Rice University
Biology for AP® Courses
An eight-unit electronic textbook provides a guide to AP® Biology. Each of the 28 chapters include an introduction, multiple lessons, a summary, review questions, and test prep questions. Teachers see how each lesson connects to a big...
Mascil Project
Sports Physiology and Statistics
If I want to build up my heart, where should I start? Science scholars use statistics in a sports physiology setting during an insightful experiment. Groups measure resting and active heart rates and develop a scatter plot that shows the...
Science 4 Inquiry
Plant Structures Lab Stations
In China, hibiscus is known as the shoe flower because it is used to polish shoes, while in Hawaii, it is honored as the state flower. Young scientists learn about the structure and function of flowers. They dissect hibiscus flowers,...
Science 4 Inquiry
The Last Supper: Identifying Macromolecules
Why do medical examiners always state the contents of a person's stomach? Scholars learn about the importance of macromolecules through a case study of stomach contents. They perform multiple tests to determine a conclusion before they...
Science 4 Inquiry
"Something Old, Something New..."
Young scientists learn about DNA replication through a video and model creation. They answer analysis questions before exploring the role of mutations and then complete a summative assessment.
Science 4 Inquiry
Do You See What I See?
In only nine months, a small group of cells grows into a fully developed baby. Pupils learn about the development of an embryo to a fetus to a baby. They identify each step of weekly development. Young scientists look at ultrasounds to...
Scholastic
Recovery From Drug Addiction
Are there factors that put some individuals at a higher risk for drug addiction than others? Learn more about the risk factors that may make some people more susceptible to addiction, as well as protective factors that help prevent...
Scholastic
Prescription Pain Medication: What You Need to Know
The national epidemic of opioid addiction is making its way into high school populations. Educate the students in your class about the ways prescription opioids can both block pain and deliver large amounts of dopamine that make it very...
University of Minnesota
Mirroring Emotions
Do you ever give your class the "teacher look"? Without saying a word, they become silent and engaged (hopefully). How do they know what you're thinking? Explore the concept of nonverbal communication and how it relates to our mirror...
Rochester Institute of Technology
Artificial Lung and Diaphragm
She had a terribly busy day converting oxygen into carbon dioxide; now she just needs a moment to breathe. In the activity, scholars review the function of the respiratory system and discuss bioengineering's role in medicine/health and...
Virginia Department of Education
Prokaryotes
Lead your biology class on a cell-sized adventure! Emerging scientists construct models of prokaryotes, then design an experiment to properly grow a bacterial culture. They conclude the activity by viewing the culture under a microscope....
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
The Making of the Fittest: The Birth and Death of Genes
After watching an engaging 13-minute video about the colorless blood of icefish, future ichthyologists examine icefish blood and non-icefish blood (blood samples are simulated with Karo syrup mixtures) to determine advantages of...
University of Minnesota
Bead Neuron
What do you call a skull without neurons? A no-brainer! A hands-on activity asks scholars to build a model of a neuron using beads. They use their models to study the parts of the neuron and their functions.
Curated OER
Open Inquiry Using C. elegans
Ever wondered what motivates a roundworm? Introduce your biology class to C. elegans, a non-parasitic model organism that can help them understand behavioral stimuli. Paired pupils design an experiment to test the worm's reaction to...
Curated OER
Go Fish!
So much science in one tiny fish! Introduce young biologists to the zebrafish, a common aquarium inhabitant. The small, unassuming organism presents an opportunity for learners to study habituation using an easy-to-care-for species. Lab...
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...
K20 LEARN
Shanking A Shark: Shark Dissection
Sharks are so cool, they have their own week! Take young zoologists on a journey into one of the most amazing creatures on the planet. A lesson plan the from K20 Center engages them in a full dissection. After the lab, participants...
K20 LEARN
Speedy Cat: Enzymes
Enzymes have a need for speed! What happens when they are forced to slow down? A well-rounded lesson plan from the K20 Center examines enzyme activity through role playing and a lab. Biology scholars work in teams and pairs to understand...
Exploratorium
Antibody Attack - Discover How Antibodies Launch Attacks on Invaders
Jump into the action and help antibodies defend against an antigen attack! Investigators match antibodies with antigens to model the body's identification and recall of specific pathogens. Young biologists also recognize that each...
Exploratorium
Skin Shield - Explore the Body’s First Line of Defense Against Pathogens
Make pathogens and the body's defense systems come alive for young biologists in a hands-on activity. Investigators model the skin's protection against infection by observing and comparing changes in a punctured tomato and an intact...
Exploratorium
Life Size - Explore the Size and Scale of Microscopic Biology
Compare sizes of microscopic items. Given a set of labels of microscopic objects, pupils try to place them in order from smallest to largest. Scholars then compare their lists to the actual comparisons along with the measurements of the...
Exploratorium
Cellular Soap Opera - Soap Films Can Behave Like Membranes
Soap, suds, and cell membranes. Pupils create a model of a cell membrane by using soap films. They experiment with trying to pass different objects through the film without popping it. Using a tube, they create a passageway through the...
Exploratorium
Viral Packaging
Create a protective protein shell as a package. Using the included template, pupils tape together 20 triangles to create a 20-sided shape to represent the protective shell of a virus. The model of the protein shell incases the nucleic...
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Animal Research and Vaccines
Animals save lives. In small groups pupils research the role of animals in the development of vaccines. Each team investigates one disease to find out how the vaccine was developed and how animals played a role n the research. Groups...