Young scholars pretend they have just entered a national park. They imagine that the park borders are all impassable mountains, and students will play the role of grizzly bears. Young scholars list three things every animal needs to...

Students become birds and are given "beak-types". After completing the simulation, students relate results to adaptations and natural selection. Extensions of the simulation allow for comparative results and include population genetics.

Students experiment with peapods to show the diversity of individual within a population. They examine dominant traits, recessive traits, genotypes, and phenotypes and show the process of making a Punnett Square.

Students experiment with genes and environment for a population of "Toothpick Fish."

Students examine and identify examples of species that developed as a result of immigration, genetic drift, and adaptive radiation. They conduct Internet research and define key vocabulary terms, and use their species example on their...

Fifth graders explore genetic traits. In this genetic traits lesson, 5th graders investigate dominant and recessive traits. Students identify similar traits between a parent organism and its offspring.

Young scholars explore Gregor Mendel's work with genetics. They complete a survey of their friends and family in order to identify dominant and recessive traits. Once their surveys are complete, students discuss the ways in which...

Students examine why some freshwater populations of stickleback fish.  In this macroevolution lesson students read a study packet then answer questions. 

Biology aces analyze restriction maps to determine the relationships among different primate species and then complete a cladogram. Preface this instructional activity with an explanation of how restriction enzymes are used to create the...

High schoolers design a human genetic condition pamphlet which they present to the class and then take to a doctor's or pediatrician's office.

High schoolers explore natural selection. For this genetic adaptation instructional activity, students discover why certain traits continue and some traits disappear. High schoolers discover how species evolve and change. Resources are...

Students investigate how Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium is established and what assumptions and conditions are necessary to reach Equilibrium. They model alleles using materials such as index cards, M & M's and goldfish.

Learners observe the experimental process called bacterial transformation and demonstrate phenotype changes in bacteria that have been transformed with an antibiotic-resistance gene and a metabolic marker. They create a luminescent...

Ninth graders complete a monohybrid cross and a dihybrid cross. In this biology lesson, 9th graders predict the traits of offspring using the Punnett square. They differentiate recessive and dominant genes.

Students investigate how selective forces like food, predation and diseases affect evolution. In this genetics lesson, students use red and white beans to simulate the effect of malaria on allele frequencies. They analyze data collected...

Students attempt to pick up various objects with a wide variety of beaks, including scissors, spoons, etc.

Students demonstrate the genetic principles of Heredity. They discover that each species has a unique Genetic fingerprint and that people can use "Genetic fingerprints" to solve a number of problems. They discuss examples of uses of DNA...

Learners discuss the current conditions of wildlife in New England. Students explore how animals are tracked and how their population is managed.

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...

Students investigate the concepts of micro and macro evolution. They also research the effects of mutations in the process of genetic adaptation to different environments. They develop a hypothesis of how the environment can influence...

Students study the concept that genetic variation of offspring contributes to population control. They create a presentation showing natural selection and survival of the fittest.

Tenth graders work on a project about cellular biology and genetics. In this biology lesson, 10th graders research about the assigned human body system and genetic disorders that affect it. They create a multimedia presentation and...

Students gain a feeling for the significance of the Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium without using algebra but participating in an interactice game.

High schoolers develop likely phylogenies for seven related populations of lizards living on the Canary Islands using real data. They organize charts, and record the data for geography, geology, morphology, and molecular genetics.