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Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Using DNA to Explore Lizard Phylogeny

For Students 7th - 12th Standards
On the Caribbean islands, lizards expanded into different niches instead of competing for resources. Scholars discuss and learn from experts in a video how scientists prove the theory. They build phylogenetic trees based on appearances...
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Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Beaks as Tools: Selective Advantage in Changing Environments

For Students 9th - Higher Ed Standards
How does nature select some adaptations over others? Scholars experiment picking up seeds with two different types of tools simulating beaks. After practicing, they experience a drought where one type of seed suddenly isn't available....
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Lesson Plan
Serendip

Using Molecular and Evolutionary Biology to Understand HIV/AIDS and Treatment

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
HIV mutates rapidly, making treatments challenging to find. Scholars learn about why it mutates so quickly and how scientists race to find treatments. The resource approaches the issue from both a molecular and evolutionary perspective...
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Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Weighing the Evidence for a Mass Extinction Part 2: On Land

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
What can fossils tell us about periods of extinction? Young scholars interpret fossil layers to make conclusions about changes in life during different geological time periods. They analyze the fossils for abundance and diversity as well...
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Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

How Do Fibers Form?

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
The proteins inside a cell determine the shape of the cell. While most red blood cells have a circular shape, those with sickle cell take the shape of a sickle. This change in shape causes multiple issues in the system. Scholars solve...
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Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Biochemistry and Cell Signaling Pathway of the Mc1r Gene

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
How do mice have so much fur color variation over generations? Scholars illustrate protein structures based on amino acid sequences. Then, they analyze the signaling pathway in different-colored mice populations. This allows them to...
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Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

The Molecular Evolution of Gene Birth and Death

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
More than 90 percent of humans' DNA doesn't code for anything! Scholars watch a presentation as they answer questions relating to gene mutations. They read details, watch videos, and view animations supporting the concepts. The questions...
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Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Color Variation Over Time in Rock Pocket Mouse Populations

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
While many mutations are neutral, those that appear advantageous increase in frequency in a population. Scholars use illustrations to make predictions about populations of mice. They follow it up with a video to confirm or refute their...
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Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Molecular Genetics of Color Mutations in Rock Pocket Mice

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Can you identify mutations just by viewing DNA sequences? Scholars apply prior knowledge of DNA sequences to do just that in an engaging activity. They transcribe and translate genes, thus identifying the locations of mutations. Then,...
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Activity
Arbor Day Foundation

Trees: A Joy Forever

For Students 3rd - 12th Standards
This Arbor Day, put on a show! A three-scene play follows a boy and girl that run into Arbor Day founder, J. Sterling Morton. Morton describes how the holiday came to be and discovers how his hard work has grown into a national...
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Activity
Core Knowledge Foundation

Chaos within the Living World? NOT!

For Teachers 5th Standards
What are the five kingdoms? Fifth graders engage in a series of investigations and research activities focused on the methods of classification used by scientists, as well as the language they use to describe the similarities and...
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Activity
Discovery Education

3D Printing Robots

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
What is water worth to you? The answer probably depends on many different variables. Learners explore the value of water in space and what it takes to transport the resource to locations in a galaxy far far away. They then consider...
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Activity
Discovery Education

Artificial Intelligence

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
What makes human interaction different from interaction with computers? Learners consider the question as they build Turing tests to determine whether a computer thinks like a human. They begin by looking at current versions of Turing...
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Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Milk—How Sweet Is It?

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Have you ever wondered why some people are lactose intolerant? Participants test simulated patients in a hands-on lab activity to find out! They learn about lactose intolerance by performing an experiment, analyzing data, and drawing...
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Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Pedigrees and the Inheritance of Lactose Intolerance

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
What, exactly, causes lactose intolerance? Scholars view a video describing a Finnish study that determined why some people are tolerant while others are intolerant. They then use the data from the study to reenact the experiment and...
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Activity
Discovery Education

Satellite Telemetry

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Satellites require rockets to launch, but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand them. Future engineers learn about how satellites send data to Earth and how to interpret satellite images. They see how radio waves play a role...
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Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Climate and Earth Systems

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
The components of the atmosphere have a significant impact on long-term climate change. Learners begin by analyzing the role of carbon dioxide in the earth systems and how varying the levels would affect those systems—and ultimately...
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Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

West Nile Virus: Vectors and Hosts Game

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
The spread of an infectious disease can be a complicated process. Using a game approach, learners reenact the spread of the West Nile virus. They learn the need for the vector in transmitting the disease and how different organisms react...
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Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Discovering the Wallace Line

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
When studying locations of specific species, interesting patterns emerge. Young scholars discover this as they plot the location of specific species on a group of islands. Patterns emerge as they identify the Wallace Line. They then...
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Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Fact Patterns: A Film Guide

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
What does it take to create a scientific theory? Learners attempt to answer the question by studying the work of Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace. While watching a video, they track observations from each scientist and then look...
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Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Pulse Chase Primer: The Meselson-Stahl Experiment

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Experimental design can make or break an experiment. Young scholars analyze the pulse-chase analysis procedure by studying the Meselson-Stahl experiment. Using a video presentation, they discover how the pulse-chase analysis led to the...
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Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Cancer Discovery Activities

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Explore the genetic component of the second-leading cause of death in the world using a hands-on activity. After watching a video discussing the basics of cancer, learners complete activities that study the genes involved in cancer. The...
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Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Mapping Genes to Traits in Dogs Using SNPs

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Genetic analysis has gone to the dogs! Learners use real DNA information collected from dog saliva to study the relationship between genotypes and phenotypes. They analyze alleles to determine correlations to coat color, length, and...
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Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Color Variation Over Time in Rock Pocket Mouse Populations

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Simple characteristic changes can have a significant impact on species survival. A hands-on activity has learners investigate the color variation in pocket mouse populations in different environments. They connect the timing and number...

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