Science 4 Inquiry
Snakes in the Everglades
The Burmese python is on the loose ... and he's hungry! Illustrate the differences between causative and correlative relationships through an inquiry instructional activity. Pupils examine several sources of information to determine if...
Curated OER
Bioinformatics
Learners conduct a series of scientific investigation using bioinformatics. In this molecular biology lesson plan, students collect experimental data using different educational softwares. They calculate and analyze relationships using...
Curated OER
Collecting and Classifying Pollen
Students collect and analyze pollen from different species of plants. In small groups, they classify pollen according to shape, size and physical characteristics. They draw the basic anatomy of flowering plants and create a dichotomous...
Curated OER
From Curiosity Cabinet to Museum Collection
Learners study binomial nomenclature and museum-based research. They create a curiosity box, label the objects in their curiosity box , develop a classification scheme for the objects, and create a database of all objects collected by...
Curated OER
Primary Biological Content Area Covered
Students use the scientific method to make predictions about mold growth. For this fungus lesson, students use worksheets to help them illustrate predictions and graph mold growth from white to wheat bread. Students first...
Discovery Education
Sonar & Echolocation
A well-designed, comprehensive, and attractive slide show supports direct instruction on how sonar and echolocation work. Contained within the slides are links to interactive websites and instructions for using apps on a mobile device to...
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
Photosynthesis
Students recognize the importance of plants as they perform an experiment involving photosynthesis. Students determine the optimum wavelength of light for photosynthesis by exposing plants to different colors of light, collecting data,...
Curated OER
That's Predictable - Stream Side Science
Research the impact that changes in biotic or abiotic factors might have on an ecosystem. Debate for or against the changes and take action in the community. This resource ideally follows stream studies that young ecologists may have...
Curated OER
Biological and Agricultural Engineering
Eighth graders explore mathematics by conducting a series of investigations using a colorimeter. In this math lesson, 8th graders explain the purpose of food irradiation. They collect data and graph them.
Curated OER
Osmosis and the Cell Membrane-part 2
Young scholars participate in a review of diffusion and the basic properties of the cell membrane before exploring the process of osmosis in a lab activity. Using shell-less eggs that have soaked in various solutions, students make...
Curated OER
Biospheres in Your Backyard
Students collect data from a local river biome. They use the information for metric conversion and graphing equations. They study the components of what makes up a biosphere and how math is used to analyze one.
Curated OER
Beans and Birds: A Natural Selection Simulation
Young scholars solve the following problem concerning the evolution of seed color in pinto bean plants: "How does natural selection change the frequency of genes or traits over many generations?" They use the constructivist approach to...
Nuffield Foundation
Monitoring Water Pollution with Invertebrate Indicator Species
Healthy invertebrates mean healthy ponds. An outdoor activity has scholars collect samples of invertebrates from local lakes or ponds. They identify and count different species and use the information to estimate the level of pollution...
Nuffield Foundation
Investigating the Effect of Temperature on the Activity of Lipase
How does temperature affect lipase activity? Young scholars conduct an experiment to collect data on the interaction of lipase at different temperatures. They add lipase to a solution of milk, sodium carbonate, and phenolphthalein and...
NOAA
Importance of Deep-Sea Ecosystems – How Diverse is That?
When judging diversity of an ecosystem, both species evenness and species richness must contribute. After a discussion of diversity and a guided example using the Shannon-Weaver function, scholars use the same function on two other...
Curated OER
Open Inquiry Using C. elegans
Ever wondered what motivates a roundworm? Introduce your biology class to C. elegans, a non-parasitic model organism that can help them understand behavioral stimuli. Paired pupils design an experiment to test the worm's reaction to...
Curated OER
Discovering Mitosis in Onion Roots
High schoolers discover the different stages of mitosis by examining onion roots under a microscope, drawing diagrams of what they see, and organizing collected data in a chart and create a pie graph from their lab data.
Curated OER
Human Traits
Young scholars study vocabulary and complete a survey. In this human traits lesson students collect and analyze data then discuss what they learned.
Nuffield Foundation
Controlling Body Mass
Many variables impact your body mass, not just diet and exercise. Scholars collect and study data about body mass to better understand the complexity of a sensitive topic. They learn about leptin deficiency, the hypothalamus, and more.
Curated OER
Dissecting Owl Pellets
Students watch the teacher model the dissection then in pairs, they dissect an owl pellet and identify its contents. They record the data about its prey on a graph.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Color Variation over Time in Rock Pocket Mouse Populations
A species-specific look at natural selection, the resource herein examines how adaptations have helped the population of rock pocket mice survive in a changing landscape. To begin, middle or high schoolers watch a 10.5 minute video,...
Curated OER
Keep Away
Study biological diversity by analyzing given data, and make inferences about the possible effects of oil drilling operations on specific benthic communities. This lesson allows students to use their statistical analysis skills asweel as...
NOAA
Marine Ecosystems
Be at the top of the food chain when it comes to understanding marine ecosystems. The 21st installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography (NEMO) program investigates marine ecosystems, ocean zones, and food...