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
Genetics, Genetics, and More Genetics: Exploring Independent Assortment and Non-Mendelian Genetics
Two individuals share 99.9 percent of their genetic codes, yet diversity is observed everywhere. Young scientists learn about diversity through hands-on activities and an experiment. They apply the concepts of independent assortment and...
Science 4 Inquiry
Enzymes in Action
Enzymes play a role in almost every function in the human body. Scholars explore three variables related to the use of enzymes. They observe a catalase reaction, experiment with substrates, and examine reactions rates.
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...
Science 4 Inquiry
A Whole New World: The Search for Water
Scholars find Earth won't support humans much longer and need to identify a planet with water to inhabit. They test four unknown samples and determine which is the closest to water. Then they explain and defend their results.
K20 LEARN
How Does Your Garden Grow?
Seventy thousand different types of soil exist in the United States alone. Young scientists learn about the importance of soil to the food supply. They test soil for a variety of factors and determine the best place to set up a community...
K20 LEARN
From the Dark, Damp Places
Mosses and liverworts lack vascular tissue, unlike other plants. Young scientists learn more about these rootless plants through hands-on dissection and research on their life cycles as they get their hands dirty for a fun science...
K20 LEARN
Beyond the Slinky®, Part 2
Scholars use springs to explore waves and their characteristics. Using data, learners formulate a math problem to investigate velocity, wavelength, and frequency. They will use that same formula to explain examples in nature.
K20 LEARN
Back To The Future
Satellite photographs prove the dramatic changes to the environment over long periods of time. Young scientists observe photographs and make hypotheses. They then check real data on weather and climate patterns to better understand the...
K20 LEARN
As Cold As Ice
Do scientists really change their minds when presented with new evidence? Young scientists learn about two competing theories and must decide between them. They perform a simulation and have access to actual field data. Then, scholars...
K20 LEARN
All Work and No Play
Car crashes provide an excellent way to study kinetic energy transfer. Scholars explore energy through hands-on simulated crashes. They work together to design their own experiments and apply the knowledge gained to a situation that...
K20 LEARN
Aliens: We Come in Peace
Scholars practice opening their minds to observations and make reasonable claims during an out-of-this-world lesson. After group discussions, pupils perform an experiment, relying on their observational skills, and present their findings...
K20 LEARN
Happy, Sad, Sleepy, Mad
Scholars learn not to overreact as they classify chemical reactions. Starting with learning the basics of classification and moving onto applying all of the correct scientific vocabulary, young scientists master chemical reactions. Six...
K20 LEARN
All Charged Up
Most have felt a static electricity shock, but what actually causes it? Scholars observe, develop a hypothesis, experiment, and learn about static electricity. Through multiple short writing samples, they describe static electricity in...
Royal Society of Chemistry
Observing Chemical Changes—Microscale Chemistry
Want to add a wow factor to your current chemical changes lesson plan? Try a microscale experiment with colorful precipitates! Partnered learners conduct 10 single displacement reactions and record their observations.
Royal Society of Chemistry
Equilibria—Gifted and Talented Chemistry
Teaching is a balancing act! Keep things on an even keel with a comprehensive equilibrium lesson plan. The resource covers reversible and irreversible reactions, Le Chatelier's Principle, and the industrial applications of equilibrium...
Cornell University
Hydrophobic Surfaces—Deposition and Analysis
Couches, carpets, and even computer keyboards now advertise they are spill-resistant, but what does that mean? Scholars use physical and chemical methods to coat surfaces with thin films to test their hydrophobic properties. Then they...
California Academy of Science
Color Vision Genetics Evolution Simulation
At one point, all mammals carried only two color receptors, but now most humans carry three. An informative presentation and hands-on activity demonstrate how this evolved through genetics. By participating in the activity, pupils...
Towson University
Looking Into Lactase: Guided Inquiry
Milk does a body good ... unless, of course, someone is lactose intolerant. Pupils play the role of pharmaceutical scientists in a guided inquiry lab about lactase. Lab groups collaborate to learn more about lactose intolerance, how...
Towson University
Berries...With a Side of DNA? (High School)
Is DNA still present after picking fruit or cooking vegetables? Biology scholars extract and collect DNA strands in an impactful lab. Working groups prepare their samples and compare their results to negative and positive standard...
McGraw Hill
Population Biology
The carrying capacity of an environment varies based on the organisms that live there. Using a virtual lab simulation, scholars test two protists living in their own environments and a third environment where both protists live....
University of Minnesota
Blind Spot
Your eyes each work independently, so how do we only see one image? The quick hands-on experiment encourages young scientists to test their blind spots on each eye individually. After learning where the blind spot is and why it exists,...
American Chemical Society
Preparation and Combustion of Biodiesel
The United States is the world's largest producer of biofuel. During an in-class investigation, young scientists produce their own biodiesel. They burn a sample of it to determine the heat of combustion. Then they discuss the...