Curated OER
Honesty and Ethics in the Science Lab
Learners complete a variety of lab and discussion activities as they are introduced to ethics and honest lab practices. They perform various biology, chemistry, or physics labs which test their ethical lab practices.
Serendip
Genetic Engineering Challenge – How Can Scientists Develop a Type of Rice That Could Prevent Vitamin A Deficiency?
Brown rice contains vitamins B and E, while white rice lasts longer in storage. The availability of rice around the world makes it a great candidate for genetic engineering. Scholars apply their knowledge of genetic engineering to solve...
Curated OER
Introduction to Measuring the Forest
Students investigate how much wood is in a forest. In this forestry lesson plan, students calculate how much usable wood comes from the forest. They will read, Sizing Things Up from Trees + Me = Forestry, measure firewood piles, and...
Curated OER
An Introduction to the Marine Environment and Geology of City Point: A Model for Experiential Teaching
Students begin the lesson by researching the history of City Point, Connecticut. Using a map, they color areas they were asked to find and discuss why the areas are important to the community. As a class, they are shown recent slides...
Curated OER
Introduction to Measurement
Student observes and measures the variability in the length of the forearm and the length of the foot and to test a common belief that the length of the foot is equal to the length of the forearm.
Curated OER
The Great Cafeteria Caper
Learners extract DNA from their own hair roots. They run an electrophoresis gel to examine patterns of their DNA along with standard DNA. The experiment is based on a crime scene scenario.
Towson University
Case of the Crown Jewels
Can your biology class crack the Case of the Crown Jewels? Junior forensics experts try their hands at DNA restriction analysis in an exciting lab activity. The lesson introduces the concept of restriction analysis, teaches pipetting and...
Curated OER
Introduction to Scientific Theory
Ninth graders explain how scientists set up investigations. In this scientific process instructional activity, 9th graders review the principles of the scientific method and use these skills to answer an open-ended question about how to...
Curated OER
Using Cytochrome-C to Explore Evolutionary Relationships
Students analyze protein sequences. In this instructional activity on determining evolutionary relationships, students use the Internet tools BLAST and Biology Workbench to look at protein sequences. Students will compose an essay that...
Curated OER
Note Taking And Skills And Lab Reports
Pupils perform simple and fun experiments to use the scientific method, take careful notes, and write a lab report. They first make and test a hypothesis about how many drops of water they can fit on the face of a penny and then test...
Curated OER
Using Blood-Typing to Determine Causes of Death in Surgery Patients
In this simulation activity, young biologists examine blood types to determine whether the death rate in a hospital was caused because of incorrect identification of patient blood types. You will need obtain and follow the procedures of...
Curated OER
Fishy Behavior
Here's a lab that may make you rethink that morning cup of coffee. Biology scholars test the effects of caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine on the behavior of zebrafish through an intriguing experiment. Learners observe fish behavior before...
Curated OER
DNA on Stick
Students experience a "hands-on" activity to get visual evidence of the physical nature of DNA and the process of DNA purification. They explore one method of chromosomal DNA isolation and DNA extraction.
Curated OER
CELL TRANSFORMATION IN TOBACCO LEAF DISKS
Young scholars work with whole plant material and are not required to measure small quantities, yet they can see evidence of transformed plant cells (plant cells that have genes from bacterial plasmids). This is a laboratory suitable for...
NASA
Consumers Get Energy From Other Living Things
How do plants and animals get their food? Learn about where energy comes from, how animals store energy, and aerobic respiration, in a lesson that allows scholars to diagram energy flows.
Curated OER
Lab Experiences: The cookbook Translator
Students preview a copy of the lab experience and "cookbook translator" prior to the actual lab experience. They participate in the lab experience and complete the "cookbook translator" for evaluation at the completion of the laboratory...
Kenan Fellows
The Little Stuff Can Make a Big Difference
Great things come in small packages! What better way to illustrate this point than a week-long look at nanotechnology? Earth science scholars explore water quality issues through lab activities, then research new innovations in nanotech...
Curated OER
Come to Your Senses
Students explore their senses. In this biology lesson plan, students will learn about their senses, what affects them, and how the brain works to control our senses in a series of lab activities.
Curated OER
On the Microbe Trail: An Introduction to Bacteria and Aseptic Technique
Tenth graders predict the conditions necessary for bacterial growth, test their predictions and at the same time practice the aseptic techniques and safety procedures needed when working with bacteria.
Curated OER
The Wonders of Water - Biology Teaching Thesis
Students name 3-5 aesthetic values of the Potomac River. They state the importance of water in their own words. Students describe what Earth Day is and why it is important. They list 5-7 ways that they can help minimize water pollution.
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
Silver Nanoparticle Synthesis and Spectroscopy
Certain materials do not always maintain the same physical properties when they exist in the nanoscale. Help your classes to explore this idea through an experimental lesson. Scholars use spectroscopy with samples of silver solution to...
Curated OER
Strawberry Smoothies
Biologists extract the DNA from a strawberry. After completing the procedure, learners write answers to a few questions on the lab sheet provided. This is ideal lab practice during a DNA unit in your general biology course.
Curated OER
Identification of Gram Negative Bacilli—Oxidase
In this biology worksheet, students identify the different types of reagents being used with the samples as part of an extensive lab experiment.
Curated OER
Physiological Adaptations
Students investigate the concepts of genetics and how it is tied to the variations found within different species and how it is tied to adaptations. They review the theory of evolution and factors found to help create variation. The...