Serendip
Photosynthesis Investigation
Can scientists increase the rate of photosynthesis to help clean the air? Scholars complete an experiment determining net photosynthesis. Then, they apply knowledge from the activity to design their own investigations of the factors that...
Curated OER
Studying Plant Development Through Metabolic Activity
A hands-on activity which allows students to learn about cellular respiration. This lesson contains a range of investigations testing the rates of cellular respiration to demonstrate the relationship between metabolic rates of...
Curated OER
Biology: Understanding Cellular Organelles
Young scholars distinguish the differences between Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic cells. Using microscopes, they examine a variety of plant and animal cells. Working in groups, they draw and label plant and animal cells and show the...
Curated OER
Why Muscle Biology?
Students research and define a muscle biology research question and organize an experiment to address the question utilizing either NADH staining or acid buffering. They analyze data as well as draw conclusions about their research....
Curated OER
Got Gas? How Much?
Students perform an experiment that measures respiration. In this performing an experiment that measures respiration lesson, students discuss aerobic and anaerobic respiration. Students measure the gas produced by putting yeast in...
Curated OER
Cell (Biology)
Students conduct a series of activities to explore the nature of cells. In this biology activity, students observe plant and animal cells under the microscope and compare them. They differentiate osmosis and diffusion.
Curated OER
Breaking It Down
Seventh graders explain the mechanism of digestion. In this biology activity, 7th graders perform an iodine test to check for the presence of starch. They discuss how energy travels through the food chain.
Curated OER
Strawberry Smoothies
Biologists extract the DNA from a strawberry. After completing the procedure, learners write answers to a few questions on the lab sheet provided. This is ideal lab practice during a DNA unit in your general biology course.
Curated OER
Investigating Factors That Affect Cell Membrane Permeability
Cell membranes and the factors that affect its integrity are studied, with Beet tissue used as the model. A poster to display findings of the permeability of the membranes would clarify understanding and also allow a layer of language...
Curated OER
Does Size Matter?
Young scholars explore the surface area to volume ratio in cellular respiration. While participating in an interactive lab experiment, they examine proportional surface area and discuss nanotechnology. Students observe the...
Curated OER
Respiration
Young scholars study the gas exchanges that occur during cellular respiration. They observe what happens as a result of a number of variables on the rate of respiration. They use microrespirometers to measure the oxygen consumption of...
Curated OER
Glucose
Learners conduct various experiments on glucose. In this biology instructional activity, students differentiate the process of diffusion and osmosis. They test different foods for the presence of glucose and starch.
Curated OER
Photosynthesis
Students conduct a variety of experiments on photosynthesis. In this biology lesson, students identify the factors required for the process to occur. They perform computerized experiments to test the amount of oxygen produced when plants...
Curated OER
Plant Hormones
Students identify different plant hormones and explain their function in plant development. In this biology lesson, students investigate how IAA affect root growth. They study the history of auxin discovery.
Curated OER
Filter Feeding in Reef Sponges
Students investigate the role of sponges in our oceans. In this biology lesson, students create a diagram visualizing how sponges bring food into their bodies through a filtering process. Students discuss the connections between...
Curated OER
Respiration in Sammy's Cells
Students practice translating biological ideas into graphical representations and explore respiration in the context of an exercise session in this 50 minute lesson on aerobic and anaerobic respiration. The lesson includes a question...
Curated OER
Respiration Challenge
Students use limited data and their prior knowledge to solve problems focused on various inhibitors of respiration in this lesson on cellular respiration in a molecular level. This lesson includes a student handout and a pre-activity...
Curated OER
Cell Me What?
Students compare and contrast the characteristics of robots and cells. In this biology instructional activity, students examine the parts and function of cell organelles. They create a visual representation of their cell/robot analogy.
Curated OER
Cell physiology and chemistry
Students design an experiment to discriminate between chemical diffusion, osmosis, facilitated diffusion and active transport through a membrane. Be specific about predictions and interpretations!
Curated OER
Cell Organelles
Young scholars explore biology by researching living cells. In this living organism lesson, students participate in a role-playing activity in which all the young scholars in class form one plant cell by portraying specific parts of a...
Curated OER
Alcoholic Fermentation in Yeast
Biology learners investigate the effect of sucrose concentration on yeast alcoholic fermentation. During the lesson,they compare and contrast the processes of cellular respiration and alcoholic fermentation. They design an experiment to...
Curated OER
Apoptosis: Programmed Cell Death During Development
Students model the plasticity of neural pathways for memory in the brain. They simulate the cell activity according to dots on cards that they are given. They complete various simulations of different cell combinations.
University of Minnesota
What's the Deal? Addiction Card Game
Addiction is a big deal! Playing a game of cards helps learners understand the concept of addiction. Through their analysis, they examine the potential for addiction and how it varies for each individual.
Curated OER
Glucose Factory
Fourth graders determine, through laboratory activity, the presence or absence of glucose in a variety of plant leaves and stems. They work in groups and perform a three part laboratory which shows them how plants convert sunlighht to food.