Curated OER
Physiological Adaptations
Students investigate the concepts of genetics and how it is tied to the variations found within different species and how it is tied to adaptations. They review the theory of evolution and factors found to help create variation. The...
Curated OER
The Chemistry of Life
In this chemistry of life learning exercise, students will review key terms of plant cell structure and chemistry by reading 13 clues to complete the puzzle. Word bank is included.
Curated OER
Controlling the Code: Molecules at Work
In this DNA worksheet, students access a website to learn about how single-celled organisms function successfully. Then students pretend they are a bacterium and determine how to transport lactose across their cell membrane for food....
Curated OER
Staying Young with Vitamin E
Investigate how Vitamin E is used to prevent cell aging. Young scientists coat the surface of apples and bananas with oil, Vitamin E, and water. They place each in a petri dish and cover them to observe oxidation over time. They answer 8...
Curated OER
Animals of the Fire Ice
Students examine ocean life by identifying methane hydrates. In this ocean life lesson plan, students research organisms that live in the coldest, deepest parts of the ocean and live off methane hydrates. Students create a group...
Curated OER
Energy and Life
This two-page quiz mostly covers ATP, but touches on autotrophs and heterotrophs, as well. Learners show what they know through multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, and short-answer questions.
Curated OER
Chemical Equations and Reactions
Graphic organizers, photos, diagrams, and text bring the world of chemical reactions to life. By viewing this presentation, young chemists learn how to recognize when a chemical reaction has occurred, and how to balance chemical...
Curated OER
Ecology
In this ecology activity learners complete a crossword puzzle that incorporates all of the ecological vocabulary in the word puzzle.
Curated OER
What Are Cells?
Energize the cells of young biologists with an edible life science activity. Engaging students in exploring the inner workings of plant and animal cells, this activity involves using colored jello and various sweet and tasty treats to...
Serendip
Soap Opera Genetics – Genetics to Resolve Family Arguments
Did she cheat on her husband? Did the hospital switch the babies? Should they have children? As much as this sounds like the plot for a soap opera, all of these questions fit into a single instructional activity on genetics. Scholars...
Kenan Fellows
Unit 2: DNA Analysis
Ever wonder how they solve those mysterious murders in TV crime dramas? The second of four units in a Biotechnology series introduces scholars to the many methods of DNA analysis. Pupils create and run their own gel electrophoresis...
Curated OER
Photosynthesis
In this biology worksheet, students explain where the energy of food originally came from. Then the explain one of the principal chemical compounds that living things use to store energy. Students also describe how ATP and ADP differ and...
Curated OER
Plankton / Phytoplankton
Young scholars 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...
Curated OER
Photosynthesis
Fifth graders work in small groups to brainstorm responses to a problem related to some disaster that wipes out half or all plant life on earth. Groups complete a graphic organizer to compare and contrast their ideas. Students select...
Cornell University
Bacteria Take Over and Down
Bacteria outnumber all other forms of life on Earth. Scholars observe the growth of bacteria in petri dishes to understand their role in maintaining good health. Then, they observe the growth of bacteria after they introduce...
Curated OER
Structure and Function of the Cell/Introduction to the Cell
So, this is not technically a worksheet, but rather a chapter of reading material, pictures, and diagrams introducing young biologists to the cell. Cell theory, diversity, size, and shape are described. The internal organization and...
Curated OER
Regulating the Internal Environment
This presentation begins with the many problems multicellular organisms which rely on diffusion encounter. There are many diagrams of mammalian organ structures, and they are labelled with their relevant functions. This an excellent...
K12 Reader
What’s in Your Cells?
Organelles, cellular respiration, ATP, and DNA. The passage attached to this life science reading comprehension instructional activity is all about cells. After reading about diffusion and osmosis, kids answer a series of questions based...
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
Biology Reference Sheet
First year life science or biology pupils will appreciate this all-inclusive reference page. It provides a diagram of both a plant and an animal cell, the metric system prefixes, classification levels, definitions for cell processes, the...
Serendip
DNA
Get up close and personal with DNA! A two-part hands-on activity has learners extract DNA from a small organism and then their own cheek cells. Scholars then explore DNA replication using questions to guide their analyses.
Curated OER
Biotechnology
The metaphors used here to describe the "cut and paste" procedures for genetic engineering will really help your biologists in their understanding of restriction enzymes and DNA. The uses of genes that are isolated and incorporated into...
NOAA
The Biogeochemical Cycle
The biogeochemical cycle ... no physics? The fourth installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography (NEMO) program introduces the biogeochemical cycle by having pupils simulate movement between Earth's...
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Development Balances Cell Growth and Death
Cells demonstrate a life cycle like other living things, but what if death was no longer part of the cycle? Learn about the important balance requiring death to continue functioning. An online interactive introduces a group of scientists...
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Some Viruses Store Genetic Information in RNA
Can a high school program alter the entire course of your life? David Baltimore and Howard Temin participated in high school programs working in research laboratories and went on to win the 1975 Nobel Prize. Learn about these two...