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Interpreting the History, Geology, and Ecology of Monterey Bay
Students explore what they know about Monterey Bay in the special topics course and share their information with K-12 grade children at local schools by participating in the Virtual Canyon Project. Students in this service learning...
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A Peek at the Past: Gradualism vs. Punctuated Equilibria
Students consider two sets of simulated fossils (caminalcules) that are provided as cutouts. They arrange them on two time scales. One set produces a visual example of gradualism, the other shows punctuated equilibria.
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Why Cladistics?
Students explore how biological classification is intimately associated with evolution.
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Sampling Rocks
Pupils study rocks they find on the playground. In this investigative lesson plan students collect and analyze rocks they find and answer questions about them.
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Fibonacci Numbers
Students calculate the Fibonacci sequence of numbers. Through the use of Fibonacci numbers in flowers, leaves, fruits, vegetables, pine cones, and other forms of nature; students explore how Fibonacci numbers occur in nature. Then they...
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Land Use and Lawmaking in California
Students read writings by Ralph Waldo Emerson to analyze transcendentalism and analyze photographic essays depicting environmental issues. In this art and history lesson, students read excerpts of Nature by Emerson to identify...
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Case of the Threespine Stickleback
Students examine why some freshwater populations of stickleback fish. In this macroevolution instructional activity students read a study packet then answer questions.
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Keeping Our Pets Safe In An Emergency
Students fill out worksheets that teach them how to prepare for emergency situations and how to enable animal safety in emergency situations. In this emergency lesson plan, students talk about different kinds of emergencies and how they...
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Are You One of Us?
Students investigate how scientists sort and classify organisms. In this sorting and classifying lesson, students examine what systematics are as tools that scientists use. They examine images of invertebrates and sort them while stating...
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Canoe and Kayak
Students explore canoes and kayaks. In this canoe and kayak lesson, students research the history, parts, and sport of the canoe and kayak. Students then practice how to use a paddle for each boat, and go on a field trip in order to use...
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Edible Wild Plants
Students explore the benefits of recognizing edible wild plants. In this wild plant lesson, students collect, make ready and eat edible plants. Students answer questions about the plants.
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Is There A Fungus Among Us?
Sixth graders classify fungus into two different groups. In this fungus lesson, 6th graders collect as many pieces of fungus as possible. Students then classify these pieces of fungus as saprophytic or parasitic.
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PATTERNS IN TIME
Students build a realistic sense of geological time, seek clues of transition fossils and find them. In this investigative instructional activity students complete several activities and worksheets on fossils.
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WHAT, IF ANYTHING, IS A ZEBRA?
Students 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...
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Growing Flowers
Students grow flowers from seeds. They plant quick-growing seeds in a flower pot and consider what a seed needs to grow. They observe and record the growth of the planted seeds in science journals.
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Birds Nesting Habits
Learners explore nesting habits of birds, and demonstrate reading comprehension skills, including reading strategies, inference, literal meaning, and critical analysis.
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Pseudogene Suite
Students 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.
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Pattern Detectives
Students discover patterns in language, math and science. They experience patterns by hearing stories, and becoming pattern detectives.
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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.
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What did T. rex taste like?
Students examine the three domains of life and explain that all living things share a common ancestor. In this paleontology instructional activity students are introduced to the process of illustrating evolutionary relationships.
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Who Has Hair?
Students explore similarities and differences. In this Teaching Tolerance activity, students read literature and participate in activities that features mammals and their hair. Students learn that they share things in common while we are...
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Scientists
Young scholars explore the role scientists play in research. They research current important areas of scientific interest. They write about how this issue could affect them. They create posters about their chosen scientific issues.
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Terrific Taste Buds
Learners explore descriptive writing by eating food in class. In this descriptive word lesson, students assess different foods in class such as jelly beans and utilize their vocabulary to describe the taste. Learners read the story...
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Aging of Trees
Students examine tree rings to determine its age. In this tree ring lesson, students examine core tree samples, identify the tree rings, and then determine its age. Students complete a worksheet, deciding which of the two core sample is...