In a fun and interactive two-day lesson, learners sort anole lizard pictures by appearance. Next, they watch a video about the anoles and re-sort based on the information in the video. In addition to physical characteristics, budding...

Did you know that poison and venom are not the same? Both are toxic, but poison must be inhaled, ingested, or absorbed, while venom must be injected into a wound. The narrator explains that some toxic compounds may be used for good, as...

Designed to accompany the 13-minute video The Making of the Fittest: The Birth and Death of Genes, this handout serves as both a viewing guide during the video and an analysis of how the adaptations of the icefish might help treat some...

Adaptations must be made as environments change. This fabulous presentation features Icelandic icefish, a transparent, scaleless specimen that even has colorless blood. Genetics and adaptations concepts are explored as scientists study...

Illuminate the darkest corners of your marine biology or life science class with this feature about bioluminescence. Viewers see that luciferase and luciferin combine in a cool, light-producing reaction. This adaptation helps glowing...

Physical and behavioral adaptations are discussed by two teen girls as monarch butterflies flutter by. They also describe the process of natural selection. With colorful animation and relatable teen language, learners are sure to adapt...

Did you know that 50% of the world's species are found in the rainforest, yet rain forests cover just 2% of the earth's surface? Introduce your class to the enchanting world of the rain forest by using this informative, image-rich video....

A diagram, data table, and reading passage top this resource. Through it, biology beginners are introduced to the concept of natural selection. They answer some questions and then participate in a simulation using fabric as a habitat and...

A video about the impact of climate change on butterfly populations and a PowerPoint about butterfly and bird adaptations warm science learners up for the activity to follow. Using a variety of tools that reprsent unique styles of bird...

It's like a biological "Beauty and the Beast!" The fascinating mutualism between a South African meganosed fly and a deep-throated geranium builds a case study in coevolution for your biology buffs to analyze. After reading about this...

The fascinating topic of human skin color is examined in this article from Muse magazine. It highlights a study done by a pair of scientists on the relationships among strength of sunlight, vitamins, and melanin in the skin. The results...

The extent to which "Fittest" can describe social success versus reproductive success is explored. Evolution may not always lead to a more desirable trait, just the one which best suits the current environment. The idea of intelligent...

Read with your human biology buffs about habituation, the diminishing physiological response to a repeated stimulus. Then send them home to carry out this experiment in determining where the socks on their feet end! To wrap up the...

We don't normally think of alligators as sensitive, but in their own unique way, they are far more sensitive than humans. Through a two-minute video, explore the unique adaptation that allows alligators to sense their prey and to...

Can an organism with no eyes still see? As it turns out for the purple sea urchin, the answer is yes. In a short video, scientists explain why they believe that some sea urchins can use their spikes to visually sense the environment. 

The award for the most effective adaptation goes to the mimic octopus, a newly described species. The octopus can change its color, shape, and behavior to mimic flounder, lion fish, sea snakes, and more. 

Isn't it strange that Earth's largest animal lives on one of its tiniest? Using Sesame-Street-style puppetry, this video explains how this phenomenon happens. Viewers learn that a single mouthful of krill taken in by a whale has the...

In the deserts of Arizona and New Mexico, some tiny creatures show just how quickly natural selection can turn a mutation into an advantageous adaptation. Watch a video about rock pocket mice, who show that one small change can make all...

What adaptations exist in order for icefish to survive the subfreezing temperatures of the Antarctic Ocean? Middle and high schoolers can find out through watching a related 13-minute video and performing a simple investigation to...

Part two of this entertaining series looks at Darwin's visit to the Galapagos, his return home, and his determination to support his theories with evidence. What fun!

Take a look at the coldest, windiest, and driest place on earth: the arctic! Very few species exist here, and those that do have undergone several adaptations to ensure their survival. Learn about some of these unique animals and their...

Here is yet another variation of the classic activity in which lab groups use different tools to imitate different bird beaks as a demonstration of one of the factors in natural selection. What makes this one unique is that it is on a...

The National Park Service has produced a high-quality presentation on the halibut population of Glacier Bay, Alaska. It takes the viewpoint of the marine biologists or rather, ichthyologists, who have been studying the adaptations,...

A sufficient slide show on natural selection is available to use with your biology class. It introduces viewers to foundations of this mechanism of evolutionary change. Notes are provided to support your lecture on genetic variation and...