a DNA model, then manipulate it to show how changing the genes transforms the strawberry...
Utah Education Network (UEN)
Utah Open Textbook: Biology
Curriculum resources can be expensive—but not this one. An online textbook offers informational text for a complete high school Biology course. Topics include energy flow, body system, genetics, and evolution.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Cancer Discovery Activities
Explore the genetic component of the second-leading cause of death in the world using a hands-on activity. After watching a video discussing the basics of cancer, learners complete activities that study the genes involved in cancer. The...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Molecular Genetics of Color Mutations in Rock Pocket Mice
Can you identify mutations just by viewing DNA sequences? Scholars apply prior knowledge of DNA sequences to do just that in an engaging activity. They transcribe and translate genes, thus identifying the locations of mutations. Then,...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Biochemistry and Cell Signaling Pathway of the Mc1r Gene
How do mice have so much fur color variation over generations? Scholars illustrate protein structures based on amino acid sequences. Then, they analyze the signaling pathway in different-colored mice populations. This allows them to...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Natural Selection and Evolution of Rock Pocket Mouse Populations
Can evolution repeat itself? Scholars analyze amino acid data in two separate populations of mice. They learn that evolution repeats itself, but natural selection prefers some mutations over others in different environments. Analysis...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
The Molecular Evolution of Gene Birth and Death
More than 90 percent of humans' DNA doesn't code for anything! Scholars watch a presentation as they answer questions relating to gene mutations. They read details, watch videos, and view animations supporting the concepts. The questions...
Serendip
The Molecular Biology of Mutations and Muscular Dystrophy
Different types of mutations cause unique types and degrees of muscular dystrophy. Scholars learn about the types of mutations and the impact on the body. They compare the location of the mutations and draw conclusions about how it is...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Using Genetic Crosses to Analyze a Stickleback Trait
Two fish appear different, but how do scientists determine their genotypes? Scholars practice performing test crosses to determine the genotypes of fish given their phenotypes. They answer in-depth comprehension questions and complete...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Modeling the Regulatory Switches of the Pitx1 Gene in Stickleback Fish
Gene switches work similarly to light switches in controlling one feature of their environments. Scholars study the Pitx1 gene in a specific type of fish. They learn the different ways this switch controls various body parts and...