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Genetically-Modified Food
High schoolers investigate the pros and cons of genetic engineering. They watch a short Bill Moyers video, conduct Internet research, create a poster, participate in a pro/con debate, and write an essay expressing their personal feelings...
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Mimicry: An Example of Adaptation
Learners are able to explain the relationship between adaptation and ability for survival and reproduction. They are able to give examples of a series of adaptations that would support the idea that evolution is a series of minor...
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Preserving Health Through Biological Diversity
Students research and explore the benefits of biodiversity, particularly as it relates to human health. They write an essay in which they explain the possible effect of human activities on the emergence of new diseases.
Michigan Sea Grant
Fish Identification
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...
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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...
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America's Rain Forests Can It Be Real?
Students examine the attributes of unusual plants and animals before determining how they are adapted to specific habitat. They complete an associated worksheet. They make posters with information that they find during research sessions.
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The Great Jellybean Hunt
Students model natural selection by acting as predators of jellybeans. In this evolution lesson, students use plastic utensils to pick up jellybeans. They use different colors of backgrounds to demonstrate the effects of camouflage and...
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How Do Organisms Reproduce
Middle schoolers examine the difference between mitosis and meiosis, and describe the steps involved in meiosis and the significance of each step. They create a diploid nucleus containing two pairs of chromosomes using clay.
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How Many Birds Would It Take To Keep A Jackal Alive?
Middle schoolers examine the role of large families in some animal populations. They work together to complete an activity related to food supply. They discover the relationship between preys and predators.
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The Big Hideout
Students identify the types of camouflage used by animals in the desert. They work together to create their own animal creating their own type of camouflage. They determine how well the camouflage works.
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The Interdependence of Birds and the Great Salt Lake Ecosystem
Tenth graders participate in the "Checks and Balances" game. This game lets them experience the interdependence of oragnisms specific to the Great Salt Lake. They recieved informaton about food chains, food webs, trophic levels various...
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Pollinator Habitats
Students read and discuss background information included with this lesson. They brainstorm the best sources for developing a list of native or migratory pollinators. Students work in groups to design habitats based on information...
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Evolution Crossword
In this evolution crossword worksheet, 7th graders complete a crossword puzzle about evolution. Students read the definitions to fill in the puzzle with evolution terms.
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Seed Dispersal
Students determine seed dispersal methods. In this life science activity, students make predictions about how seeds might move, then look at seeds under micrographs or microscopes to analyze the seed coat and how this helps dispersal. ...
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Lettuce Us Be Different
Students evaluate their differences, then look at differences in plants. In this class team building and life science lesson, the class play a game that focuses on similarities and differences in the group, then students plant three...
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Flying Casanovas
Students view a video clip on bowerbirds. They research and compare and contrast the different types of bowers created by them. They work together to answer questions on the birds behavior.
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Connecticut Wildlife: Biodiversity and Conservation Status of Our Vertebrate Populations
Students explore the different types of vertebrates found in their area. In this environmental science activity, students perform a case study on the Common Raven. They analyze data collected from research and create charts and graphs.
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WHAT DARWIN NEVER SAW: Evolution, Science, Biology, Natural Selection
Students view video showing recent field work on a twenty two-year study of finch beaks on a small island in the Galapagos, showing natural selection clearly operating in the wild.
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Climate Change
Students focus on the production of maple syrup in Northern New England as they study the effects of climate change. They investigate other environmental factors on the forests of Northern New England.
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Ecology - Reproduction and heredity
Students correlate signs of spring with reproductive strategies of varioius organisms. They describe how organisms inherit traits from generation to generation.
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Bird Buffet
Fifth graders investigate how birds use their beaks. In this agriculture instructional activity, 5th graders use tools to simulate how birds gather food with their beaks. They then draw conclusions about certain types of beaks and what...
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Sea and Ice Salinity
Students conduct an experiment. In this salinity activity, students learn about sea ice, why it is important and how changing amounts can affect the sea. Students conduct an experiment to find out the effects of salinity on the...
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Evolution of a Virus
In this viruses and evolution activity, students read an article on line about the avian flu virus and its evolutionary changes. They answer ten questions about the article including topics such as natural selection, mutations and heredity.