Curated OER
The Effect of Natural Selection on Genes, Traits and Individuals
Rotating through five stations, evolutionary biologists explore the question of how changes in DNA facilitate the changes in a population over time. High-quality, colorful cards of animals, skeletons, skulls, and DNA sequences can all be...
Curated OER
Introduction To Floral Morphology
Students create a model of the four basic whorls of flowers using a water bottle, construction paper and Q-tips. They then examine fresh flower specimens to see how the basic structure can vary in different species of flowering plants.
Curated OER
Introduction To Insect & Spider Body Parts
Students inspect several different specimens of insects and spiders to determine characteristics that are similar and different between the two groups. They identify the basic body structure of spiders and insects and then predict where...
Curated OER
Simulation of Gene Splicing
Students use the exercise as a prelude to a "wet" lab or as a substitute for such a lab. It correlates well with colony transformation labs. This lab is recommended for students what have difficulty with the abstractions that genetic...
Curated OER
Cells and Cancer
Young scholars idenitfy that cancer is a growth of mutated cells and that cancer cells are only one type of cell that causes disease in our body. They also identify that all eukaryotic cells contain a nucleus, cytoskeleton, and a cell...
WK Kellogg Biological Station
Sounds of Selection
Do you want a creative and fun way to teach about natural selection? Hop to it by turning your middle school princes and princesses into frogs trying to catch as many bugs as possible in a Hungry Hungry Hippos style game. For high...
Curated OER
Simulation of Gene Splicing
Learners simulate gene splicing by examining bacteria. They create a bacterial DNA into which they insert the human DNA (gene) that codes for growth hormone. They cut the sites of the enzyme to study how the human DNA can be joined to...
Curated OER
Anolis Lizards of the Greater Antilles
Students "take a trip" to the Greater Antilles to observethe Anolis lizards. They study the body structures and habitat of different species, then plot this data on a map to look for patterns in their distribution. From the patterns they...