Curated OER
Studying our Senses
Who would not want an opportunity to taste jellybeans in class? Â During this investigation, life science learners hold their noses as they take a taste test and find that our perception of flavor is connected with our sense of smell. In...
Curated OER
All About Germs
How do people get sick? Youngsters explore the world of germs and microbes with a lab sheet and science investigation. After identifying the unhygenic practices in a picture of a kitchen, fifth graders conduct an experiment with bread...
Exploratorium
Salty Pits
Yuck, does my deodorant kill that? To test whether deodorant is anti-bacterial, class members use petri dishes to grow control bacteria and bacteria from sweat, and then compare them to see if deodorant effects the growth.Â
Cornell University
Extracting DNA
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.
Curated OER
Who Took Jerell's iPod?
Young scholars investigate various substances to determine the perpetrator of a crime. In this biology lesson, students test for the presence of organic compounds in various samples. They identify an unknown substance based on its...
Curated OER
Testing Soils for Garden Planting
Sixth graders collect soil samples and record the location of the samples by using GPS.
Curated OER
Science: Dissolved Oxygen and Water Quality Sampling
Students perform tests to determine the level of oxygen dissolved in water. After examining a table displaying the temperature and solubility of water, they examine the three stages involved in the test. Upon completion, students explain...
Curated OER
Water Quality Sampling
Learners explore the water qualities in Texas. They evaluate the water quality of six different samples by observing and smelling them. They present a list of the cups that contained good water quality based on their observations. They...
Curated OER
Investigating Mitosis in Allium Root Tip Squash
Preparing the root tip samples is the most challenging part of the mitosis-viewing lab found here, but the directions help ensure you have everything you need. There is no worksheet included; however, there is a sample data table....
Curated OER
Molecular Explorations
Students explain the processes for separating DNA from tissue and separating complex mixtures. In this exploratory lesson students complete a lab where they extract DNA. Â
Curated OER
"Honey Dew from Bunny Too!"
The students will design a lab to test the mechanism that triggers spore dispersal. They should have some clues after making observations of the life cycle. Part of the fun here is to let the students devise a method for testing this...
Curated OER
Extraction of DNA from White Onion
Students conduct lab test with minced onion to determine where chromosonal DNA is located within the cell, and whether or not it can be extracted.
Curated OER
Martian Mummies
Learners participate in "Raiders of the Future", a role play about futuristic scientists sending a spaceship to Mars for research and exploration. They collect geological samples for analysis, discover the ruins of an ancient...
Curated OER
Investigate the Role of Cholesterol from Cholesterol-rich Foods in the Human Body
Eighth graders assess fat content of different food samples. In this biology lesson plan, 8th graders create a flowchart showing the transport of cholesterol in the bloodstream. They perform tests for the presence of lipids on food samples.
Curated OER
Protein Assays: Bio Rad and Page Gels
Students conduct the Biuret Test and the Bio Rad Protein Assay. They examine the spectrophotometer and graph molecular weights and the concentrations of the proteins investigated. They prepare solutions for the Bio-Rad test and use the...
Curated OER
Freshwater Fish Water Quality
Sixth graders work together to complete an experiment about the quality of freshwater. In groups, they collect fresh water samples from a variety of sources and test the pH levels. After completing a KWL chart, they test the amout of...
Curated OER
Life in a Drop of Water
High schoolers examine the structure, function, and characteristics of microscopic organisms that inhabit freshwater through collection of water samples and observation through microscopes.
Curated OER
Effects of Water Pollution on Aquatic Organisms
Students investigate water pollution. They develop an understanding of the behavior of organisms, of the structure and properties of matter, and of natural and human induced hazards by conducting lab tests. They present their data...
Curated OER
Biodiversity Study -- A Unit Study
Students sample a site with low human impact, one with moderate human impact, and a third with high human impact. Students chart the data for each site and then compare the sites and discuss.
Curated OER
Teaching Radioactive Decay: Radioactive Half-life And Dating Techniques
Learners generate a radioactive decay table for an imaginary element using a box filled with pinto beans and M&M's. They use their data to plot a decay graph, develop the concept of half-life, and use the graph to "age" several samples.
Curated OER
Who Is It?/Who Done It?
Students conduct an experiment that allows them to assess individual differences in random DNA sequences and apply those differences when solving a forensic problem. After discussing the polymerase chain reaction and its use to identify...
Curated OER
What Kind of Garden Would Grow in Our Schoolyard?
Students perform soil tests for pH, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, composition and water percolation rate and assess the conditions in the schoolyard.
Curated OER
Terrific Tastebuds
Students investigate the four taste regions of the tongue. In this biology lesson plan, students view a diagram of a tongue and identify the four regions. Students perform a taste test with lemons, sugar, and crackers.
Curated OER
Historical Harbor Habitats
Tenth graders create food web displays in the classroom. For this ecology lesson, 10th graders identify the different pollutants in the environment and their effect on organisms. They collect samples of sediments from the harbor and...