Curated OER
Pseudogene Suite
Students use Biology Workbench to explore DNA sequence data for the GULOP gene in humans, chimpanzees, orangutans, and crab-eating macaques and the beta globin gene and its pseduogene in humans, gorillas, and chimpanzees.
Curated OER
Can Land Ethics Work?
Students evaluate the various purposes and issues surrounding the management of a nature preserve. They participate in discussion on whether there is intrinsic value in nature for its own sake.
Curated OER
Water Quality Survey: Monitoring the Sustainability of Pigeon Creek
High schoolers research the History of Pigeon Creek (or any watershed in your area). In this environmental science lesson, students conduct field tests such as pH and nitrates. They collect data and compare what they collected with other...
Curated OER
Characterization of the Bioluminescence (Lux+) Gene E. coli
Students grow E. coli strain HB101, which contains the plasmid pUCD607 with the bioluminescence (Lux+) gene. The plasmid containing the Lux+ gene is isolated from the E. coli, then characterized by restriction analysis.
Curated OER
Viruses
A fliud exchange activity using pipettes/droppers to exchange fluids with at least 3 people. your young scholars are advised not to spill any liquid. Droppers are collected in a large beaker, and students return to desks while holding...
Curated OER
The Risks of Everyday Living
Students compare their perceptions of risk to the perceptions of scientists and risk professionals. in small groups, they evaluate risks on a scale of 1 to 10 for the average American on a yearly basis.
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What's Down There?
Investigate the coral reefs around Mokolai Island, Hawaii by researching and writing about improving the reef ecosystem. Students map threats to the ecosystem and use the list of key words to assist in their descriptions
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Destination Outer Space
Students investigate space travel. In this space travel lesson students examine space exploration history, engineers and scientists involved in space exploration, and Newton's third law of motion. Students make rockets.
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Walter Reed's Yellow Fever Studies
Middle schoolers and high schoolers examine the ethics of using human test subjects in scientific research. They do a simulation which focuses on yellow fever and how human subjects were used to develop a treatment/cure for the disease...
Curated OER
The Debate Over Stem Cell Research
Students complete a variety of activities as they examine the ethical issues behind stem cell research and cloning. They make their own ethical decisions on both subjects.
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Volcano Contour Models Activity
Students experiment with water levels and plastic topographic volcano models to determine the contour lines that would be used to create a topograpohic map of a volcano. They use the traced lines to actually develop the map.
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National Marine Sanctuaries Fish
Information is provided on Gray's Reef, Florida Keys, and Flower Garden Banks marine sanctuaries. Young marine biologists then visit the FishBase and REEF databases to collect fish species information for each location. They then...
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
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
Ecology
Students explore, experience and experiment identifying the human impact on the environment of vegetative differences within the same biome. They assess what causes deserts, rain forests, savannahs, tundras and saguaros and how these...
Curated OER
Who's Range is it?
Students investigate the habits of panthers by analyzing radio transmitted data. In this animal life lesson, students utilize computers to view the range of different statistics dealing with Florida panthers. Students complete a...
Give and Let Live
Blood and Transplant: Blood
Why is blood donation so important, anyway? Science and health classes across multiple grades benefit from an in-depth look into the need for and process of blood donation. With an emphasis on presenting the topic in a non-threatening...
Curated OER
Estimation of Population Growth By Counting Offspring: Seed Multiplication
Students calculate the reproductive rate of a plant that creates multi seed fruits. They graph exponential growth and the complete a series of questions that help them infer that natural selection processes are at work in this population.
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Evolution of Sea Creatures
Young scholars identify and describe the mechanisms of natural selection. They study Cambrian Period animals and discuss adaptations for their specific environment.Students compare and contrast a modern sea animal with the Cambrian era...
Curated OER
Water Quality Assessment
Students evaluate water quality of different sources. In this water assessment lesson students chemical testing, identify biological factors in the stream, and write a paper on their position of the stream's quality.
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Toxicology and Living Systems
Learners investigate how toxic chemicals affect biological systems. They determine the toxic dose of a chemical that inhibits seed germination in a Brassica rapa. They investigate the effect of environmental tobacco smoke on human lung...
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Integrated Pest Management
Young scholars investigate the different methods used in integrated pest management. In this biology lesson, students evaluate experiments and case studies on IPM. They discuss the pros and cons of using this method.
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Dogs & Darwin
Ninth graders construct and conduct a laboratory experiment illustrating the transfer of mutations. They compare and contrast natural selection in organisms with long and short reproductive cycles.
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Hawaiian Hot Spots
Students describe how plate tectonics contribute to the development of volcanoes. In this earth science lesson, students examine the map of Hawaii and explore the physical and biological environment there. They write a story about an...