Serendip
How Eyes Evolved – Analyzing the Evidence
Octopodes existed for hundreds of thousands of years before humans, yet our eyes share many similarities. Scholars analyze the evidence to determine if the evolution of eyes best fits a homology or analogy model. They discuss the issue...
Curated OER
Jurassic Park: The Science and Ethics of Genetic Engineering
Explore genetic engineering through an engaging "Jurassic Park" unit, which is an extensive use of a cross-curricular teaching event. Planned for AP Biology, English, and Calculus students, learners and teachers are involved for 4-6...
Curated OER
Regulation of Cell Division
Supplementing the review of mitosis and meiosis, the detailed slides give information about growth factors, cell communication, and regulator genes. A fascinating topic, your class will be inspired by the applications and developments of...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Ebola: Disease Detectives
How did the Ebola virus first infect humans? Young virologists examine genetic sequences from the 2014 Sierra Leone outbreak to find similarities during a riveting activity. Following similar methods used by MIT and Harvard, partners...
Curated OER
Spaceship Earth
Students develop an understanding of our planet as a system by designing a very-long-duration space mission in which the life-support system is patterned after that of earth.
Curated OER
Ecology
Students explore, experience and experiment identifying the human impact on the environment of vegetative differences within the same biome. They assess what causes deserts, rain forests, savannahs, tundras and saguaros and how these...
Curated OER
Endocrine System - Hormones
Use this attractive PowerPoint to introduce all the hormones and their functions to your students. As students view each slide, they should be able to see the relevance of many of the chemicals and their interaction with the human body....
It's About Time
Photosynthesis, Respiration, and the Carbon Cycle
Provide your class with the opportunity to view our carbon cycle close up. Young scientists research the cycle of oxygen as it completes the tasks of photosynthesis and respiration. They explore the importance of carbon in an ecosystem...
Curated OER
DNA Detectives
In order to understand DNA fingerprinting, advanced biology aces divise a crime scenario and analyze three different samples of lambda DNA. This creative lesson plan provides practice with micropipettes, electrophoresis boxes, and other...
Curated OER
PASSENGER PIGEONS: NOMADS LOST
Middle schoolers explore the concept and implications of extinction using the example of the Passenger Pigeon, once an extremely abundant species that was completely eliminated by humans.
Curated OER
Genetics Practice 3: Probability Practice
Practice calculating genetic probability, listing gametes, and identifying genotypes. The instructional activity combines short answer questions with practice problems to solve. It would make a revealing review assignment or even a...
ARKive
Biodiversity and Evolution
Why is diversity in biology so important for an ecosystem? Explore biodiversity, evolution, and natural selection with a presentation for your biology class. It features clear information, activities for further understanding, and...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Viral DNA Integration
How do viruses hijack our cells to produce more viral particles? Junior immunologists model how viral RNA integrates into a host cell's DNA using pop beads and use interactive tools to explore a virus' genome. The teacher's guide...
It's About Time
Succession in Communities
What occurs following a natural disaster? High schoolers research this question and others as they investigate natural succession after a disaster. First, as they differentiate between primary and secondary succession, they explain...
Teach Engineering
Skeletal System Overview
It is best to know all about the skeletons in the closet. The third segment in a five-part series focuses on bone structure, development and growth, and functions. Class members connect what they learn to their study of...
Biology Junction
Plant Structure and Function: Roots, Stems, and Leaves
Scientists found fossils of plants more than 420 million years old—but plants existed for up to 100 million years prior to these fossils. Learn about the importance of plants to the entire planet. Viewing a presentation helps scholars...
Curated OER
Changing Planet: Infectious Diseases Classroom Activity
Here is a different approach: emerging epidemiologists first go home to interview family on the topic of infectious disease. Then they come to class and view a video and PowerPoint that explore how climate change may increase the...
Curated OER
Are Adult Pancreatic Beta Cells Formed by Self-duplication or Stem Cell Differentiation?
A case-study of Dr. Melton's experiment on pancreatic cells highlights this worksheet. Details of the study adorn the first three pages, complete with diagrams. Biology buffs then analyze the data and identify problems within the...
Curated OER
Global Awareness
Students read about how scientists are arriving at current theories of human origin and migration through mitochondrial DNA analysis. They then piece together a map showing the data from mitochondrial DNA analysis to plot the migration...
Curated OER
The Skeletal System - Bones
Seventh graders identify the common bones in the human body. In this biology instructional activity, 7th graders research two bones assigned to them. They explain why bones are important to us.
Curated OER
Gwynns Falls
Students investigate the question: What is the impact of urban development and expansion on the health of a decidious forest ecosystem and humans? They examine the issue of land development by responding to a specific scenario and...
Curated OER
Brain Watching
Students identify the different parts of the nervous system. In this biology lesson, students research methods to diagnose and cure neurological disorders. They present their report to class.
Curated OER
The Real Bionic Man
Pupils examine the work that scientists have been doing to create artificial human parts. In this exploratory lesson plan students research the human eye and brain using the Internet.
Curated OER
What is Cultural Evolution?
Students comprehend what is meant by Cultural Evolution and that it primarily applies at Human Evolution, but that there are examples in higher mammals such as a killer whales, dolphins and great apes of particular groups by exploring...