Curated OER
WHAT, IF ANYTHING, IS A ZEBRA?
Young scholars read the essay, "What, If Anything, Is a Zebra?" following a teacher made reading guide. They investigate cladistics, shared derived characteristics, with further online research to enhance their study of evolution and...
Curated OER
Genetic Jewels: Building the DNA Model
Students construct segments of DNA to create a piece of jewelry. In this genetics lesson students create a DNA sequence that they turn into something to wear.
Curated OER
What did T. rex taste like?
Learners examine the three domains of life and explain that all living things share a common ancestor. In this paleontology lesson students are introduced to the process of illustrating evolutionary relationships.
Curated OER
Show 303: New Research into Dyslexia
Students explore the causes of dyslexia. They view CT sans and MRIs to view the brain and how it responds. Students read reports about dyslexia. They discuss the nature of dyslexia, its cause, how to diagnose it, and its permanency.
Curated OER
Making Variables More Concrete
When teaching about the different types of variables, practice is the key.
Curated OER
Natural Puerto Rico
Students explore the nature of Puerto Rico. They view a Power Point presentation on world population and discuss how Puerto Rico landscape differs from Wisconsin's landscape. They create a Venn diagram comparing the two and complete a...
Curated OER
Volatile Volcanoes
Students explore volcanoes. In this cross curricula lesson, students use the Internet to investigate volcanoes. The series of six lesson guides the students in their search for information, thus building research...
Curated OER
The Checks Lab
Students, in teams, have an envelope containing a series of bank checks. A few are removed at a time, and the team attempts to construct a plausible scenario which involves those checks.
Curated OER
The Selection and Variation in the Egyptian Origami Bird
Students 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.
Curated OER
Archaeology
Students compare and contrast the role of scientists with that of archaeologists. They also describe the roles of observations and evidence in science.
Curated OER
Stranger Than Fiction
Young scholars reflect on the importance of science literacy. They review the year's science curriculum by reading, discussing and writing questions on teacher-selected New York Times articles and the related science content.
Curated OER
Stream Table
Students explore channelization, riparian habitats and soil erosion to find out about the aquatic habitats in Iowa. In this aquatic habitats lesson, students define important terms and read an article about pollution. ...
Curated OER
The Upper Palouse Restoration Project
Students become competent, to collect, record, and interpret information about a particular project they are undertaking. They apply the data and interpret them to analyze the environmental impact of a restoration project.
Curated OER
A STEP IN SPECIATION
Students place different subspecies of a CA salamander are placed on grid map of CA according to where samples were collected. Then discuss patterns of their distribution, their likely evolutionary relationships, and probable sequence of...
Curated OER
Ecology and Evolution
Students identify the different taxonomic classifications of organisms. For this biology lesson, students create their own organisms and make some changes according to environmental conditions. They present their work in class.
Michigan Sea Grant
Wetlands
Wetlands may not sound particularly ornate, but they are as important as any habitat! With a hands-on activity, young scientists build a wetland model and observe its many functions in action. They discover the importance of wetlands to...
Michigan Sea Grant
Great Lakes, Great Careers
Pupils play a question-asking game to investigate careers relating to marine and aquatic science, then conduct research to further investigate the career of their choice—examples range from marine veterinarian to underwater...
Curated OER
Activity Plan 5-6: Bugs, Bugs, Bugs!
Students become entomologists for a day. In this life science lesson, students go on an insect hunt and investigate insects and their homes. This leads to the creation of an insect by each student. Lesson includes a take-home activity...
Michigan Sea Grant
Invasive Species
Learners identify invasive species to the Great Lakes and analyze their impact on the ecosystem. Using photo cards with pictures and facts, young scientists work in small groups to match invasive species with their corresponding...
Michigan Sea Grant
Sea Lamprey
Learners discuss the types of technology that are used to control the population of sea lamprey in the Great Lakes. They explain the parasite/host relationship and understand the devastating impact invasive species have on ecosystems....
Michigan Sea Grant
Food Web II
A food web consists of complex food chains and the more complex the web, the better likelihood of survival. Learners compare and contrast food webs and food chains and discuss concepts like the predator-prey and consumer-producer...
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...
Curated OER
"Garden Springs Gardeners"
First graders ponder the question of how plants help their lives. They observe and compare properties of several different plants. Differentiate between living organisms and nonliving objects.
Curated OER
Small Pond Creatures
Learners complete a unit about the different creatures that can live in a small pond habitat. They create a glossary, create a class Small Pond mural, develop a Frog Fact File, read a variety of books, and conduct research for a report...