How do turtle shells form? Scholars explore the evolution of turtle shells and learn about how they form from many different bones before relating the process to cell differentiation in an organism. Pupils also look at different turtle...

Have you ever wondered why calico cats have such a colorful coat? The process of X inactivation is an interesting phenomenon in females that drives the physical appearance of individuals. Viewers of an intriguing video connect knowledge...

Have you ever been so tired you missed a major announcement? Eric Wieschaus woke to a call explaining he won the Nobel Prize, but he thought it was just a dream until Christiane Nusslein-Volhard, a co-winner, explained it to him later...

How close are we to a cure for diabetes? It seems the cure which has a connection to stem cell research is a possibility! Learners explore the concept of stem cells with an engaging hands-on activity. A PowerPoint presentation provides...

Even today's stem cells have a history—and it's more than 30 years old! Learn how stem cell lines grow in a lab. Observe the various experiments completed to determine how cells grow in human embryos.

At what point in the fertilization process do stem cells turn into an embryo? Viewers observe the development of an embryo from egg to fertilization to development into a fetus. The narrator stresses the role of cell division,...

Did you realize cells become restricted in the types of cells they produce as embryos develop? Stem cells might become anything, but late state cells can only become the specialized cell based on their locations. A captivating video does...

Almost every cell in the body has a special job. Part of the Fuse School Genetics playlist, the video discusses the few unspecialized cells, called stem cells. It explains where they are found, what they do, and why they raise ethical...

Need help putting together an uncommonly good unit about common ancestry? Check out a video that covers NGSS standard LS4A, Evidence of Common Ancestry and Diversity. Topics include ways to convey similarities and differences between...

Just over 1/3 of Americans reject evolution, insisting all living things have existed in their present form for all of time. The video offers multiple types of support for evolution. It discusses the evidence from fossils, anatomy,...

Computers help doctors determine the most viable embryos. Researchers discovered the rate of embryo growth has a direct link to its sustainability. Pupils discover how doctors apply this research to help their patients.

You will always be on your mother's mind — literally, as it turns out. The video explains how cells pass between mother and child during pregnancy and how long these cells lasts. For up to 50 years after being born, you have cells from...

Lobsters can regrow limbs, a trick humans can't do; however, according to this video, the placement of the spine and organs on the dorsal and ventral sides of a lobster is similar to the human body plan. The video also includes the...

Since its conception in the mid-1800s, the theory of evolution has been a point of hot discussion, but what exactly do the facts say? Take your life science class on an evolutionary exploration, analyzing the different pieces of evidence...

Thirty-five multiple-choice questions are spread out into boxes bordered with dotted lines so that they can be cut out to become game cards. Playing a game to review concepts is an effective way to learn, even if you are in college. Give...

Students explore how an egg becomes fertilized. In this biology lesson plan, students "candle" a variety of eggs in order to determine which ones have been fertilized and which ones haven't. Student use paper plates to create a graphic...

In this biology word search instructional activity, students search for 36 terms related to embryology. They check off the words as they find them in the puzzle.

Ninth graders are introduced to the concept of human embryology. Individually, they complete an exercise in which they determine which trait they got from which family member. In groups, they identify and label the reproductive organs...

Students observe the two major developmental pathways (protostome and deuterostome). They analyze data regarding differences in nucleotide sequences and construct a phylogenetic tree. They observe the similar evolutionary history shared...

Students examine organs from dogs and cats to study reproduction, embryology, and the identification of cancer. They record their observations at both the gross and microscopic levels. They present their information to the class.

Matching and fill-in-the-blank exercises give biology whizzes a chance to practice vocabulary associated with evolution. Terms to be reviewed focus on evidence for evolution, natural selection concepts, and some genetics words. You could...

Students identify evidence of change in species using fossils, anatomical similarities, and embryology. They identify homologous structures and arrange the steps of fossil formation. Students complete a group of selection of organisms...

High schoolers compare and contrast the embryonic development of human, chicken and fish embryos. They create a detailed outline of similarities and differences among the three embryos at various stages of development.

Students observe embryogenesis in action through early stages of development of eggs. They observe cultures with dissecting and compound microscopes. They draw their egg, record any details and observe for changes. They compare their...