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Unit Plan
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Curated OER

Artificial Selection

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
The second lesson in the series begins with a starter activity discussing wild versus domesticated animals. Then, scholars play a card game, with optional variations, to emphasize artificial selection. Next, they attend a field trip to a...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Effect of Natural Selection on Genes, Traits and Individuals

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Rotating through five stations, evolutionary biologists explore the question of how changes in DNA facilitate the changes in a population over time. High-quality, colorful cards of animals, skeletons, skulls, and DNA sequences can all be...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Regents High School Examination: Living Environment 2009

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Emerging ecologists need a full understanding of life, from the inner workings of a cell to the complex relationships among organisms. This examination is meant to assess high schoolers after an entire year course on the living...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Regents High School Examination: Living Environment 2007

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Environmental science enthusiasts show what they know at the end of the year by taking this full-fledged final exam. They answer multiple choice, graph interpretation, and essay analysys questions, 73 of them in all. Topics range from...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Genetic Variation Worksheet

For Students 9th - 12th
Fill- in-the-blank, labeling, and short answer questions make up this well-written cell division worksheet. Neat diagrams of chromosomes and dividing cells are included. Junior biologists show what they know about reproduction, meiosis,...
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Website
American Museum of Natural History

All About Horses

For Students 6th - 12th
Horses come in all shapes and sizes, but all belong to the same species. Young scholars explore the different traits and connect the information to genetic modification. The interactive gives them the option to read about 18 different...
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Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Color Variation Over Time in Rock Pocket Mouse Populations

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Simple characteristic changes can have a significant impact on species survival. A hands-on activity has learners investigate the color variation in pocket mouse populations in different environments. They connect the timing and number...
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Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Color Variation Over Time in Rock Pocket Mouse Populations

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
While many mutations are neutral, those that appear advantageous increase in frequency in a population. Scholars use illustrations to make predictions about populations of mice. They follow it up with a video to confirm or refute their...
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Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Molecular Genetics of Color Mutations in Rock Pocket Mice

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Can you identify mutations just by viewing DNA sequences? Scholars apply prior knowledge of DNA sequences to do just that in an engaging activity. They transcribe and translate genes, thus identifying the locations of mutations. Then,...
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Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Biochemistry and Cell Signaling Pathway of the Mc1r Gene

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
How do mice have so much fur color variation over generations? Scholars illustrate protein structures based on amino acid sequences. Then, they analyze the signaling pathway in different-colored mice populations. This allows them to...
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Interactive
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

Evolution Begins with the Inheritance of Gene Variations

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Connect Mendelian genetics with Darwinian theories. An interactive lesson lets pupils explore how George Shull used research from other scientists to explore genetic variation. The resource outlines the statistical analysis of genetic...
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Interactive
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

Genetic Inheritance Follows Rules

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Rules are not meant to be broken in genetics. Scholars learn to build Punnett squares to track the inheritance of dominant and recessive traits in an interactive animation activity. Online questions help individuals reflect on their...
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Interactive
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

Some Genes Are Dominant

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Dominate a lesson on genetic traits. Young scholars learn about the difference between dominant and recessive traits with an interactive lesson. An animation demonstrates Mendel's work on the inheritance of traits, and interactive...
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Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Reading Primary Sources: Darwin and Wallace

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Take your classes back in time. Learners read real historical texts from both Darwin and Wallace as well as an announcement of their findings. Using guiding questions, they make inferences and draw conclusions from the information in the...
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Unit Plan
Kenan Fellows

Unit 3: Genetic Variation

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
What happens when genes change? Junior genetic investigators examine the effects of mutation in the third unit of a four-part Biotechnology series. Individuals discover the types of mutations through a series of PowerPoints, then partner...
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Interactive
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Structure and Function of Telomeres

For Students 9th - 12th
Curing cancer or finding the fountain of youth—the answer may be understanding the structure and function of telomeres. The relationship of telomeres to both aging and cancer have triggered aggressive research. A thorough lesson...
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Interactive
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

RNA Interference

For Students 9th - 12th
A classic experiment that stumped scientists for years grabs the attention of young scholars. A slideshow presentation explains the experimental discovery of RNA interface. The lesson goes on to explain in detail the function of RNA...
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Interactive
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

RNA Diversity

For Students 9th - 12th
Messenger RNA, transfer RNA, and ribozymes ... the many faces of RNA. The structure of RNA makes it much more versatile than the very similar DNA. Learners view a slideshow presentation to learn all about the different forms and...
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Interactive
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Using DNA to Trace Human Migration

For Students 9th - 12th
Can scientists trace all humans back to a small region in Africa? An intriguing lesson turns back time to reveal artifacts leading scientists to believe human life originated in Africa and dispersed from there.
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Interactive
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Recent Adaptations in Humans

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
You've probably spent plenty of time discussing animal adaptations with your young biologists, but what about human adaptations? Explore the evolving traits of humankind through an interactive that combines text and video clips. Scholars...
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Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Lactase Persistence: Evidence for Selection

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
What's the link between lactase persistence and dairy farming? Biology scholars analyze data to find evidence of the connection, then relate this to human adaptation. Working individually and in small groups, learners view short video...
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Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Developing an Explanation for Mouse Fur Color

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Whether or not you think mice are nice, you'll love the colorful activity! Scholars examine evidence for evolution in the rock pocket mouse through video, discussion, and collaborative work. Learners watch a video regarding variation in...
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Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Stalking the Genetic Basis of a Trait

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Need an a-maize-ing lesson to show your class how regulatory genes work? If you use the well-written resource, they'll be all ears! Biology scholars discover the gene responsible for the evolution of the modern-day corn plant through a...
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Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Understanding Variation

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed Standards
Does where we live influence how our bodies express genetic traits? Explore variation in human skin color with an activity that incorporate video and hands-on learning. Individuals model the relationship between phenotypes and genotypes,...