Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Got Lactase? The Co-Evolution of Genes and Culture
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...
Curated OER
Teaching Controversial Science Issues Through Law Related Education
Discuss the differences in dialogue and debate when considering a controversial topic. Your class can work in small groups to complete a guided discussion of this controversial topic and then participate in a simulation of the Scopes...
Curated OER
Human Evolution
Students investigate hominid evolution to learn the difference between a relative and an ancestor. They study the emergence of bipedalism and the related physical adaptations and cultural ramifications, and chart patterns of hominid...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Using DNA to Explore Lizard Phylogeny
In a fun and interactive two-day lesson, learners sort anole lizard pictures by appearance. Next, they watch a video about the anoles and re-sort based on the information in the video. In addition to physical characteristics, budding...
Curated OER
Evolution vs. Intelligent Design
Ninth graders explore the arguments surrounding evolution versus intelligent design have affected relationships among people of different religious backgrounds. In this ethics lesson, 9th graders determine whether relationships among...
Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Jump, Glide, or Fly? Exploring Bird Evolution
How have birds evolved from prehistoric animals? With the three-part lesson, small groups first research different prehistoric animals and determine whether they are birds. Then, scholars explore different bird adaptations using the Flap...
Curated OER
Evolution Simulation
Students simulate the process of evolution. Using index cards, they copy a drawing. Each subsequent drawing is sent around the room. The results are compared to the original drawing.
Curated OER
Darwin, Politics, and Religion
High schoolers gain an understanding of the Darwinian theory of evolution, examine how Darwin's theory has been adopted by ruling elites in order to justify their position in power, compare religious and historical responses to Darwin's...
ARKive
Biodiversity and Evolution – Darwin’s Finches
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 food...
Curated OER
What a Cosmic Web We Weave
Students explore, using journals and discussion in small groups, how the universe has evolved since the theoretical Big Bang and create dramatizations of various eras in cosmic evolution.
Curated OER
Bird Land
Students role-playing the concept of evolution through naturally occurring mutations. Working in pairs, they model how birds have adapted to the food sources in their environment through changes in their beak size and shapes. Students...
Curated OER
Week 7: Animal Adaptations - Bird Beaks
Students use tools to represent bird beaks and pick up different types of food with them in order to discover which beak would help the bird survive depending on their food type.
Curated OER
Limiting Factors/Evolution Game
Students play a board game with provided cards which help them realize that limiting factors may restrict an organism in its development and productivity and direct evolutionary pathways.
Curated OER
Genetic Variability
Using black and white construction paper, evolutionary biologists simulate the classic peppered moth study. They use beans in a frequency and natural selection exercise. Finally, they analyze germinated seeds for variations. All three...
Curated OER
Scavenger Hunt: Simulating Natural Selection
Students simulate natural selection using pinto beans. In this biology lesson, students identify the factors affecting organism evolution. They record data from the experiment and formulate a conclusion.
Curated OER
Apes To Man
Students study primates and their evolution history. In this role play lesson students view a video on evolution then demonstrate how primates walked and other observations they noticed in the film.
Curated OER
Adaptation and Mimicry - Biology
Young scholars 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...
Curated OER
How Did Humans Evolve?
Students complete an online activity in which they examine fossils to find possible hominid family trees.
Curated OER
Populations – The Survival of the Fittest (Part 1)
Students explain in their own words why organisms live together. In this biology instructional activity, students model what happens to organisms if their environment changes. They explain the importance of evolution.
Curated OER
Becoming Whales: Experiencing Discoveries of
Students experience, through a "dig," the historical discovery of fossils which increasingly link whales to earlier land-dwelling mammals. They encounter the intermediate forms which show changes that lead to the modern whale.
Curated OER
Clipbirds
Students attempt to pick up various objects with a wide variety of beaks, including scissors, spoons, etc.
Curated OER
The Great Fossil Find - Reconstructing the Pieces
Students go on an imaginary fossil hunt. They follow a script read by the teacher, students "find" (remove from envelope) paper "fossils" of some unknown creature. They attempt to reconstruct fossil pieces into an animal.
Curated OER
The Natural Selection of Bean Hunters
Students, in groups, hunt for beans placed in the lawn. Each group uses a different tool (hand, spoon, fork, etc.) and there are three different colors of beens.
Curated OER
The Chips Are Down: A Natural Selection Simulation
Students, in teams, use different colored paper chips to represent prey and a piece of fabric as the environment.