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Stream Quality Assessment
Students investigate many of the factors that affect water quality. They take measurements and water samples at a local stream and evaluate the health of their community's watershed. They write a report detailing their findings.
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Should Soil Be Sterile?
Students determine if the sterilization of topsoil is beneficial to seed germination and plant growth. They grow plants alongside control groups, make and record observations of plant growth and measure plant biomass.
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Food Safety-Consumers Need the Facts
High schoolers begin by completing a survey asking them to rank their concerns about commercially prepared foods. They develop a definition of relative risk, and complete the "Pro or Con" worksheet. Students work in groups to make a...
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Smears
In this biology worksheet, students are shown how to prepare a smear and then answer some review questions that address the proper preparation of a sample.
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Micro-Ecosystems
Students create a sustainable, self-contained ecosystem in a ten-gallon aquarium.
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The Identification of Bacteria
Students are given a two week period to put to use the knowledge they have gained while studying bacteria. As a culminating activity, students each receive three unknown bacteria to identify.
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How is Gold Found in the Ground?
Fourth graders participate in a series of activities designed to simulate mining for gold. They pan for "gold" and create a safe tunnel.
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Investigative Case - Protistan Tales of Atlantic White Cedar Swamps
Students use this WebQuest to explore the vast diversity of microbes, especially those microbes of the Atlantic Cedar Swamps. They tell a story about the protests of the Atlantic Cedar Swamp in the form of anthropomorphism.
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Life in a Forest Stream
Students assess macro-invertebrates from a stream. In this science lesson plan, students observe, classify and identify organisms found in a stream. A lab station is constructed at the stream sight and students study the different...
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How Microbes Help Ecosystems
Sixth graders observe different microorganisms under the microscope. In this biology lesson, 6th graders draw and describe the samples they see. They study the root nodules of plants and explain how the plants benefit from those bacteria.
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The Challenge to Deliver Insulin
Students study the types of diabetes and why insulin is important. In this diabetes instructional activity students build molecular models and create a healthy lifestyle plan.
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Yogurt Production
Learners work together to complete an experiment making yogurt. They test different temperatures and different amount of ingredients. They record and analyze their data.
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Bacterial Transformation Kit
Students participate in an experiment in which they practice moving genes from one organism to another. They examine the results of a recombination of jellyfish. They identify different types of bacteria as well.
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Aerobic and Anaerobic Microbe Analysis in a Subarctic Setting
Young scholars investigate the relationships between protozoa, algae and monera in freshwater, shoreline soil, and reindeer rumen. They publish reports of their findings.
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Petri-fied of Bacteria
Students examine the existence of bacteria all around them and consider the roles, both positive and negative, that bacteria play. Over a period of several days, students conduct an experiment in which they predict, determine, log, and...
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Comparing Microscopic Organisms in Fresh and Polluted Water: An Invitation To Inquiry
Students have the opportunity to develop and formulate ideas and explanations through the scientific standard of inquiry. They identify organisms by using an identification key for specific aquatic geographical area.
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How Small is Small?
Students view the video "The Invisible World" and discuss different types of microscopes and what can be seen with each type. They work in pairs to view several objects with a microscope.
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Genetically Modified Foods
Students investigate the risks of genetically modified organisms. They examine web site that contain information about GMO's and share the information with other adults.
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The Challenge to Deliver Insulin
Young scholars investigate these fundamental chemical and cellular processes. They recognize the long-term danger that comes from a diet of fast food, chips, and soda, realize that avoiding diabetes is their responsibility, and ...
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What is Biocomplexity?
Learners dicuss different aspects of biocomplexity. They demonstrate synthesis of complex concepts by creating before and after posters expressing how the concepts of biocomplexity have ben internalized. Students define the term...
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Dirt Life
Students select and collect soil samples from a variety of locations (schoolyard, home, etc.). They do this lab after an interest-generating discussion about "dirt" and microbes. Students make a dilution in sterile water, plate it on a...
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Water Filtration
Students explore, analyze, study and demonstrate the procedures that municipal water plants may use to purify water for drinking. They cover the clean water processes of aeration, coagulation, sedimentation, filtration and disinfection.
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What is a Nanometer?
Students develop a concept of the relative size of objects in the nanoscale. They complete an internet assignment using the website,"Scaling the Universe to Your Desktop". Using analogies to common objects they get an appreciation for...
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Gold Mine
Students investigate gold. In this gold panning lesson, students demonstrate the process of mining through an experiment using two boxes of sand. Students design a safe way to mine gold.