National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science
Life on Mars
Through reading and discussion, aspiring astronomers consider the question of whether or not there was ever life on the planet Mars. Throughout the process, they review how scientific investigations are carried out, examine the...
Curated OER
Human Evolution: Biology, Bones
Learners will love a weeks worth of bone study. They use bones and characteristics of bones to explore the evolution of hominoids. Bones are compared, categorized, and considered. A great way to bring physical anthropology and material...
Curated OER
Marine & Aquatic Habitats Activities - Aquatic Animals
Learners explore importance of marine or aquatic habitats, and investigate habitat characteristics and conditions required by various organisms to ensure survival. They then select an animal to study and design an artificial habitat...
Serendip
Is Yeast Alive?
Through two investigations, life science learners determine whether or not yeast is alive. They perform tests for metabolism by providing sugar and observing if gas is produced as a byproduct. They incubate some of the sample for at...
Curated OER
Parasite Development and Life Cycle
If you are new to teaching agriculture classes, this outline may be helpful when you are preparing a lecture on parasites in livestock. In addition to lecturing on this topic, the lesson plan suggests that learners research the life...
Curated OER
Creating New Forms of Life
Although not particularly educational, here is a creative group activity in which high school biologists will use their imaginations to create a new life form combining characteristics from existing life forms. Each group must come up...
Curated OER
Life Cycle of the Drosophila Fly
Students observe the life cycle of the Drosophila fly as well as manipulate large numbers of flies, determine the difference between the sexes, and identify the different stages of the fly's life cycle.
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
Populations and Life Cycles
Students explore biology by researching ocean statistics. In this data analysis lesson, students conduct a snail examination experiment utilizing live pouch snails. Students collect data about the snails over the course of six weeks and...
Curated OER
Biology of Bats
Your class will love exploring animal conservation through this lesson on bats. Learners discuss the importance of bats in the ecosystem and talk about the different types and their characteristics. As a follow up, a model of a bat or a...
Curated OER
What is Life? Demonstrations & Discussion
Display seven items for your biologists to consider. Are they living or non-living? How can you tell? This is a simple outline of what you can display and questions that can be discussed as this topic is explored. One way to use this...
Curated OER
Biology: New Trials & Findings
Students use background knowledge to summarize articles about skin cancer research and present them to the class and place their studies along a clinical study timeline. They are introduced to clincal trails and to various aspects of...
Pace University
Grade 6-8 Living Things
What characterizes a living thing? Scholars explore the concept during a differentiated instruction unit on living things. They perform lab experiments to determine how animals adapt to stimuli, watch videos and learn about...
Curated OER
The Seven Characteristics of Life
Third graders investigate the characteristics of living and nonliving things. They conduct a research quest in order to identify the seven characteristics of life. Then students pick one aspect and use it to create a song meant to be...
Curated OER
Extensions - Biology Review Unit
Students engage in a variety of activities in order to review a Biology unit. For example, they research the Bird Flu, it's history, how it is spread, what has been done about it, what better options exist for controlling or removing it....
Curated OER
Life Cycles
Students identify and explain the parts of a flower and their role in the life cycle of flowering plants. In this online plant biology lesson, students explore the processes of pollination, seed dispersal, and germination. Extension...
Curated OER
Pond Water Survey
Students identify and describe various organisms living in a pond water environment. They describe the characteristics of living things. Students compare and contrast organisms created by asexual reproduction and sexual reproduction....
Curated OER
What Does it Take to be a Survivor? Part One
Students explore marine animal adaptation. In this introductory ocean life biology lesson, students access prior knowledge by participating in a whole class "thought swap." Students form two lines, respond to a prompt from the teacher...
Curated OER
Health Care
Students analyze information and draw conclusions about the reality of human life expectancy; the battle between health care technology and our own internal time clocks. Students answer questions such as "Why does aging occur and can...
NOAA
Vertebrates II
Mammals of the ocean unite! Or not. The 20th installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography (NEMO) program investigates how warm-blooded marine mammals survive in water. In the class activity, learners use...
Curated OER
How Life on Earth Began
Seventh graders investigate the concept of evolution and how it was a mechanism for the foundation of life on Earth. They conduct research and attempt to make cognitive connections with the evidence to agree with the presupposition of...
Curated OER
Basic Introduction to Foundation of Life: Genes, Genetics and Genetic Diseases
Students are introduced to genetics along with genetic diseases and heredity. In groups, they complete a Punnett Square to determine the dominant and recessive genes. After viewing diagrams, they identify the characteristics of DNA and...
Curated OER
Invertebrate Phyla
Students explore the invertebrate phyla. They discuss the characteristics of the invertebrate Phyla in the Kingdom Animal. Students classify organisms into Phyla based on their characteristics. They distinguish radial symmetry, bilateral...
Curated OER
Classifying Plants and Insects
Art and science come together in a instructional activity based on Flower Still Life by Ambrosius Bosschaert the Elder. Learners classify plants and insects in the painting by color, leaf shape, size, reproduction,...