Cornell University
The Making of Macromolecules
Compare and contrast macromolecules made from the same elements. Young scholars learn how the structure of a molecule has as much influence on a compound as the elements in the molecule. They experiment with molecular model kits to...
Cornell University
Renewable Resins and Composites
Merge chemistry with environmental science to study biodegradable materials. An engaging activity allows learners to experiment with different resin concentrations and composites. Through experimental tests, scholars test their creations...
Cornell University
Who’s Got The Flu?
Become an immunologist for the day. Scholars elicit the use of the enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA) to diagnose an infectious disease. Through the process, they learn about the immune system response to infectious diseases.
Cornell University
Thinking with the Eyes
Objects are larger (or smaller) than they appear! Scholars use a laboratory investigation to explore the difference between resolution and magnification. The activity allows them to calculate the size of the field of view of their light...
Shodor Education Foundation
Spread of Disease
Control the spread of a contagious disease. An applet allows pupils to run a simulation on the spread of a disease. Rules govern how the disease is spread and the length of time it takes to recover. Learners view the spread visually and...
Shodor Education Foundation
Rabbits and Wolves
A change in a parameter can end in overpopulation. The resources gives pupils the opportunity to control the parameters of rabbits and wolves in a natural setting. Using the set parameters, the simulation runs and displays the population...
Centers for Ocean Sciences
Ocean and Great Lakes Literacy: Principle 7
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to take your class on an underwater adventure. The final installment in a seven-part series involving salt and freshwater bodies takes junior oceanographers below the surface in...
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...
Biology Junction
Nonvascular and Simple Vascular Plants: Mosses to Ferns
Sometimes conservationists use specific plants to prevent erosion or fight invasive species. A 50-slide presentation covers both nonvascular and vascular plants. It discusses the plants, their stages and life cycles, reproduction, uses,...
University of Minnesota
Homeostasis of Thermoregulation
Whether you're battling the flu or trying to warm up on a chilly day, your body's ability to react to temperature change is fascinating! Anatomy scholars discover the fantastic feedback loops that control body temperature in a rigorous...
PBS
Stories of Painkiller Addiction: Commitment to Recovery
Recovery from substance addiction is an ongoing process. The final lesson plan in a series about painkiller abuse and addiction prompts learners to research various recovery options before writing a short story about a character who is...
PBS
Stories of Painkiller Addiction: Decisions and Consequences
Teach young learners that most drug addictions end in one of three outcomes: treatment, jail, or death. After watching a short video segment on the consequences of drug abuse, class members discuss what they viewed and consider what...
PBS
Stories of Painkiller Addiction: The Brain on Autopilot
For some people, the force of addiction can be as biologically compelling as the drive for food or water. High schoolers watch a video segment about Ryan, a recovering addict, and learn more about how opioids and other drugs can affect...
PBS
Stories of Painkiller Addiction: Prescription Drug Abuse Awareness Campaign
The I-STOP law was designed to regulate the distribution and tracking of prescription drugs. After reading an article about its signing and implementation, middle and high schoolers work together to come up with their own ideas for an...
PBS
Stories of Painkiller Addiction: Contemplating Nature vs. Nurture
Does having an addict in your family make it more likely to become one yourself? Explore the genetic risk factors, as well as the prominent environmental influences, for substance addiction in a instructional activity that encourages...
Concord Consortium
Polymers and Monomers
You don't want to break these chains! Show young chemists and biologists the basics of polymerization with a simple interactive. The resource gives learners three types of polymers to experiment with, as well as a brief tutorial about...
Concord Consortium
Exploring Hydrophobic Core
How do the hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions of a protein affect its shape? Science scholars explore the molecular properties of protein molecules using a detailed interactive. The resource allows the user to rotate the protein, view...
Concord Consortium
Exploring Protein 3D Structure
Presenting protein structure can be difficult! Take young biologists on a 3-D amino acid adventure with a detailed interactive. Pupils view and manipulate common amino acids individually or as a part of a whole protein. Choose from three...
Concord Consortium
3D Exploration of Bound Antibody and Antigen
Our body manufactures antibodies that are the exact shape for the antigens it encounters. The simulation shows a 3-D model of an antibody and antigen pairing. It allows young scientists to explore the complementary shapes.
Concord Consortium
Protein Folding Exploring
The potential energy of peptides varies over time as they fold. An exploratory simulation encourages pupils to play with various strands of amino acids to observe the folding and potential energy levels. Young scientists generate all...
Concord Consortium
Protein Folding
Long strings of amino acids fold themselves into stable peptides. The simulation allows scholars to observe the process in multiple ways. Using hydrophobic, hydrophilic, or a combination of proteins in three different solutions, the...
Concord Consortium
DNA: The Double Helix
Picture a double helix as a twisted ladder. Scholars see this image through a simulation that allows young scientists to observe a small fragment of DNA in many different formats. They compare the models, colors, bonds, and strands as...
Concord Consortium
Mutations
Are some mutations more damaging than others? An engaging simulation encourages scholars to alter DNA through insertion, deletion, and substitution. It then forms resulting amino acids—or not—and the resulting protein—or not—depending on...
Concord Consortium
Modeling Transcription
Transcription makes copies of the instructions inside all living things. Scholars use the simulation to separate DNA and transcribe the RNA. They see a demonstration of the nucleotide pairings as well as the start and stop instructions.