Pupils examine the term natural selection and what behavioral adaptations are.  In this evolution instructional activity students view videos about evolution and perform experiments that simulate populations that interplay between...

Tenth graders participate in an arthropod scavenger hunt. In groups of two, they identify and collect two specimens of arthropods in the school area, and create a table of all the specimens and what class they belong to.

Students participate in a contrived natural selection simulation in which they build and modify simple paper airplanes. They study divergent and convergent evolution and how it is isolated in sub-populations.

Students produce a newspaper describing the times during which Charles Darwin introduced the theory of natural selection. In this evolution lesson, students make observations and explore the role of observation in Charles Darwin's work....

In this primate evolution worksheet, students will compare 3 characteristics that all primates share. Then students will compare the traits of current primates to early man by completing 5 short answer questions.

Students explore whales and how they have adapted to survive in the ocean.  In this whale adaptations lesson students complete several activities that allow them to investigate animal adaptations.

Young scholars explore the evolution of life. They read sections of their text and make a foldable of the key vocabulary terms. They identify two types of butterflies and represent their similarities and differences on a Venn diagram....

Students study seabirds and how they have adapted to their environments.  In this activity based lesson plan students will play a card game that will allow them to have a better understanding of seabirds and their adaptations. 

An upper-level biology activity, the comprehensive worksheet found here accompanies a PowerPoint and the video The Making of the Fittest: The Birth and Death of Genes, both of which are linked to through the website. Depending on the...

Students explain what biodiversity is and how adaptive features are maintained in a population.  In this biodiversity lesson students complete a simple activity involving mouse populations.

Skin color is controlled by at least six genes. Young scientists learn about skin colors through a documentary. They discuss the topics of pigment, natural selection, and vitamin D absorption. They apply their knowledge to higher order...

Birds adapted to almost every climate on the planet, from the Arctic to the rain forests. A presentation focused on birds covers their similarities and differences. It starts with their evolution from reptiles, their many physical...

Mammals include more than 4,000 species and represent the most dominant land animals on Earth. Scholars learn about the large variety of mammals, including orders unfamiliar to most. The presentation highlights the characteristics and...

Ginkgo trees existed for more than 350 million years, and, at this time, only one species still remains. While plant diversity generally increases over geologic time, some interesting exceptions occur. Young scientists learn about plant...

In this theory of evolution instructional activity, students will review the role Charles Darwin played in the theory of evolution, natural selection, and adaptations. Students will explore some of the different types of evidence for the...

Students research the theory of evolution and the controversy.  In this evolution lesson students view a film on Charles Darwin then they write an essay about whether or not intelligent design should be taught in science class. 

Biology learners tackle evolution-related concepts when viewing this collection of slides. There are no graphics or photos, just notes in bullet-point style detailing adaptations, evidence for evolution, mechanisms for change, and types...

Students investigate the concepts of genetics and how it is tied to the variations found within different species and how it is tied to adaptations. They review the theory of evolution and factors found to help create variation. The...

Students identify key anatomical similarities and differences between great apes and humans. They infer likely anatomical features in ancient human ancestors and list principal anatomical changes in primates necessary for adaptation to...

Students work in groups as they read chapters of Charles Darwin's, Voyage of the Beagle. They take notes on the chapter and in their group make a timeline of the chapter. They tape the timelines together in order to depict the entire...

Make reviewing evolution, cell division, genetics, cell structure, and scientific method more fun! Science Jeopardy allows teams to choose a category for the question they will address. If you complete the entire game, learners will have...

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...

How diverse are living things? Individuals explore topics such as cells as the foundation for life, cell division and genetics, molecular biology, and animal reproduction using an open resource Biology textbook. They learn key terms...

Can you identify mutations just by viewing DNA sequences? Scholars apply prior knowledge of DNA sequences to do just that in an engaging activity. They transcribe and translate genes, thus identifying the locations of mutations. Then,...