Curated OER
Species Identification Using Dichotomous Keys
To help your students unlock the wonderful world of living things, teach them to use a dichotomous key.
Curated OER
Shadows of North Carolina's Past
Students construct a timeline of four major culture periods in Native American history from studying archaeological evidence cards.
Curated OER
Culture Everywhere
Students study their culture while filling in a chart that shows how culture meets basic human needs. They examine the role of archaeologists in studying people from past cultures.
Curated OER
California Biodiversity
Students examine several maps of California exhibiting features such as precipitation, topography, and vegetation. They look for patterns that might be the source of or influence biodiversity in different regions. They pay particular...
Curated OER
Food Chains
Fourth graders investigate food chains. They review cycles and discuss ecosystems. They select an environment and create a food chain in small groups. They write their food chain and label it for the class to evaluate. They create...
Curated OER
Life Cycle
Third graders examine and compare the life cycles of a variety of different animals. They analyze photos of animals and discuss any unique body parts and why those parts function they way they do. Next, they observe mealworms and...
Curated OER
Reebops a Model "Organism" for Teaching Genetics Concepts
Reebops are cute, marshmallow-based creatures that can be used to teach inheritance. Beginning biologists draw strips of paper that represent chromosomes from two envelopes, one for the father, and one for the mother. Each parent...
Curated OER
Incomplete Dominant and Codominant Traits Worksheet
A two-page instructional activity provides seven Punnett squares for practice in determining genotypes and phenotypes. Each is an example of incomplete dominance or codominance. After your bright biologists have mastered Punnett squares,...
Curated OER
Caterpillars and Climate: How Temperature Affects Feeding Rate In Insects
Do you eat more when you are hot or when you are cold? Young scientists observe the eating pace of two caterpillars at different temperatures. The differences in endotherm and ecotherm animals' ability to adjust to temperature change...
Western Kentucky University
Understanding Genetics: Punnett Squares
Can scientists really predict genetic outcomes or are they simply making a lucky guess? Scholars first learn about Gregor Mendel and how to make Punnett squares. Then they extract DNA from a strawberry in a lab with included conclusion...
Curated OER
Chilean Sea Bass
Introduce your mini-marine biologists to using databases. Tables of how many Chilean Sea Bass were caught and number of hours spent fishing are examined. Using the data, individuals calculate the "Catch per Unit of Effort" for each year....
Curated OER
Observing the Nutritional Relationships in an Ecosystem
Make learning about food webs fun and fascinating for your fifth graders.
Cornell University
Renewable Resins and Composites
Merge chemistry with environmental science to study biodegradable materials. An engaging activity allows learners to experiment with different resin concentrations and composites. Through experimental tests, scholars test their creations...
Cornell University
Building a Compound Light Microscope
What better way to learn how to use a microscope than building your own? A lab investigation has scholars use lenses from magnifying glasses and sheets of cork to design their own compound microscopes. They calculate focal length and the...
Curated OER
The Heart
Students are introduced to the parts of the heart and the flow of blood through the heart.
Curated OER
Children's March Teacher's Guide, Activity 6
Young scholars see the role that different genders played in the Civil Rights Movement in Birmingham. They explain how popular culture influences them.
Curated OER
Habitat Lap Sit
Fourth graders physically form a circle that shows the interconnectedness of the components of a habitat. They form circles and role play the parts of habitats.
Curated OER
How is the Media Dealing With Cancer in Our Society Today?
Students identify people in the news media who have admitted they suffer from cancer. They explain the types of treatments for each cancer mentioned. They work together to discuss their findings.
Curated OER
Is Cancer on the Rise or Decline in America Today?
High schoolers read an article about cancer in the United States. They research a cancer of their choice along with possible treatments. They identify types of cancer that are on the rise and decline for both men and women. They...
Curated OER
Galapagos - Discover the Diversity
Pretend you are exploring a newly discovered species of fish in the Galapagos. Your budding marine biologists access FishBase Database's list of marine/brackish fishes and choose one to research. The link through this website does not...
Curated OER
Classification: Dichotomous Key
Students investigate the classification process and nomenclatures used for classifying organisms. They study dichotomous keys to identify organisms with 90% accuracy. Students organize information regarding the relatedness of species.
Curated OER
Where Am I, and How Do I Get Where I am Going?
Students describe geographical places through art, music, writing, and math. They compile information in booklets which may be published.
Curated OER
Invertebrate Phyla
Young scholars explore the invertebrate phyla. They discuss the characteristics of the invertebrate Phyla in the Kingdom Animal. Students classify organisms into Phyla based on their characteristics. They distinguish radial symmetry,...
Curated OER
Iron Fertilization - Pumping Iron
The theory that adding iron to ocean water may increase phytoplankton ability to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is examined. The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute is monitoring conditions off the California coast to...