Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Zombie Ants
One of the creepiest and coolest natural occurrences is a great forum for data analysis and discussion! Explore the phenomenon of zombie ants, or ants infected with the Cordyceps fungus, with a series of activities and experiments. Kids...
University of Florida
Unhealthy Forests and the News
Everyone knows a tree makes a sound when it falls, but what do we know about dying trees? Class members learn background information about Laurel wilt disease from a teacher-led presentation. Team members work with partners to read and...
Teach Engineering
Breathing Cells
Pairs work together to determine whether unknown solutions are either acids or bases by using a red cabbage indicator solution. After determining the general pH of the unknown solution, classmates blow into the same indicator after...
Curated OER
FBI
Fourth graders experiment with compost. In this Science lesson, 4th graders begin a worm compost as well as an outdoor compost. Students discuss decomposition.
Smarter Balanced
Communicable Diseases
Pathogens, what they are, how they spread, and how to prevent them from spreading are the focus of this resource that can be used to prepare learners for a performance task assessment or to begin the study of communicable diseases.
Curated OER
Antibiotic Resistance
Learners conduct an experiment to examine the effects of six different antibiotics on two different types of bacteria. They monitor Petri dishes with bacterial cultures and antibiotic soaked disks. They relate the bacteria growth...
Curated OER
An Introduction to Microbes - Biology Teaching Thesis
Students are able to define microbes and identify the five main groups of microbes. They are able to give examples of ways in which microbes have impacted or currently impact human life. Students are able to explain that not all microbes...
Baylor College
Microbes Are Everywhere
In a nutshell, your class will culture bacteria from their choice of surfaces. You will need to prepare or purchase agar plates. If you are new to this classic biology activity, this resource carefully walks you through the process of...
Cornell University
Classification
Explore the scientific method of classification. An interactive activity asks learners to create a classification system for a group of objects and develop a flow chart to communicate their systems. In addition, individuals use a...
National Wildlife Federation
Habitat Web
Young scientists weave together an understanding of ecosystems with this fun collaborative activity. Taking on the roles of different living and non-living elements of specific habitats, learners use a ball of yarn to create the web of...
Curated OER
Moldy Jell-O
Mini mycologists plan an experiment to determine what affects the growth of mold on gelatin. A list of available materials is provided, but the procedure needs to be designed by the lab group. A data table is also provided in which to...
Baylor College
Fungus Among Us
In order to learn that mold spores can be found in the air, observers grow bread mold and make observations for a few days. Afterward, they participate in a class discussion to arrive at the knowledge that bread spores are present in the...
University of Hawaiʻi
Taxonomy and Me!
Taxonomy is the study of organisms and how you phylum. Three biology activities are included, helping scholars understand four of the six kingdoms, specifically Protista, Plantae, Fungi, and Animalia. Scholars observe and classify in...
International Technology Education Association
Pixel This!
Did the image I drew match the image you saw? By simulating a satellite and a ground station, teams of two transmit data in the form of pixels in order to recreate an image. They use four different levels of brightness, creating slightly...
Radford University
Trouble in the Orchard
It's no fun catching a fungus. Scholars first investigate how the seasons affect the angle of the sun and the lengths of shadows. They then apply right triangle trigonometry to determine the height of trees based on their shadows to...
Nemours KidsHealth
Germs: Grades 6-8
As part of their study of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa, middle schoolers create engaging public service announcements for preschool and kindergarten classes, teaching them how and when to wash their hands. To begin, class...
Curated OER
Diversity of Life
Students study fungi and its characteristics. In this fungi lesson plan students collect and observe fungi then answer questions on what they saw.
Curated OER
Mushroom Prints
Students create a mushroom spore design on paper while studying the facts on fungi.
Curated OER
Mycorrhiza
Students examine the symbiotic relationship between fungus and plants. In this ecosystem lesson students complete several mycorrhiza experiments.
Curated OER
Primary Biological Content Area Covered
Learners use the scientific method to make predictions about mold growth. In this fungus lesson, students use worksheets to help them illustrate predictions and graph mold growth from white to wheat bread. Learners first...
Curated OER
Is there a Doctor in the Treehouse?
Learners investigate the afflictions of trees and compare the health of a human to that tree. In this tree instructional activity students complete an activity and create and present a report.
Curated OER
Rotten Truth
Pupils complete activities to study decomposition. In this decomposition instructional activity, students work in pairs to observe a decay buffet experiment. Pupils keep compost bag journals. Students define and discuss the process of...
Curated OER
De"compost"ition
Students develop an understanding of the decomposition process and the parameters which influence the rate at which it occurs.
Curated OER
Micro-Organisms
Students investigate microscopic life by viewing video clips. In this organisms lesson, students view photographs and video clips on the internet of micro-organisms and discuss the harms and benefits of the creatures. Students complete...