The controversy surrounding GMOs is food for debate. With the abundance of articles that can be garnered from various media sources, a skill-building activity that teaches learners how to carry on a balanced, informed discussion of this...

Civil rights meets biotechnology in a instructional activity that scrutinizes the collection of DNA of citizens who have been arrested, but not yet convicted of a crime. Real-life cases are examined in which the DNA of a relative was...

Genetics learners read an article and watch a video about personalized medicine and the hope it holds for treating patients more specifically than doctors currently are able to. They research, design, and produce a brochure about the...

A poignant 20-slide show introduces high schoolers to the amazing accomplishments of genomics and raises the question of eugenics. This lesson is only for mature audiences, as it deals with rape and other sensitive topics, but it is...

The highlight of this lesson plan is a 53-minute investigative video, Can Science Stop Crime?" The question asked is whether or not aggressive behavior is caused by genetic factors. The answer has to do with genetic complexity, the...

Disease prevention or designer babies? Use a set of slides to introduce the growing practice of preimplantation genetic diagnosis, or PGD. Teens read related articles and then break into groups to address different scenarios. Afterward,...

Synthetic scaffolding can be used to regenerate biological tissue, such as muscle, tendons, and ligaments. When perfected, this biotechnological feat will help many injured athletes recover more quickly. Dr.Cato Laurencin explains the...

Hear Ed Boyden, an MIT neuroscientist, divulge how the brain processes light and how he has succeeded in curing blindness in mice. There is a brighter future for many humans suffering blindness as prosthetic eyes are developed! Inspire...

Biotechnology has allowed us to engineer transplantable bladders and other organs successfully. The hope is to someday be able to engineer kidneys, and so save many lives. Dr. Anthony Atala, who specializes in regenerative medicine,...

In The Hunger Games novel and movie, a futuristic, dystopian society is the setting. In it, a genetically engineered bird escapes control of the government. Using this as a starting point, teenagers examine the realistic possibility of...

Learn about food production by making cheese, seeing how a seed gets to a shelf, and discussing food safety. Budding agriculturalists complete several activities and learn about food production, biotechnology, food preservation,...

What is DNA extraction, and can you make a living doing it? Yes, if you are in a biotechnology field. Kids learn about DNA extraction, GMOs, and biotechnology careers. They then watch videos and complete activities to understand the use...

A general engineering quiz can be given at the beginning of your engineering or technology unit to stimulate interest. A wide variety of topics are touched by engineers, including the medical industry, energy production, building design,...

Young consumers explore the concept of biotechnology as it pertains to the foods they eat, economics, and agriculture. They watch several videos, explore a website, complete worksheets, and engage in class discussion. Son they'll know...

Kids are given a lot to think about, as they delve into the world of high-tech foods. They discuss GMOs, biotechnology, food enhancements and domestication. They view videos, engage in class discussions, complete worksheets, and learn...

No visual aids, no activities, and no demonstrations accompany this plan. What you will find, is background information for a short lecture on the use of isoptopic radiation in the medical field and in our everyday lives. Should you...

This is an information-intense presentation for any science class you might be teaching that will study ionising radiation. The material is specific to cancer diagnosis and treatment, and one of the forty-two slides also touches on using...

Really a unit, this resource exposes middle schoolers to genetics at their level. They read interviews and biographies, trace a family tree, play games that simulate inheritance concepts, and more! Teacher's procedures, student...

You might love this lesson, or you might not. Basically, high school scientists read through a script in which someone interviews a physicist, a biologist, and a chemist in regard to their use of nanotechnology. The names of the involved...

Here are the materials and procedures needed to extract DNA from banana cells. Once removed from the fruit, molecular biologists prepare a wet mount slide and examine the sample under a microscope. They draw what they observe. This...

Students compare bacteria and viruses and their roles in biotechnology and bioterrorism. They outline fundamental steps of bacterial transformation and the possible selection processes to identify transformants. They discuss...

Students explore and explain the role of vaccines in infectious disease, They emphasize immunological principles and viral/bacterial infection processes. Students explore the three main vaccine types: DNA vaccines ("gene gun"),...

High schoolers are able to distinguish between transcription and replication. They are able to distinguish between DNA and RNA. Students name some of the proteins and enzymes used in replication and transcription. They are able...

Students describe the structure of DNA and its components and can comprehend that real DNA and its cartoon representation are very different. They are able to link DNA to genetic make-up.