Serendip
Should You Drink Sports Drinks? When? Why?
New research proves even rinsing your mouth with carbohydrates without swallowing improves performance of the central nervous system. While some think sports drinks are amazing, others say they are a waste of money. Scholars learn about...
Odell Education
Scientific Process and Experimental Design
The scientific method keeps you from believing only what you want to believe — it expands your mind. The lesson introduces the eight steps in the scientific process and how to design an experiment to biology scholars. Live insects...
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...
Nuffield Foundation
Interpreting an Investigation of Plant Hormones
How important is the tip of a new shoot on a growing plant? Individuals learn about the results of experiments on shoot tips and must interpret them. They apply previous learning and connect complex ideas through advanced analysis.
Curated OER
Food Web in the Bay
Sixth graders study the food web in a bay. In this food web lesson, 6th graders investigate the SAV- submerged aquatic vegetation of a bay including their predators, and how the organisms eat, have proper living space and water. They...
Serendip
DNA
Get up close and personal with DNA! A two-part hands-on activity has learners extract DNA from a small organism and then their own cheek cells. Scholars then explore DNA replication using questions to guide their analyses.
Curated OER
Light and Starch Production in Photosynthesis
Students are given the unique opportunity to see the contrast between parts of a leaf that have photosynthesized and parts of the leaf that have not. This visual image helps students see the results of this biological process. At the...
Curated OER
For the Birds
Second graders explore biology by creating birdhouses. For this bird identification lesson, 2nd graders discuss the different types of birds that live in their environment and what characteristics each type of bird has. Students create a...
Curated OER
U-G-L-Y? I've Got a Great Alibi
High schoolers create a survey to explore people's perception of beauty. In this biology lesson plan, students explain how an animal's appearance helps it survive. They analyze survey results and present findings in class.
Curated OER
Comparison of Normal vs Mutant Zebra Fish Embryos
Students observe and study mutations. In this mutations instructional activity, students work in groups to complete observation tables of various mutations of the zebra fish embryos. Groups give presentations about their observations.
Curated OER
The Motion of a Virus Through a Population
Learners test the factors that influence the rate at which a virus spreads through a population. They complete a lab activity then discuss data collected and review and answer a set of questions.
Curated OER
Lesson 10: Karyotypes
Young scholars predict traits of future offspring. In this biology lesson, students study karyotyping to predict genetic disorders. They research an assigned karyotype and present information about it.
Curated OER
DNA Technology
Pupils summarize their classmates' presentation in class. In this biology lesson, students create a graphic organizer based on concepts presented. They discuss and share their organizer.
Curated OER
Lesson 9: Visual Meiosis
Students create a fictional organism. In this biology lesson, students predict the traits of resulting offspring. They complete activity worksheet and discuss answers in class.
Curated OER
Using Cytochrome-C to Explore Evolutionary Relationships
Young scholars analyze protein sequences. In this lesson on determining evolutionary relationships, students use the Internet tools BLAST and Biology Workbench to look at protein sequences. Young scholars will compose an essay that...
Curated OER
Halloween: Arachnids
Students participate in class discussion about the movie Arachnophobia. In this biology lesson plan, students find articles and photos of a species that interest them. They share it with their group.
Curated OER
Biology: Understanding Cellular Organelles
Learners distinguish the differences between Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic cells. Using microscopes, they examine a variety of plant and animal cells. Working in groups, they draw and label plant and animal cells and show the mathematical...
Michigan Sea Grant
Survival Game
Musical chairs may be a classic game, but Ruffe Musical Chairs is a unique lesson on invasive species! Using the time-honored game, pupils role play the behaviors of the invasive fish called Eurasian ruffe. Learning about this aggressive...
Curated OER
Extracting DNA from Your Cells - Teacher Preparation Notes
Students extract their own DNA from cheek cells. In this biology instructional activity, students explain the replication process. They identify the structure and composition of DNA.
Curated OER
A Feast for the Future
Students participate in an activity that uses a simulated meal of transgenic foods in order to initiate a discussion of the controversy concerning the use of transgenic food products.
Curated OER
What's So Special?
Students study the biology and morphology of Lophelia corals. In this investigative lesson students explain how the coral contributes to communities, and create a poster.
Curated OER
Who Took Jerell's iPod?
Students investigate various substances to determine the perpetrator of a crime. In this biology lesson, students test for the presence of organic compounds in various samples. They identify an unknown substance based on its physical and...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Seasons of a Plant
The third in a series of six lessons is an engaging three-part activity defines that discusses phenology, focusing on the cyclic seasons of plants. Pupils then observe phenology outside before determining how climate change can...
It's About Time
Factors Affecting Population Size
How do we predict future population growth? Young researchers investigate various factors affecting the size of our population. As they calculate and interpret graphs to determine factors that could potentially affect increases and...