Students explore the relationship between wildlife and humans in northern New England. They also brainstorm ideas on why they think some species are greater in population than others in a given area.

In this lesson students will study the: "Classification of Echinocereus triglochidiatus and Geographical Ranges of its Varieties." Students read background material and scientific literature to analyze the cactus populations and then...

Students explore the notion of local evolution, or genetic selectivity among different continent-based human populations. They consider specific examples of local evolution, such as lactose tolerance, skin color, and cognitive capacity,...

Students set up and run the experiments they designed in the lesson, 'Population Growth in Yeasts,' using simple yeast-molasses cultures in test tubes. They demonstrate understanding that several environmental factors can contribute to...

Using a dichotomous key, pupils identify characteristics of fish who live in the Great Lakes and explain how these features help them survive. In small groups, class members discover what features scientists consider important and...

Learners participate in a contrived natural selection simulation in which they build and modify simple paper airplanes. They study divergent and convergent evolution and how it is isolated in sub-populations.

Pupils consider the impact of invasive species on local environments. In this ecology lesson, watch the video, Arizona Wildlife Views, which focuses on invasive species. Students develop vocabulary, relate to meaningful comprehension...

Students review the inheritance patterns of simple dominant and recessive traits in humans. They use PTC tasting as a model trait. Each student determines whether or not they are a taster using PTC paper then they compile and discuss the...

Students design a pamphlet to inform and educate people about an inherited disease or disorder.

Students explore how scientists study the genetic and environmental factors that interact to produce variation in behavior across a population.

Students pretend they are a scientist like John Endler in this Web activity. They visit his pools, from hypotheses, and test them out. In the process, the explore about natural selection and sexual selection. They are able to explain the...

Students examine influences contributing to alcohol use and abuse. They asses the genetic and environmental factors involved in alcoholism. They create a histogram for modeling alcohol use and calculate the results into percentages of...

Students study variation of organisms. They determine this variation arises from genetic and environmental causes.

Students investigate genetics and the process of reproduction in living organisms.

Students read about and discuss life of Russian geneticist Nikolai Vavilov, define terms related to field of genetics, complete worksheets, conduct seed experiments, observe and record results, and locate seed banks on world map or globe.

Students explore natural selection. They explore the concepts of adaptations, and the way which random factors affect the survival of individuals and populations.

Students learn the impact that genetics can have on the evolution of a population of organisms and become aware of the influence that the environment has onorganisms.

Fourth graders represent a new predator on a population of colored worms. They mathematically determine the effect of the new predator on the survival and reproductive rates of the worms, simulating natural selection at work.

High schoolers analyze the causes of cancer from a genetic standpoint. They explain the increase in cancer with age and create a hypothesis for cancer development. They use the laws of probability as well.

Fifth graders explore food production by viewing DNA presentations. In this genetic engineering lesson, 5th graders discuss the foods they typically eat at home and how many common foods are engineered in a way that can produce a bigger...

Young learners examine how different traits could give one organism an advantage over another. In groups, they view two different organisms in different environments. To end the lesson plan, they complete a Venn Diagram on the two...

Young scholars study microsatellite markers and explain how they might be used to identify populations. They use data to make inferences about the populations of deep-sea corals.

Students participate in an activity of a mock electrophoresis using paper chromatography to study DNA and genetic restriction mapping.

Students practice pouring an agarose gel and loading the DNA into the wells to perform a genetic analysis of variation among individuals and between populations. They electrophorese the gel overnight.