Columbus City Schools
Changes All Around Us
Whoa! What just happened? That's right, change is everywhere. But what exactly is changing? Middle school science sleuths get to the bottom of the changes matter can experience. Through simple demonstrations, engaging videos, and an...
Curated OER
Chlorophyll
Students explain the importance of chlorophyll in plants. In this biology lesson, students extract chlorophyll from different plant sources using chromatography. They discover the different factors needed for photosynthesis to take place.
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Stomata: Microscopic Openings that Let Plants Breathe
Students participate in a lab experiment to observe and measure the opening and closing of stomata. They focus on photoperiod, locate and identify stomata on a leaf and explain the role of stomata in the daily functioning of a plant.
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Mighty Oaks from Little Acorns
What does it mean to grow? To germinate? For the plan detailed here, class members investigate the growth process of an oak tree while focusing on the beginning stages of planting and germination. They plant seeds and record observations...
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Glucose
High schoolers conduct various experiments on glucose. For this biology lesson, students differentiate the process of diffusion and osmosis. They test different foods for the presence of glucose and starch.
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Monitoring Oxygen Level
Students measure oxygen percentages in room air and air exhaled after they perform various activities. They explore various websites, and record and analyze the data from the experiments.
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Harvesting Energy from Food: How do Plants Help Humans?
Beginning botanists view slides of plant vascular tissue. They watch Magic School Bus Gets Planted, which you can find online, and then write a summary of what they have learned about plants. This lesson could be used with upper...
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Life In Extreme Environments
Learners work together to design and participate in experiments to determine the rate rotifers eat. After completing their experiments, they record and analyze their data and identify any challenges faced during the procedure. They...
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Mussel Ecology
Students are introduced to the marine environment of the mussel. The emphasis of the instructional activity is upon what human factors are present to influence the environment in positive and negative ways. They brainstorm in groups in...
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Plant Transpiration
Young scholars conduct various experiments to investigate plant transpiration. For this biology lesson, students explain how this process helps maintain the hydrologic cycle. They measure the rate of water loss in plants using a potometer.
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Color Change in Leaves
Students identify the different leaf pigments and colors. In this biology lesson, students perform chromatography to separate them. They explain how light affects green leaf colors and causes falling leaves in autumn.
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Plankton / Phytoplankton
Students discuss the importance of plankton in the ocean ecosystem. In this biology lesson, students identify the different types plankton by observing them under the microscope. They explain how plankton population affect global climate.
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Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) Separation of Plant Pigments - Chlorophyll, Carotene
Students use TLC separations to identify various substances. For this chlorophyll lesson students separate pigments found in different plants.
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Coral Reefs
Students research coral reefs and identify their benefits to humans, threats to the reef, how to reduce and eliminate threats, and more. In this coral reef lesson plan, students research the reefs, and take a field trip to an aquarium.
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Carbon Dioxide
Learners conduct a series of experiments to explore carbon dioxide properties. In this chemistry lesson, students explain the production and uses of this gas. They measure its amount in soda and waste product of yeast.
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Carbon Dioxide Heats It Up
Students design an investigation to test whether vegetation in an area helps regulate the ambient air temperature. They make comparisons between the investigation and global changes in climate. In groups, they present their findings to...
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Introduction to Dissolved Oxygen and Demonstration of a Simple Test Procedure
Students explain the importance of dissolved oxygen in water ecosystems. They describe the aquatic oxygen cycle and the effect of water pollution on oxygen. They make observations, collect data and draw a conclusion.
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Mycorrhiza
Students examine the symbiotic relationship between fungus and plants. For this ecosystem lesson students complete several mycorrhiza experiments.
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Algae Experiments
Students describe the characteristics of algae. In this biology lesson, students perform a series of experiment to explore algae. They investigate the basic things algae need to survive.
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Mold
Students explore mold, the different types and the health risks that they pose. In this mycelium lesson students grow different molds and see which type of foods mold the fastest.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Discovering What Plants Need for Photosynthesis
This activity will be used prior to any direct instruction for photosynthesis. In this inquiry lab, students design and conduct simple experiments using elodea and Bromthymol blue to determine whether plants consume or release carbon...
Center for Innovation in Engineering and Science Education, Stevens Institute of Technology
Ciese: Carbon Imbalance: Algae to the Rescue? [Pdf]
A 95-page learning module that integrates biology, chemistry, and engineering. It includes in-class labs, virtual labs, and engineering design activities. Working with algae, students learn about and investigate how photosynthesis,...
Climate Literacy
Clean: Carbon Dioxide Sources and Sinks
In this lab activity, students use a chemical indicator (bromothymol blue) to detect the presence of carbon dioxide in animal and plant respiration and in the burning of fossil fuels and its absence in the products of plant...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating an Inquiry Approach to Germination Growth in Plants
In this lab, students investigate the effects of a variable on the germination of a small plant. They will compare the growth of their variable to a control then write a lab report to report their findings.