Curated OER
Ugly? Says Who?
Students explore biology by writing animal poetry in class. For this animal characteristics lesson, students research the Internet for facts about an "ugly" animal such as a bug or small critter. Students complete worksheets about animal...
Curated OER
Pseudogene Suite
Pupils use Biology Workbench to explore DNA sequence data for the GULOP gene in humans, chimpanzees, orangutans, and crab-eating macaques and the beta globin gene and its pseduogene in humans, gorillas, and chimpanzees.
Curated OER
On the Microbe Trail: Bacteria and Aseptic Technique
Students pour, label, streak, seal and store plates in an incubator. They identify areas in their environment that provide a rich fauna of microbes once they have been swabbed. They identify areas of contamination through a laboratory...
Curated OER
Describe the Perfect Pathogen
Students develop a pathogen based upon their knowledge of pathogens and after presenting it to the class, they then suggest ways that the pathogen might be combated. Next they identify possible physical or behavioral changes in a...
Curated OER
How Many Drops?
Learners conduct a simple test to determine how many drops of each of three liquids can be placed on a penny before spilling over. They come up with an explanation for their observations about different amounts of liquids a penny can hold.
Curated OER
Population Density In Fish
Students investigate how a population of fish multiplies in an ecosystem and the kinds of things that must be done to maintain a healthy population balance with other organisms that live there. They conduct an experiment to test the...
Curated OER
Genetic Engineering/Biotechnology
Pupils create a paper model of a plasmid and insert a DNA molecule that contains a specific gene into the plasmid. They complete an actual transformation involving E. coli bacterium and relate the two activities to one another.
Curated OER
An Introduction to Dichotomous Keys
Young scholars pretend to be shark biologists employed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) who have been flown into the coastal city of Sao Luis in Brazil because locals have noticed an unidentified shark at...
Curated OER
Lesson Plan: The Cell- A Historical Perspective
Learners discover the impact the invention of the microscope had on scientific discovery as well as the concept of spontaneous generation and the cell theory. Students examine these scientific concepts through a WebQuest and by viewing a...
Western Kentucky University
Understanding Genetics: Punnett Squares
Can scientists really predict genetic outcomes or are they simply making a lucky guess? Scholars first learn about Gregor Mendel and how to make Punnett squares. Then they extract DNA from a strawberry in a lab with included conclusion...
Curated OER
Life Cycles
Third graders investigate the stages of animal life cycles. They examine an egg and compare it to an inanimate object, read a booklet about the life cycle and define key vocabulary terms, and observe a mealworm. Students then design a...
Curated OER
Countdown Calendar
Students create a calendar of endangered species. In this preservation lesson, students research endangered species of plants and animals around the Lake Pontchartrain Basin. Students gather facts about the endangered species and create...
Curated OER
Speedy Succession
Fifth graders identify how a pond can change into a grassland. An ecosystems lesson where learners identify pioneer and climax species, and recognize that ecological succession can take up to 100 years or more. Some excellent activities...
Curated OER
Algae
In this biology worksheet, students identify and locate various vocabulary terms pertaining to algae. There are 54 biology terms located in the word search.
Curated OER
Why Don't Whales Have Legs?
Young scholars are given a variety of materials and are asked to design a heat loss experiment that results in a reasonable explanation of "Why don't whales have legs?" students work with the theory of natural selection.
Curated OER
Blocks And Screws (or "screwy Contrivances")
Pupils, given a block of wood and a screw or nail, are asked to put that screw or nail into a block. They examine how many contrivances and other imperfections found in living things are best explained by the process of evolution.
Curated OER
Whose "Truth" Is Out There?
Students read article It's a Fact: Faith and Theory Collide Over Evolution, and examine different ways people arrive at what 'the truth' is, focusing on the evolution vs creationism debate that has been a hot topic throughout the 20th...
Curated OER
Evaluate Ecosystems
Ninth graders conduct an environmental inventory on one ecosystem. They collect data, and write an environmental impact statement on that area. Students explain the interactions between different systems found within an ecosystem....
Curated OER
Watch the Screen!
Students explore screening processes for biological activity. In this deep sea lesson students complete a lab activity.
Curated OER
Where Do I Belong?
Tenth graders study the diversity of life in the world. They classify and sketch organisms into the 6 kingdoms.
Curated OER
Little Red Hen
First graders explore biology by identifying plant anatomy in class. In this botany lesson, 1st graders read the book The Little Red Hen and identify the methods used in order to grow successful plants. Students discuss other ways people...
Curated OER
Building a Clay Neuron
Students investigate and then build neurons in this lesson. They are examined as key parts of the brain and nervous system and seen as different from normal cells.
Curated OER
Where are the Dinosaurs?
Young scholars find the similarities of dinosaurs and the animals of today. In this dinosaurs lesson plan, students understand why dinosaurs have become extinct. Young scholars research and create dinosaur dioramas and finger puppets.
Curated OER
Catalase Enzyme
Young scholars design and conduct an experiment to test their ideas about how to speed up or slow down the rate of an enzyme-catalyzed reaction. They have access to an array of physical and chemical factors that might influence enzyme...