Curated OER
Organizing Life
For this classification worksheet, learners will review vocabulary words associated with the organization of living things which includes kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, and species. This worksheet has 5 fill in the blank...
Curated OER
Plants of the Past
Fourth graders explore ecosystems by examining plants of the past. They discuss ways in which we interact with plants in our daily lives. Students discuss the role plants play in providing food for animals and the significance they had...
Curated OER
Niches and Adaptations
Students present information about a species, its niche, and adaptations. In this lesson on animal environments, students explore how surroundings can affect a given population resulting in adaptation.
Curated OER
Mammals: Mammals and Their Ways
Students study the difference between innate and learned behaviors. They observe the adaptations and behaviors of mammals in this series of lessons.
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
What Is a Species?
Students are able to recognize that scientists use different definitions of species. They are able to assess the strengths and limitations of species definitions depending on their context. Students are able to use definitions of...
Curated OER
Reading: A Talk on the Effects of Music on Our Brains
In this reading an interview transcript worksheet, students read the transcript from an interview with Daniel Levitin who was a psychologist interested in the effects of music on the human brain. Students then answer 10 true and false...
Curated OER
SORTING ALL SORTS
Students examine how the method of classification is used. In this sorting lesson students take a pre-test, classify organisms and complete a crossword puzzle.
Curated OER
What's in a Name?
Students study the binomial system of naming organisms. They are given a name of an organism and they must draw a picture of what they think the organism looks like. Then they research the organism, find what it really looks like, and...
Curated OER
What's In A Name?
Students explore the concept of the binomial system of nomenclature for classifying organisms. Students travel on a field trip to observe organisms displayed and their common names. Students complete several classroom activities and...
Curated OER
Understanding Science Vocabulary and Categorization
Students analyze scientific vocabulary words. In this life science vocabulary lesson, students complete a worksheet using VisualThesaurus as they evaluate words related to plants and animals and how the words are used.
Curated OER
The Formation and Value of Temperate Grasslands
Students get an overview of the climate and organisms of the North American Prairie. After a lecture, and watching some videos imbedded in this plan, students compile research data on the North American Prairie.
Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
Naming New Species
Learners explore science of taxonomy and the Five Kingdoms of life,
categorize organisms into Kingdoms, and create multi-media presentations illustrating knowledge of a Kingdom. They collect data and related pictures on the Internet,...
Curated OER
Classification of Cerealites
Students create a dichotomous key. In this categorizing lesson, students create a dichotomous key for different types of cereal. Students classify the cereal into groups such as flakes and cereal with holes. Students discuss their...
Curated OER
The Loneliest Animals
Students examine the different species that are headed towards extinction. In this animal population lesson students compare the causes of extinction, research an endangered species and present an oral report.
Curated OER
Sizing Up the Supersize Croc
Learners examine and compare traits of humans and crocodiles. In this crocodile lesson students use a ratio to estimate the height of a person and compare that to a crocodile.
Curated OER
Circulatory Systems
Excellent diagrams, labels and summaries make this resource be valuable to your students throughout the topic of circulation. All types of circulation vessels are explained, their structure and function is detailed, and the overall...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
How Novel Icefish Genes Can Improve Human Health
Designed to accompany the 13-minute video The Making of the Fittest: The Birth and Death of Genes, this handout serves as both a viewing guide during the video and an analysis of how the adaptations of the icefish might help treat some...
Curated OER
Circulatory Systems
A slideshow that covers the all-important details related to basic human circulation. The reasoning for exchange of material methods is presented and then labeled diagrams of the main human transfer systems are shown, along with...
Curated OER
A Comparison of Cloud Coverage Over Africa
Students use a NASA satellite data to contrast amounts of cloud coverage over different climate regions in Africa. They explore how Earth's major air circulations affect global weather patterns, and relate to local weather patterns.
Curated OER
Allele and Phenotype Frequencies in Rock Pocket Mouse Populations
In the deserts of Arizona and New Mexico, some tiny creatures show just how quickly natural selection can turn a mutation into an advantageous adaptation. Watch a video about rock pocket mice, who show that one small change can make all...
National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science
Abracadabra
How has Magic Johnson managed to stay so healthy, despite being HIV-positive for over 20 years? If you have ever taught about HIV and AIDS, you have most likely been asked such a question. By examining a case study and role-playing as...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Patterns in the Distribution of Lactase Persistence
We all drink milk as babies, so why can't we all drink it as adults? Examine the trend in lactase production on the world-wide scale as science scholars analyze and interpret data. Groups create pie charts from the data, place them on a...