Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

The Making of a Theory—Fact or Fiction

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Two scientists, two independent studies, two similar theories! A video lesson presents the work of Charles Darwin and Alfred Wallace that led to their theories on evolution. Scholars then evaluate statements and provide evidence to...
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...
Activity
University of Pennsylvania

Evolution by Natural Selection

For Teachers 6th - 9th
A diagram, data table, and reading passage top this resource. Through it, biology beginners are introduced to the concept of natural selection. They answer some questions and then participate in a simulation using fabric as a habitat and...
Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Using DNA to Explore Lizard Phylogeny

For Teachers 6th - 12th
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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Effect of Natural Selection on Genes, Traits and Individuals

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
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...
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...
Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Reading Primary Sources: Darwin and Wallace

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
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...
Lesson Plan13:10
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

The Making of the Fittest: The Birth and Death of Genes

For Students 8th - Higher Ed Standards
After watching an engaging 13-minute video about the colorless blood of icefish, future ichthyologists examine icefish blood and non-icefish blood (blood samples are simulated with Karo syrup mixtures) to determine advantages of...
Lesson Plan10:25
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

The Making of the Fittest: Natural Selection and Adaptation

For Students 8th - Higher Ed Standards
The pocket mouse can be light brown like the sands of the desert, or dark brown like the volcanic lava flows that are interspersed throughout New Mexico's Valley of Fire. It seems that predators have weeded out light colored mice in this...
Lesson Plan
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Icefish Adaptations

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
What adaptations exist in order for icefish to survive the subfreezing temperatures of the Antarctic Ocean? Middle and high schoolers can find out through watching a related 13-minute video and performing a simple investigation to...
Lesson Plan15:27
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

The Making of the Fittest: Evolving Switches, Evolving Bodies

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed Standards
How did the stickleback fish, which was once ocean bound, evolve to be able to persist in freshwater lakes? Hear from the scientists who identified the genes and related switches that allowed these survivors to adapt. In addition to the...
Lesson Plan
Historical Thinking Matters

Scopes Trial: 1 Day Lesson

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Why did many Tennesseeans support the 1925 Butler Act, which forbade the teaching of evolution? Using several primary source documents and a brief video clip, your young historians will draw connections between the broader historical...
Lesson Plan
Historical Thinking Matters

Scopes Trial: 3 Day Lesson

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Was the Scopes trial more complicated than a simple debate between evolutionists and creationists? As part of a structured academic controversy (SAC) activity, pupils consider multiple perspectives of the Butler Act and engage in close...
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...
Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Using DNA to Explore Lizard Phylogeny

For Students 7th - 12th
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...
Lesson Plan
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Historical Thinking Matters

Scopes Trial: 5 Day Lesson

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Did Scopes violate the Butler Act? Why did so many Americans follow the Scopes trial? See analytical reading in action with a fantastic five-day lesson plan in which class members consider the historical context that provoked public...
Activity
Discovery Education

The Time of Our Life

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Mammals are some of the newest organisms to appear on Earth. Young scholars complete an activity that results in a timeline showing the appearance of different types of living organisms. Provided with a list that spans from prokaryotes...
Lesson Plan
North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics

Henry Kissinger and Detente

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
How did relations between the United States and the People's Republic of China evolve between 1950 and 1970? Your young historians will complete a timeline of events with evidence that the relationship between these two great...
Activity
Natural History Museum

Natural History Museum: Evolution

For Students 9th - 10th
As part of a larger online exhibit answering the question, What is evolution, this site examines the specific theory of evolution with immediate attention given to exploring and defining morphs.
Activity
Other

The Expanding Balloon Experiment

For Students 6th - 8th
Great science experiment to help aide in the understanding of the Big Bang Theory. Students are able to complete this experiment with little materials and individually.
Activity
Biology Corner

Biology Corner: Peppered Moths Simulation

For Students 6th - 8th
This simulation allows students to take on the role of a bird and eat different types of peppered moths. Students analyze which types of peppered moths do better in various environments.
Activity
Read Works

Read Works: When Fish First Walked

For Teachers 7th
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about natural selection and its role in the theory of evolution. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Activity
NPR: National Public Radio

Npr: Timeline: Remembering the Scopes Monkey Trial

For Students 9th - 10th
NPR presents a timeline on the events surrounding the Scopes Monkey Trial. Includes photos, recollections and information on the people involved in the trial.
Activity
PBS

Pbs: Commanding Heights: Battle for the World Economy: John Maynard Keynes

For Students 9th - 10th
Profile of Keynes excerpted from Daniel Yergin and Joseph Stanislaw's book on the evolution of the global economy, "The Commanding Heights."

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