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WHAT IS A CELL?
Students explore the function and structures of cells, including plant and animal cells. They explore cell parts including cell wall, ribosomes, chromosomes, nucleoid, plasmids, flagella, pilli, and plasma membrane, cel
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What is Life?
Students investigate the characteristics of living things. In this life science instructional activity, students examine several living and non-living specimens. Students determine which things are living and non-living.
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Cracking the Code of Life
Young scholars examine the concept of DNA. They work together to extract DNA cells from their classmate's cheek. They answer questions related to what to do with their DNA now that they have it.
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Onion Cells
Learners observe the cells of an onion by wet mounting it and viewing it in a microscope. In this hands on lesson students make their own wet mount slide of an onion and are able to identify the cells in it such as, the nucleus,...
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A Cell Is Like A City
Students create analogies that help them remember the cell parts as well as their respective functions.
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It's Alive! Or is it?
Students differentiate the characteristics of living and nonliving things. In this life science lesson plan, students compare and contrast robots and living things. Given an object, they decide whether it's is living or not and defend...
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Mitosis and Cell Division
Students discover the processes that occur during mitosis and what makes each phase different and distinct from the others as well as how each contribute to the overall process of mitosis by looking at onion root tips under a microscope.
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Microscopic Water Life
Students use a light microscope to observe the organisms living in a sample of ocean or fresh water. Students create a drawing of the organisms that they observe. Students then discuss the different body plans of the organisms and the...
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Cells in the Making
Students examine and research the parts of a cell, their functions, and life processes. They simulate how cells receive nutrients using coffee filters, water, and coffee, and construct cells using pudding, cookie dough, and candy.
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Cells, Building Blocks of Life
Fourth graders, in groups, explore cells, the basic unit of all living things.
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How Do Cells Reproduce?
Students discuss the importance of reproduction of cells. They identify and describe the stages of Mitosis. They discover what happens to chromosomes and DNA during reproduction.
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Defining the Difference Between Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Cells
Students examine microscopic life by conducting a scientific investigation. In this cell analysis lesson, students define the prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells and discuss their word origins. Students view each type of cell on slides...
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Field Trip - Marine Science Institute
Students discover the ocean life of the San Francisco Bay. In this ocean lesson, students take a Discovery Voyage of the Bay ecosystem through the Marine Science Institute. Also available are inland voyages, ocean labs, and tidepool...
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Life Underground
First graders build a terrarium in order to observe animal and plant life dynamics. In this biology lesson, 1st graders compare how organisms survive in different environments. They write their observations and analysis in their journal.
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Mitosis
Seventh graders explore the process of cell division. Students observe an animation of cell division. They draw the phases of mitoses. Students describe the phases of cell division and explain the events that occur during mitosis.
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What's Inside
Students become more familiar with life science in the context of the scientific method which helps them to become familiar with the various kinds of life science diagrams they may see on a GED science test.
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Living or Non-Living
Students examine living and non-living things. In this life science lesson, students are given a group of objects and discuss if they are living or non-living. Students identify and list characteristics of living things.
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Pond 2: Life in a Drop of Pond Water
Students observe organisms found in pond water with a microscope. In groups, they discuss how single-celled organisms satisfy their needs for food, water and air. They compare and contrast the needs of macroscopic and microscopic...
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The Science of Respiration and Blood Circulation
Fifth graders study how respiration and circulation are connected. In this respiratory lesson students complete several activities to better understand heart rate and carbon dioxide in the body.
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What is Life? Demonstrations & Discussion
Display seven items for your biologists to consider. Are they living or non-living? How can you tell? This is a simple outline of what you can display and questions that can be discussed as this topic is explored. One way to use this...
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DNA Blueprint for Life
Students isolate DNA from different food sources. For this biology lesson, students research DNA extraction. They analyze DNA stands collected from the lab, and compare the differences between each.
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Osmosis and Diffusion: Egg Lab
Learners examine why diffusion and osmosis happen in an egg cell. In this diffusion lesson students demonstrate a semi permeable membrane.
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Pond Life
Students explore pond ecosystems. In this living environment lesson, students observe the local pond and identify the living things they find by drawing pictures. Students observe organisms that were found in the pond by using a...
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Can Photosynthesis Occur at Saturn?
Students identify the different requirements for photosynthesis to take place. In this space science lesson plan, students simulate conditions in Saturn to investigate if photosynthesis is possible there. They use data and observations...