Howard Hughes Medical Institute
A Lesson on the Nature of Science
If you are looking for a great way to present natural selection in humans, look no further. This handout is intended to accompany the 14-minute video The Making of the Fittest: Natural Selection in Humans, which can be found on the...
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Stem Cell Differentiation Game Questions
Thirty-five multiple-choice questions are spread out into boxes bordered with dotted lines so that they can be cut out to become game cards. Playing a game to review concepts is an effective way to learn, even if you are in college. Give...
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Genetically-Modified Food
Students investigate the pros and cons of genetic engineering. They watch a short Bill Moyers video, conduct Internet research, create a poster, participate in a pro/con debate, and write an essay expressing their personal feelings on...
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Survival of the Fittest – Battling Beetles
Students explore natural selection. For this genetic adaptation lesson, students discover why certain traits continue and some traits disappear. Students discover how species evolve and change. Resources are provided.
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Nowhere to Hide
Young scholars 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...
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Sun and Skin
Students work in small groups researching different aspects of the sun and skin. The groups summarize and answer questions about the material in a presentation to the class.
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Lesson 10: Karyotypes
Learners predict traits of future offspring. In this biology lesson, students study karyotyping to predict genetic disorders. They research an assigned karyotype and present information about it.
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Genetically Modified Food (GMF)
Explore genetically modified foods through various experiments. In this biology instructional activity, students discuss the safety issues related to GMF's. They conduct a PCR analysis to identify the presence of genetic modification.
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Where Are the Dinosaurs?
Students create a dinosaur egg with balloons and newspaper. In this earth science instructional activity, students explore the extinction of dinosaurs. Students view a web clip and relate it to the extinction of animals they have never...
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Experimentation with Teratogens on Zebrafish
Students compare mitosis and meiosis with regard to chromosome number in parent cells versus daughter cells, types of cells produced, total number of cells produced, and the number of divisions. In groups, identify and differentiate the...
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Ecology and Evolution
Students identify the different taxonomic classifications of organisms. For this biology lesson, students create their own organisms and make some changes according to environmental conditions. They present their work in class.
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Creating the "Perfect" Horse
Students examine the relationship between a horse and its rider. In this behavior and interactions lesson students research the Internet to learn about horse behavior and biology then write a paper and present it to the class.
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Translating Genetic Information
High schoolers explore the process of translation. They determine the correct sequencing and present their strands to the class. In addition, they compare normal red blood cells to sickle cells and complete discussion questions.
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Not Just a Bag of Beans
Young scholars determine the types of natural selection and variation that exists in a population, using beans.
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Mammals: Mammals and Their Ways
Students study the difference between innate and learned behaviors. They observe the adaptations and behaviors of mammals in this series of lessons.
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Transcription, Translation, and the Genetics of Microbes
Students construct various virus models using Fruit loops and Alphabits to represent nucleotides and molecules. They constructs capsomeres using shoes as the capsomeres and discuss various viruses.
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Chromosomes
Students explore genetics, chromosomes and DNA. In this genetics lesson students design a chromosome and identify a family tree through genetics.
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Cancer as a Multistep Process
Students analyze the causes of cancer from a genetic standpoint. They explain the increase in cancer with age and create a hypothesis for cancer development. They use the laws of probability as well.
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Establishing Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium
High schoolers study how Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium was established and what assumptions and conditions are necessary to reach Equilibrium. They record class data on their charts. Frequencies are calculated.
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Who Owns Rights to Pharmacogenetic Information?
Students develop an understanding of the rationale of ownership over scientific information. They research commercial applications of DNA sequences. They analyze how to evaluate medical ethics issues.
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Superbugs: An Evolving Concern
Students investigate the growth of bacteria in the presence of antibiotics. They write a hypothesis, conduct an experiment to test their hypothesis, analyze the results of their bacterial growth experiment, and describe the results on a...
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Biology Honors Final Project
Tenth graders work on a project about cellular biology and genetics. In this biology instructional activity, 10th graders research about the assigned human body system and genetic disorders that affect it. They create a multimedia...
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Creating the "Perfect" Horse
Students examine horse biology and breeds while investigate the relationship between horses and riders. They research and analyze information found online in order to determine how to produce an all-purpose horse. They write position...
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Superbugs and Antibiotic Resistance
Students complete experiments on antibiotics and antimicrobials. In groups, they explain how antibiotics affect the evolution of microorganisms. They test various types of bacteria to discover how much resistance they have to antibiotics.