Curated OER
Variation and Heredity
Junior geneticists tally eye color and height in their lab groups. They examine certain traits in soybean and corn seedlings. For each activity, they gather data and learn about continuous and discontinuous genetic variation. In another...
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The Human Genotype
Six different chromosome activites introduce biology aces to heredity, chromosomal abnormalities, sex-linked traits, and the human genome. The hands-on activites are fairly simple for the teacher to prepare and will prove to be both...
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Fruit Fly Ranch Activity
Seventh graders describe how the traits of an organism are passed from generation to generation. They distinguish between asexual and sexul reproduction. Students identify traits through genes and those resulting from interactions with...
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Genetics and Heredity
Middle schoolers explore genetics and heredity. They study meiosis and view videos and create vocabulary flashcards. They create a graphic organizer that compares and contrasts sexual and asexual reproduction in each of the six...
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Where'd You Get Those Genes?
Really a unit, this resource exposes middle schoolers to genetics at their level. They read interviews and biographies, trace a family tree, play games that simulate inheritance concepts, and more! Teacher's procedures, student...
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Reproduction and Heredity
Eighth graders study the importance of cell division, compare cell division in prokaryotic and eucaryotic cells, identify the stages of mitosis and recognize meiosis in reproductive cells.
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The Cell
Students study the basic processes by which cells divide and transfer their genetic information. They recognize and distinguish possible inherited traits and through the discovery method of the facts and principles of inheritance....
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TE Lesson: What's Dominant?
Students study the number of chromosomes in the body cells, sperm cells, and egg cells of humans. They define allele, and examine the difference between dominant and recessive alleles. They complete an activity with jelly beans that...
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Sociobiology: Heredity Factors
Learners examine DNA replication and how proteins are synthesized from DNA codes and continue to explore the effects of genetics in additional lessons. Among the topics covered are: protein synthesis, cell chemistry, environmental...
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Genetics
Students explain the difference between dominant and recessive genes, identify what causes differences in the traits of parents and their offspring, and explain how sex is determined. They will also improve their reading and...
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Plants 1: Plant Parents
Students review their prior knowledge on plants. In groups, they compare and contrast the difference between reproducing asexually and sexually. Using the internet, they research how some plants can be forced to produce asexually.
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Human Embryology
Ninth graders are introduced to the concept of human embryology. Individually, they complete an exercise in which they determine which trait they got from which family member. In groups, they identify and label the reproductive organs...
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Here's Looking at You
Students assess some common inherited traits which are easily observable and note their phenotype for the trait. Students compare their phenotypes to those of their parents and attempt to describe the pattern and manor of inheritance.
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Ecosystems and Remote Sensing
Students obtain remote sensing data to compare and contrast global biomass data with global temperature data.
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Cell Wall Recipe: A Lesson on Biofuels
Biotech engineers discover that changes in the DNA code for cell wall formation can help create crops better suited for biofuel production. They extract DNA from wheat germ. They decode paper strips with codes and relate the activity to...
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Skin Cancer Investigation: A Multi-Component Project
Students compare the perceived and actual risks of getting skin cancer, while looking at ways to minimize these risks. They may have very little grasp of the severity of the threat of skin cancer or be unaware of the increase in the...
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Sun and Weather
How is the Earth's weather created? Middle schoolers will explain how the Sun's energy is transformed into different forms. They will perform mathematical calculations of volume, mass, and temperature. They they will explain the...
Beyond Benign
Punnett Square Possibilities
Discover possible genetic outcomes through Punnett Squares. Learners continue studying genetic traits in the 10th lesson in the 17-part series. After determining the father of Sparky's kittens, scholars now attempt to predict the traits...
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Comparing Mitosis with Meiosis
Life science learners view an online animated mini textbook comparing two types of cell division. Working in groups, they use a digital microscope to capture images of cells in different stages of mitosis and meiosis. Then they create an...
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Whale Watcher Game Lesson
Students participate in an online whale watching game. They identify the reasons for migration and describe the route. They make predictions on what would happen if the ways did not migrate.
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Tadpoles
Students examine tadpoles at various stages of development. Questions in observation category assess students' ability to use a variety of senses to observe data in a certain way-scientific way.
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Investigating Animals in Soil
Students investigate and observe small animal activity on a plot of land on their school grounds. In small groups they identify the five kingdoms of animals, stake out a small plot of ground, collect samples, record and analyze any data...
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Water Filtration
Young scholars investigate our water system and how it is filtered. In this science lesson, students perform a laboratory activity to investigate the process that goes into filtering water. They relate this activity to other subject...
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Genetics: Mice Rule! (Or Not)
Learners explore genetics and evolution by examining a hypothetical mouse population. Using coin tosses, they determine mouse traits of parents and offspring. Finally, they consider the outcomes of changing environmental conditions on...