University of California
You Are What You Eat: Testing for Organic Compounds in Foods
We have all heard that we are what you eat, but what are we eating? An informative lesson opens with a discussion of the foods pupils have recently eaten. Then, young scientists perform four experiments on seven...
Serendip
Food, Energy and Body Weight
High schoolers learn why humans need calories, how they control weight with food choices, and the impact of exercise on energy. Scholars then apply their understanding to a case study of lunch choices and exercise.
Curated OER
PICTURE PERFECT PYRAMID
Middle schoolers create a model of the USDA's Food Pyramid Guide, using shoe boxes. They bring an assortment of shoe boxes from home. Students are given a copy of the "Food Guide Pyramid." They wrap boxes for the bread group in white,...
University of Georgia
Antacid and Uncle Heartburn
Household materials can be used for more than cleaning! In this collaborative experiment, emerging chemists use products such as vinegar and liquid antacid to explore chemical reactions that commonly occur in the human body.
National Institute of Open Schooling
Nomenclature and General Principles
Carbon, the base for all organic compounds, exists in nature in its purest form as graphite or diamonds. The 25th lesson in a series of 36 teaches pupils the nomenclature of organic compounds. Learners read about how to use the IUPAC...
Serendip
How Do Biological Organisms Use Energy?
When an organism eats, how does food become energy? Young biologists follow glucose through the process of cellular respiration to the creation of ADP using a discussion-based activity. The resource also highlights conservation of mass...
Teach Engineering
Engineering and the Periodic Table
Elements, to the rescue! Scholars first review the periodic table, and then learn about the first 20 elements and their properties and uses in the fourth of six lessons in the Mixtures and Solutions unit. Applying their newfound...
Teach Engineering
Cellular Respiration and Bioremediation
You can breathe easily now that you've found a winning resource. Young biologists learn about the process of cellular respiration, primarily through teacher-led discussion and instruction. They also consider the concept of...
Curated OER
Food or Fuel?
Students describe the process of transesterification utilizing chemical formulas. They construct and compare models of chemical structure of the substances involved in biodiesel production such as: alcohols, alkenes, alkanes, alkyls,...
Mascil Project
Molecular Gastronomy - Science in the Kitchen
Some say cooking is an art—and a science! Scholars scope out the savory subject of molecular gastronomy with a series of related activities. The teacher's guide contains printable worksheets and helpful tips for implementing the lesson...
Serendip
Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration
How does energy from the sun make plants grow? Scholars move step by step through the processes that promote plant propagation during a detailed lesson. The resource illustrates ADP production and hydrolysis, then allows learners to...
Curated OER
WHAT'S ORGANIC?
Middle schoolers explore how certain foods come to be certified "organic." They write the words "organic" and "synthetic" and given the definitions of each. Students are given dictionaries. They are asked: "What is organic food?" Middle...
Curated OER
Sea Connections: Marine Ecosystems
Students identify producers and consumers from marine ecosystems and describe the balance among them in the environments. After constructing a food chain from a marine ecosystem, they examine human activities that can upset the balance...
Serendip
Using Models to Understand Cellular Respiration
Energize biologists with colorful images in an activity that captivates the imagination while demystifying the subject of cellular respiration. Participants build comprehension skills and access core content knowledge by analyzing text...
Cornell University
Bacteria Take Over and Down
Bacteria outnumber all other forms of life on Earth. Scholars observe the growth of bacteria in petri dishes to understand their role in maintaining good health. Then, they observe the growth of bacteria after they introduce...
Curated OER
Understanding the pH Cycle within the Aquarium
Students discuss places they have been where the air seemed hard to breathe. They discuss if they could "see" the humidity or smell. Students discuss ways this might relate to the fish in the aquarium. The teacher introduces pH and how...
Curated OER
Water Pollution
Young scholars explore the causes of water pollution. For this environmental lesson, students conduct experiments with natural filtration systems.