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
Enzyme Reaction Rates Using Toothpicks
Students pretend to be enzyme that breaks toothpicks in timed intervals. They complete calculations to determine how many toothpicks are broken per second to determine the rate of reaction of the enzyme.
Curated OER
Pharmaceuticals and Treatments
Young scholars perform an experiment involving reverse transcriptase-polymerized chain reaction HIV replication to better examine the biotechnology used by scientists in pharmaceutical research of infections diseases like HIV. Students...
Serendip
Photosynthesis Investigation
Can scientists increase the rate of photosynthesis to help clean the air? Scholars complete an experiment determining net photosynthesis. Then, they apply knowledge from the activity to design their own investigations of the factors that...
Curated OER
Pharaoh Mountain Hike: Investigating Adirondack Life Zones
Students hike a local mountain and examine its life zones. They measure various components at each zone and collect leaf litter at the sites. At the mountain top, students make descriptive observations and complete a handout about the...
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
Edible GMOs?
The debate over genetically modified organisms is on! Young biologists imagine that they have been asked to choose which corn chips will be sold for a fundraiser, one made with GMOs or one without. This four-day lesson plan requires...
Curated OER
Dragon Genetics ~ Independent Assortment and Genetic Linkage
Imagine a pair of dragons that produce offspring. What percentage of the hatchlings have wings and large antlers? An engaging activity draws genetics learners in, introduces them to alleles, meiosis, phenotypes, genotypes, and teaches...
Curated OER
Genetics and DNA
Students describe the structure of DNA and its components and can comprehend that real DNA and its cartoon representation are very different. They are able to link DNA to genetic make-up.
Curated OER
Vaccines
Students explore and explain the role of vaccines in infectious disease, They emphasize immunological principles and viral/bacterial infection processes. Students explore the three main vaccine types: DNA vaccines ("gene gun"),...
Curated OER
Pharmaceutical Lesson Plan
Young scholars are able to discuss and prepare a written summary of a scientific article about AIDS. They propose solutions to the opening activity of which drug is more effective in the fight against AIDS.
Curated OER
Using Plant Pigments to Link a Suspect to a Crime
Students use chromatography to separate plant pigments collected from a fictitious crime scene and suspects. They compare the Rf values of the plant pigments to determine whether the plant pigments found on any of the suspects match the...
Curated OER
Module #1
Young scholars explore and can explain genetic diseases, and how the central dogma plays a key role in genetic diseases. They comprehend what DNA probe is and how it is created and that there is an ethical component to biotechnology.
Curated OER
Organ Systems
Students examine organisms that are composed of tissues, organs, and systems. They dissect a fetal pig and explore the assigned organs systems such as the skeletal, muscular, and circulatory organs. Students identify and explain their...
Curated OER
Cell Division
Students describe the cell cycle. They make a connection between DNA replication and cell division. Students describe the parts of the cell that participate in cell division and the steps of cell division.
Salt River Project
How Do We Clean Polluted Water?
How do we clean up oil spills and other pollutants in the water? Explore water treatment strategies with a set of environmental science experiments. Groups remove oil from water, work with wastewater treatment, and perform a water...
Curated OER
What's The Big Deal About Accutane?
Students take on the role of epidemiologists. They investigate an "outbreak" in serious birth defects that occur in infants born to teenage girls. students discover a link between the use of the acne drug called Accutane and birth defects.
Curated OER
The Age of Reason and Enlightenment
A presentation that truly covers the age of reason and enlightenment. Nearly every facet, event, and key player in 18th Century Age of Enlightenment is covered. The information is clear, easy to follow, and lends itself well to note...
Curated OER
Lights On - We Have A Quorum
Students explore basic bacteriological techniques. They investigate cell to cell communication and become aware of the environmental and evolutionary implications of this communication.
Curated OER
Intersections of Cell Division
Students listen to a lecture covering the process of going from one cell to two cells. Using the textbook, students differentiate between meiosis I and Meiosis II. Students work in pairs to create one stage using pipe cleaners, sequins,...
Curated OER
Water Quality and Watersheds: A GIS Investigation
Requiring more than one class period, this resource takes earth science learners on a journey through a watershed. Using ArcGIS Explorer, an online geographic information system, they view maps of watersheds and surrounding landscapes....
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
DNA Profiling Activity
Everyone loves a good mystery ... can your class actually solve one? Partnered pupils take on the role of forensic investigators during a three-part activity focusing on DNA evidence processing. Learners discover the methods used to...
Curated OER
Effects of pH on Organic Molecules
High schoolers investigate the effects of an acid and a base on the structure of milk protein. They observe the changes to droplets of milk when adding ammonia and lemon juice and relate the changes to old, curdled milk. An extension...
Curated OER
Antibody and Antibody Specificity The Egg Mishap
Students investigate a set of foods to find the presence of eggs after designing an experiment that will complete the test. They complete a test and discuss antibody-antigen specificity.