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Environmental Causes of Birth Defects
Get your high schoolers thinking about the factors that lead to birth defects. They examine how environmental factors and personal choices can cause birth defects in unborn children. They discover the effects of various handicaps such as...
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Biology Honors Final Project
Tenth graders work on a project about cellular biology and genetics. In this biology lesson, 10th graders research about the assigned human body system and genetic disorders that affect it. They create a multimedia presentation and...
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Designer Babies
Students differentiate phenotypes and genotypes. In this genetics instructional activity, students complete the punnett square. They design their own baby by choosing the phenotype they want.
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Mendellian Genetics
Young scholars describe the inheritance patterns other than simple dominance. They are taught how Mendel's principles apply to all organisms. Students review the use of Punnett Squares. They are taught the principles of probability...
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Trait Variations for Survival
Young learners examine how different traits could give one organism an advantage over another. In groups, they view two different organisms in different environments. To end the lesson, they complete a Venn Diagram on the two organisms...
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Coffee & Chocolate: Knowing Healthy Foods
An article relaying vital information about health and nutrition are the backbone of this activity on eating the right foods. A series of activities are used to help upper graders understand the science supporting our understanding of...
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Designer Genes
Students view a video on DNA. They discuss mitosis, meiosis and fertilization. They use strips of paper to simulate fertilization and analyze the genotype and phenotype of the combined chromosomes.
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Development in Drosophila melanogaster
Students study the least familiar aspect of development in Drosophila melanogaster; the development of the pupa. Students isolate and culture "First-day" pupae. They are dissected daily to study the progressive developmental changes.
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Artificial selection
Students brainstorm a list of improvements they might make to a picture of a skinny cow to improve its milk yield. They draw ideas on the board and compare these pictures with the original and ask the students which cow they would use...
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It's All in the Genes
Twelfth graders investigate the inheritance of traits through several hands-on activities that illustrate the transmission of genetic characteristics. Students study advanced topics including multiple alleles, polygenic traits,...
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Genes Count
High schoolers view a video that reviews Mendelian genetics. They discuss the Hardy-Weinberg Law and use Popsicle sticks to simulate genetic variations and ratios in offspring.
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Fun with Heredity
Young scholars explore basic concepts of heredity and collaborate to see genetics in action through several activities provided in the lesson plan. Inherited traits are examined and identified as dominant or recessive.
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Cancer as a Multistep Process
High schoolers analyze the causes of cancer from a genetic standpoint. They explain the increase in cancer with age and create a hypothesis for cancer development. They use the laws of probability as well.
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Counting Principle
In this probability and statistics worksheet, students work with a family member to determine the number of outcomes in a given situation. The two page worksheet contains four questions. Answers are included.
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Karyotypes & Chromosome Inheritance
Students study Mendelian genetic terms, locate and name loci on chromosomes, karyotype construction, inheritance patterns through families.
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Biotechnology
Students are introduced to the topic of biotechnology. Using the internet, they research issues that have been improved or brought about because of biotechnology advancements. In groups, they participate in activities in which they...
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JUST A MATTER OF TIME
Students recognize the dynamic changes in themselves and in agriculture that have occurred through the years. They are shown pictures of a baby or students are asked to think of their little brothers or sisters or themselves in...
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The Benefits of Biodiversity
Students examine the concept of biodiversity. They toss coins to determine what traits mouse parents have and the babies traits as well. They predict what would happen to the baby mice if the traits of the parents were different.
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DNA Technologies
After giving some of the basic characteristics of the DNA molecule, the slides provide process information and many detailed diagrams about plasmids, vectors, and their application in cloning genes.
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Karyotypes and Inheritance of Chromosomes
Students explore the mode of inheritance of chromosomes. Given a scenario, students use the Human Genome sheet to determine inherited chromosomes. They illustrate the difference between genotype and phenotype. Students develop a model...
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Microarrays: Chipping Away at the Mysteries of Science and Medicine
Students research microarrays on the internet in cooperative groups. Students write an essay describing the use of microarrays in environmental research and in medicine.
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Radical Raptors
Students are introduced to raptors and their role in the environment. They identify three characteristics of raptors and list several types of raptors found in nature. They discuss their positive and negative experiences with raptors and...
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The Short Answer
Students examine the discovery of the Flores man. In this anthropology lesson plan, students discover details about the Flores man and the work of anthropologists. Students are challenged to create their own stories that explain Flores man.
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Natural Selection
Students practice calculating allele and genotype frequencies in the framework of a simple simulation using hard candy, calculators, and a worksheet. This lesson includes a three-page worksheet and an assessment question for conclusion.