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Lesson Plan15:27
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

The Making of the Fittest: Evolving Switches, Evolving Bodies

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed Standards
How did the stickleback fish, which was once ocean bound, evolve to be able to persist in freshwater lakes? Hear from the scientists who identified the genes and related switches that allowed these survivors to adapt. In addition to the...
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Worksheet
Wordpress

Darwin’s Natural Selection Case Studies

For Students 7th - 12th
This editable worksheet is set up so that biology pupils read four case studies and identify points that are present in each, such as overproduction, heritable variation, struggle to survive, and differential reproduction. They also...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Allele and Phenotype Frequencies in Rock Pocket Mouse Populations

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
In the deserts of Arizona and New Mexico, some tiny creatures show just how quickly natural selection can turn a mutation into an advantageous adaptation. Watch a video about rock pocket mice, who show that one small change can make all...
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Lesson Plan
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Icefish Adaptations

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
What adaptations exist in order for icefish to survive the subfreezing temperatures of the Antarctic Ocean? Middle and high schoolers can find out through watching a related 13-minute video and performing a simple investigation to...
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PPT
Curated OER

Evidence of Evolution by Natural Selection

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Being able to test a hypothesis is a scientific must. AP Biology pupils can see the process of hypothesis testing through evidence for evolution as seen in natural selection. Slides contain solid information and excerpts from academic...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Week 7: Animal Adaptations - Bird Beaks

For Teachers 4th - 10th
Students use tools to represent bird beaks and pick up different types of food with them in order to discover which beak would help the bird survive depending on their food type.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Variations in Living Things

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Biology beginners observe traits in a collection of plant parts to realize the tremendous amount of genetic variation within a species. They consider rules of nature and discuss what would happen if they changed. They also examine data...
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PPT
Curated OER

Genetics PowerPoint

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
If mom is bald, will her babies be bald? Here is a practical presentation that can answer that question. Viewers can take notes on the difference between dominant and recessive genes, mutations, and heritability. A large portion of the...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

AP: Chapter 22: Descent with Modification

For Students 9th - 12th
After taking in part of Darwin's The Origin of Species, advanced biology learners reiterate its themes and concepts. Also examined are the contributions to the theory of evolution made by Linnaeus, Lamarck, and Wallace. Use this handout...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

The Evidence for Evolution

For Students 9th - 12th
Summarize a unit on evolutionary evidence. Learners recount information about the fossil record, molecular record, homologous structures, convergent evolution. This learning exercise provides plenty of room for students to write out...
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PPT
Curated OER

Science Jeopardy

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Wow! Review an entire semester of biology curriculum playing this Science Jeopardy game! The variety of topics is extremely broad, so you will need to review each question to find if they all apply to your course. As you find material...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Evolution Study Guide

For Students 7th - 10th
Thirty short-answer questions comprise this detailed review of evolution theory. Many of the questions ask scholars to define vocabulary. Because short answers are required, this worksheet will take some time to complete. You could give...
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Lesson Plan
University of Washington

Toothpick Fish

For Teachers 6th - 8th
With colored toothpicks representing genes, youngsters practice passing them through generations of fish and learn about heredity. Consider this as an introductory activity since it does not represent recessive genes with lowercase...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Nowhere to Hide

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine the topic of natural selection. As a class, they write their own definition to survival of the fittest and watch a video. Using the internet, they research how Darwin started to examine this process using finches and how...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Adaptation Worksheet

For Students 9th - 12th
Adaptation or acclimation? Young ecologists determine which is being exemplified in twenty questions. When teaching about adaptations, make sure to talk about acclimation, a short-term learned response to a change in the surroundings....
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Origin of Life: Alternative Views

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students explore the topics of faith and science as they relate to the origins of life. They consider the major points of Darwin's Theory of Evolution and brainstorm various explanations of how life began. Students investigate different...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Genetic Variability

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Using black and white construction paper, evolutionary biologists simulate the classic peppered moth study. They use beans in a frequency and natural selection exercise. Finally, they analyze germinated seeds for variations. All three...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

7th Science Quiz

For Teachers 7th - 8th
This seventh grade life science quiz has a professional appearance and well-written multiple-choice questions. However, it seems to cover too broad a variety of biology topics for only 15 questions to fully assess. There is one question...
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PPT
Curated OER

Primate Evolution

For Teachers 9th - 12th
A short slide show lists the unique adaptations of primates, introduces early primates, and examines hominid evolution. Consider adding some drawings or graphics to enliven the presentation.
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PPT
Curated OER

Science Jeopardy

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Make reviewing evolution, cell division, genetics, cell structure, and scientific method more fun! Science Jeopardy allows teams to choose a category for the question they will address. If you complete the entire game, learners will have...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pre-Activity Worksheet: Natural Selection

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
Although the instructions include reading from a specific textbook, the tasks are appropriate for any unit dealing with how genotype frequency changes over time. Junior biologists define five vocabulary terms and then answer five...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mice Rule!

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Pupils explain what biodiversity is and how adaptive features are maintained in a population.  In this biodiversity lesson students complete a simple activity involving mouse populations.
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PPT
Curated OER

Natural Selection

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Biology learners tackle evolution-related concepts when viewing this collection of slides. There are no graphics or photos, just notes in bullet-point style detailing adaptations, evidence for evolution, mechanisms for change, and types...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Roots: The Ancestry of Modern People

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers investigate the models for the origin of modern humans and the conditions that facilitate speciation and evolution. The classification and nomenclature of hominid species is also examined.