Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Section One: What is Biodiversity?
Four intriguing and scientific activities invite learners to explore the natural resources of their town. The activities cover concepts such as genetic traits, organizing species in a taxonomy, the differences between different species...
Curated OER
Dragon Genetics - Understanding Inheritance
Six pages begin with a detailed introduction to meiosis and homologous chromosome pairs. Instructions guide learners through a simulation in which they draw craft sticks marked with autosomes in order to decode the genes inherited by...
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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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An Inventory of My Traits
In this biology activity, students identify and describe a number of easily observable genetic traits and compare the traits they have with other students. Then they identify and describe that some traits are common while others are not...
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Generations of Traits
In this biology activity, students track and record the passage of colored pom pom traits through three generations of ginger-bread people. Then they describe that traits are passed from parents to offspring and that siblings may or may...
Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Section Two: Why is Biodiversity Important?
Explore soil, genetic traits, natural resources, and pollution in a series of lessons that focus on biodiversity. Kids complete experiments to learn more about the importance of varied genes and organisms in an ecosystem.
Curated OER
Human Genetic Traits
Young scholars investigate dominant and recessive traits by studying their schoolmates. In this genetics lesson, students analyze specific traits of other children in school and create a database of information based on whom...
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I Am Unique
Students study traits of organisms including genetics and inheritance. In this genetic traits lesson, students complete a shared reading and discuss the 6 traits of uniqueness. Students sort themselves by specific traits and chart their...
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Exploring Human Traits
Students explore human behavior by participating in a class science game. In this human characteristics lesson, students identify different human traits that are passed down by each generation and the purpose each of them have. Students...
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Blue Genes: Affect Your Life!
Learners, in groups, research, analyze and synthesize information on genetic diseases. After watching a video on genetics, groups perform research on a variety of genetic diseases and present their findings to the class.
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Peanut Butter Broccoli
Fifth graders explore food production by viewing DNA presentations. In this genetic engineering lesson, 5th graders discuss the foods they typically eat at home and how many common foods are engineered in a way that can produce a bigger...
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English Exercises: Open Cloze: Why Dogs Bark
In this language arts worksheet, students complete an online interactive exercise in which missing words are filled in to make a text complete. Students read the text about why dogs bark and fill in a word of their choosing in each of...
Curated OER
Redefining Addiction
Learners study about how addiction can have both physiological and behavioral effects. They synthesize their knowledge by creating a sensitivity training session for counselors working with teenagers who are addicted to drugs.
Curated OER
Where Are the Dinosaurs?
Students explore the concept of extinction by studying dinosaurs. In this dinosaur lesson, students distinguish between extinct creatures and those that still exist.