Curated OER
What is the Rock Cycle and Its Processes?
Geology beginners examine three different rock samples and determine their origin by their characteristics. By making and recording observations, they become familiar with features of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rock types....
Curated OER
Commercial Surrogacy: Questions & Considerations of Parties with Vested Interests
Teenagers explore the topic of surrogate motherhood. They examine the technology involved, types of surrogacy, interested groups, and current laws. Each collaborative group is assigned an interest group. They work together to develop...
Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI)
DNA Extraction
What does your DNA actually look like? Use simple materials with this experiment to find out! Geneticists of all ages can follow these instructions to extract their own DNA. For learners who are hoping to extend the activity, there are...
Curated OER
Temperature and the Tomato
You will need a photovoltaic system and monitor at your school in order to obtain all of the data required to thoroughly implement this instructional activity. Your class monitors daily temperature and insolation amounts over a two week...
Curated OER
Genetic Engineering: Friend or Foe?
Students brainstorm and discuss ways genes can be altered, transferred and cloned. They will complete a subject sampler, opinion paper and prepare to debate their opinion on genetic engineering.
Curated OER
"If you build it..."
Students utilize prior knowledge to erect and assemble a building from a drawing using spaghetti noodles and marshmallows. In this building lesson, students visualize a three dimensional structure from looking at a picture and converting...
Curated OER
Shake, Rattle, and Roll
Students make an earthquake simulator and test their structure to see if it lasts through the earthquake. In this earthquake lesson plan, students make a structure and test and record the results from an earthquake simulator made out of...
Curated OER
Crafting a Fair Climate Agreement
Evaluate the effectiveness of Kyoto Protocol in addressing the issue of global warming. For this global warming lesson, learners compare the pros and cons of the cap-and-trade system versus a carbon tax, as well as other possible...
Curated OER
Introducing Ideas about Inheritance
Is it nature or nurture? In an easily adaptable kinesthetic activity to introduce genetics, learners group themselves based on a variety of categories. They will quickly find that some characteristics are easy to put in order, while...
Personal Genetics Education Project
Genetics, history and the American Eugenics Movement
A poignant 20-slide show introduces high schoolers to the amazing accomplishments of genomics and raises the question of eugenics. This lesson is only for mature audiences, as it deals with rape and other sensitive topics, but it is...
Curated OER
Bioethics and the HGP
Young scholars analyze case studies using the rules and principles of ethics. They comprehend which rules and principles of theics are of great importance to the Human Genome Project. Students participate in mock student hearings.
Curated OER
What Kind Of Research Should Our Government Support?
Young scholars are assigned to research review groups, which have to decide which of the proposals to fund. The teacher then leads a discussion focusing on the ethical issues raised in the reasons given for each group's decisions.
Curated OER
Socioeconomic Implications of Fetal Transplantation An Exercise in Bioethics
Students explore ethical problems. In groups, students examine and study a given ethical problem. They practice techniques for making ethical decisions and interact with each other in the resolution. Students support their decision...
Curated OER
Alderwood Manor: A Sequential Inquiry in Environmental Bioethics
Learners explore bioethics. They discuss the traditional ethics of human conduct and man's relationship with nature. Students identify ethical dilemmas. They discuss ramifications of economic and ecological concerns with bioethics.
Curated OER
Excavation Dig
Students engage in a role-play of a dinosaur excavation dig. They dig through sand to locate buried bones and then discuss the ethics of destroying buildings and other property to get at the fossil remains.
Curated OER
Genome: The Secret of How Life Works
Young scholars become aware that genetic issues impact many areas of life, such as medicine, food and agriculture, and law. They become aware that there are many ethical issues related to genetics.
Curated OER
Genetic Counseling
Students apply the principles of ethical decision making to actual cases. They appreciate that there is usually no one "right" decision. Students compare their conclusions to those of individuals who are in the field.
Curated OER
Case Study: Should the Results of the Human Genome Project be Sold for Profit?
Students investigate a case study and discuss whether scientists working on the Human Genome Project should be allowed to patent their work. They consider ethical and legal issues, and determine who owns genetic information.
Curated OER
"Perspectives on Animals"
Students become aware of society;s use of animals. They cover the concepts of ethics, and humane education. Students view chicken photos, an informative video, and encounter a list of companies that do and a list that don't test on animals.
Curated OER
Why Care About Amphibian Population Decline and Malformations?
Students examine the reasons for preserving wildlife. They look at reasons for amphibian malformations and write an essay about the ethical issues that this brings up. They listen to the teacher read quotes about extinction and how the...
Curated OER
The Secrets of the Sequence
High schoolers explore genetics using a series of selected videos. In this biology lesson series, students study the different advances in life sciences. They research the pros and cons of genetic research.
Curated OER
Women in Medicine: Past and Future
Students explore the scientific enterprise in relation to the role of women in science as it has developed over the last 150 years.
Curated OER
Women in Medicine: Past and Future
Young scholars explore scientific enterprise in relation to the role of women in science as it has developed over the past 150 years. They compare the careers of two women, 100 years apart.
Curated OER
STS Biology - Teaching Controversial Topics
Each of the three activities submitted presents difficult science topics in the context of the human experience. The activities focus on real-world problems, which have science components, from the students' perspectives.