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Lesson Plan
California Academy of Science

Human Evolution

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
As the great and hilarious Tim Minchin once said, "Science is simply the word we use to describe a method of organizing our curiosity." Science is more than just a guess; it is based on questions, observations, and evidence. High...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Human Origins: The Prehistoric Human Race

For Teachers 9th - 12th
When it comes to the origin of the human species young scholars are full of misconceptions. Clear up the hominid confusion with this evolutionary activity focused on assisting students in understanding prehistoric man and his family...
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Lesson Plan
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Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Got Lactase? The Co-Evolution of Genes and Culture

For Teachers 8th - 12th Standards
Does the human body evolve as quickly as human culture? With a stellar 15-minute video, explore the trait of lactose intolerance. Only about 1/3 of human adults seem to still have the enzyme lactase and therefore, the ability to digest...
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Lesson Plan
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Human Feet Are Strange

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Feet are neat! So, if you've already walked the path of examining animal footprints with your class, put them in the shoes of early humans! A well-designed lesson incorporates video, discussion, and hands-on learning to demonstrate how...
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Lesson Plan14:52
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Howard Hughes Medical Institute

The Making of the Fittest: Got Lactase? The Co-evolution of Genes and Culture

For Teachers 8th - Higher Ed Standards
Got milk? Only two cultures have had it long enough to develop the tolerance of lactose as an adult. Learn how the responsible genes evolved along with the cultures that have been consuming milk. This rich film is supplied with a few...
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Lesson Plan
ARKive

Primate Evolution- Family Ties

For Teachers 7th - 12th
If humans evolved from apes, why are there still apes? Using captivating pictures and videos of our primate cousins, young biologists examine evidence to dispel one of the most common misconceptions about human evolution. Depending on...
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Lesson Plan14:03
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

The Making of the Fittest: Natural Selection in Humans

For Teachers 8th - Higher Ed Standards
Sickle cell disease only occurs when both parents contribute the trait, and mostly in those of African descent. Where did it come from? How did it evolve? Tony Allison, a molecular biologist, noticed a connection between sickle cell and...
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Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Lactose Intolerance: Fact or Fiction

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Around the world, about 2/3 of adult humans are lactose intolerant. Scholars work in small groups to discuss a few statements about lactose intolerance. Then, they watch a video on the topic and readdress each statement. Whole-class...
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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

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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Lesson Plan
Serendip

How Eyes Evolved – Analyzing the Evidence

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Octopodes existed for hundreds of thousands of years before humans, yet our eyes share many similarities. Scholars analyze the evidence to determine if the evolution of eyes best fits a homology or analogy model. They discuss the issue...
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Lesson Plan
Michigan State University

Bug Lyphe!

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Introduce ecology classes to biodiversity and interdependence in ecosystems with a PowerPoint presentation. Then, they get up-close and personal with the invertebrate world by collecting insects, classifying them, and graphing their...
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Activity
Koshland Science Museum

Infectious Disease: Evolving Challenges to Human Health Middle School Virtual Field Trip

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Is there one right way to control infectious diseases? Learners determine the facts each stakeholder must consider when making their recommendations for controlling a disease threatening their area. They take into account public health,...
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Lesson Plan
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BioEd Online

The Skeleton

For Teachers 5th - 8th Standards
Don't be chicken to try a lesson plan that compares the anatomy of birds to humans. Read the background information so you don't have to wing it when it comes to the anatomy of a chicken. Prepare cooked chicken bones by soaking them in a...
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Lesson Plan
Nature Works Everywhere

Recording the Rainforest

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Animals have evolved to communicate in different frequencies so they can hear each other throughout the rainforest. The first lesson in a three-part series begins by exploring an interactive story map online about the Borneo rainforest....
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Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Zebrafish and Skin Color

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed Standards
You may not know if that zebrafish in your fish tank is a model citizen—but it is definitely a model organism! What can we learn about ourselves from a tiny zebrafish? Discover more about the polygenic trait of skin color through a...
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Lesson Plan
National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science

The Dating Game

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learn about the human's ancestors through the (carbon) Dating Game. Use the script to have your high schoolers act out one round of the game. Once they have the idea, they will research another human ancestor and play a second round the...
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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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Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Patterns in the Distribution of Lactase Persistence

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
We all drink milk as babies, so why can't we all drink it as adults? Examine the trend in lactase production on the world-wide scale as science scholars analyze and interpret data. Groups create pie charts from the data, place them on a...
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Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Got Lactase? Blood Glucose Data Analysis

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Many physicals include a blood glucose test, but what are doctors actually testing? Scholars graph and interpret blood glucose data, allowing them to observe the differences in lactase persistence and draw conclusions. They then connect...
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Lesson Plan
NASA

Stellar Fingerprints and Doppler Red Shifts

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Young scientists observe the spectra of elements and compare that to the Doppler effect. Hook scholars from the beginning all the way to the extension activities in this 5E-format lesson plan. 
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Lesson Plan
Sea World

Endangered Species

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Study different endangered species with several activities that incorporate math, science, language arts, and research strategies. A great addition to your lesson on conservation or Earth Day.
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Lesson Plan
Sea World

Ocean Discovery

For Teachers Pre-K - K Standards
Immerse your young marine biologists in the world of marine animals. The lesson plan includes several activities that are age-appropriate for preschoolers and kindergartners, including coloring pages, gluing feathers and sand onto paper...
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Lesson Plan
NASA

Measuring Dark Energy

For Teachers 11th - 12th Standards
You're only 10 minutes late? Do you know how much the universe has expanded in those 10 minutes? Scholars graph supernovae based on their redshift and see if the results verify Hubble's Law. If it does confirm it, the universe is...

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