Before a cell replicates, its DNA must replicate. Take advantage of a hands-on guided lesson to teach budding scientists how this happens. Using a set of nucleotide cards, learners become the DNA and work to create matching strands...

Get up close and personal with DNA! A two-part hands-on activity has learners extract DNA from a small organism and then their own cheek cells. Scholars then explore DNA replication using questions to guide their analyses.

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...

Is a person's sexual orientation determined at birth? With the informative website, scholars prepare for a debate about the topic. They learn the top pro and con arguments and read through a historical timeline of homosexuality. They...

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...

Kids act as scientists and preditors in this short natural selection activity; they collect and analyze data, then apply their new knowledge to real-world examples of natural selection. The layout of the worksheet is easy enough to use...

Learners explain the following processes: bacteria transformation, genetic recombination, and antibacterial breakdown of bacteria. They follow lab protocol and use the scientific method: to make predications, and to explain an unexpected...

Bubbles aren't just for children. In the third installment of a seven-part series, teenagers use bubble solution to create bubbles and observe patterns of refraction on the bubble surfaces. Application of this concept to thin films in...

Culminate a bioethics unit with the implementation of a lesson that incorporates the Socratic method to encourage class feedback and participation. Pupils participate in a discussion on bioethics and morality, complete a...

Uncover the basics of DNA structure through exploration activities. Collaborative groups build DNA models and recreate the process of replication. Then, using plant cells such as peas or strawberries, they extract a DNA sample.

What's the future of biotechnology? Explore a hot topic in the fourth and final unit in a series of Biotechnology lessons. Learners develop an understanding of the many issues in bioethics, then create an argument for or against the role...

One of the first biotechnology breakthroughs occurred in 1982 with the creation of synthetic insulin. Young scientists learn about DNA technology with a presentation and accompanying worksheet. It focuses on DNA extraction and...

Did she cheat on her husband? Did the hospital switch the babies? Should they have children? As much as this sounds like the plot for a soap opera, all of these questions fit into a single lesson on genetics. Scholars read about three...

Chromosomes contain keys to history including links from royalty to Neanderthals. Young scientists learn about Ivan Wallin's research into chromosomes with an animation and videos. Then, the concept connects to mysteries related to...

Scholars answer 10 multiple choice questions to test their knowledge about the human body and microbes. Correct answers come with a rewarding tone and brief description.

Find out the science behind ancestry testing! Investigators watch a video exploring how ancestry works before participating in a hands-on group activity. Scholars role play scientists while learning about testing protocols and test...

Winogradsky columns are ideal for observing the role of bacteria and other microorganisms in an ecosystem. This student activity guide is complete with data tables for observations and analysis questions for processing what was observed....

We all drink milk as babies, so why can't we all drink it as adults? Examine the trend in lactase production on the world-wide scale as science scholars analyze and interpret data. Groups create pie charts from the data, place them on a...

Donate old socks for science! Young biologists model mitosis and meiosis, using socks as chromosomes and a balloon as a nucleus. This ingenious idea for modeling cell division will be more memorable to your young biologists than any set...

Role-play and simulation exercises are fantastic ways to help learners understand the reality behind many social and historical events. Pretending they are colonists, upper graders choose a location, create a history, establish laws, and...

Students examine the effects that cultural background and specific historical events have upon the development of a colony. They research the colonies to design their own.

Students consider the first part of Newton's First Law of Motion, the Law of Inertia of objects at rest, which states that every object remains at rest unless acted on by a force. They perform hands-on experiments which demonstrate this...

Youngsters are assigned the task of interviewing a family member or a neighbor and asking them about any genetic disorders that are present in their family history. They pretend that they are about to have a baby that is carrying a...

Ms. Strohfeldt did not omit anything when she designed this comprehensive lesson plan on DNA mutation and sex-linked traits. Begin with a pretest as an anticipatory set. Read a case history of the Clark family and the occurrence of...