Teens experience natural selection firsthand (or first beak) in an activity that has them act as finches foraging for food. Using different household items  to act as different beak styles, your little finches will collect as much...

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...

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...

Tenth graders observe collections of specimens and discuss their answers to provided questions. They explore common ancestry, homology, analogy, adaptive radiation, and evolution, while formulating creative answers based on their...

Young scholars identify the different taxonomic classifications of organisms. In this biology lesson, students create their own organisms and make some changes according to environmental conditions. They present their work in class.

Students compare and contrast adaptations involving camouflage, warning coloration, and mimicry. They explain the relationship between adaptation and ability for survival and reproduction. Students define Batesian and Mullerian mimicry...

Survival of the fittest isn't just for the movies! A five-part lesson explores several different species with known adaptations and analyzes them for their survival strategies. Using both video and research data, scholars draw...

How have birds evolved from prehistoric animals? With the three-part activity, small groups first research different prehistoric animals and determine whether they are birds. Then, scholars explore different bird adaptations using the...

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...

Learners are able to explain the relationship between adaptation and ability for survival and reproduction. They are able to give examples of a series of adaptations that would support the idea that evolution is a series of minor...

Students discuss different characteristics that enable animals to adapt to their environments. They work in pairs with one partner standing about one foot behind the other partner and cup their hands around their ears with palms forward....

Students investigate genetics and evolution of species. They simulate the breeding of birds using origami birds. In addition, using dice they introduce genetic variation into the species.

Students study Charles Darwin's evolutionary theory and how he applied it to orchids.  In this evolution lesson students repeat Darwin's orchid pollination experiment.

Middle schoolers are introduced to how the process of evolution works. As a class, they review the characteristics of natural selection and how those with advantageous traits reproduce and survive. To test this theory of natural...

Students examine natural selection, how it works and how it can cause microevolution.  In this evolution lesson students complete a lab activity that shows the effects that natural selection has on organisms.

Students investigate evolution in its most fundamental form: the observation of living organisms. By comparing variations that exist among living animals, students formulate their own hypotheses and conclusions about the evolution of...

Young scholars compare their performance of a series of tasks using their thumb and fingers to their performance of the same tasks without the use of their thumb. They discuss the role of fine and gross motor skills and speculate on the...

Students examine the molecular studies of organisms that have led to a new era in their understanding of speciation and evolutionary relationships. Students study the allelic frequency of genes controlling specific molecules and assess...

Students identify who developed the theory of evolution. The concepts of adaptation and development are discussed. The age of the earth is explored in relationship to the development of various species. The condition of the environment...

By choosing a species and researching an adaptive symbiotic relationship it shares with another species, your students are able to investigate a symbiotic relationship in a lab setting. They create a presentation using a variety of...

Are birds descendants of dinosaurs? Learners consider the question as they watch an informative video comparing fossil records of dinosaurs with current species. Following the video, groups ponder the evidence to draw conclusions about...

Learners comprehend that natural selectionis the tool for adaptation and evolution of populations. They pick three M&M's and no candy corns. Students tally the number of different color M&M's chosen. They discuss why colors...

Assist your high school class with researching and applying the principles of gravity so they may further understand why Einstein is so widely recognized, even today. Individuals compare and contrast two different models that demonstrate...

Take a good look at tree leaves and notice the adaptations for collecting solar energy. Pupils trace the margins of five different leaves onto graph paper and count the number of squares covered. They then relate this infomation to the...