Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Trace Your Ancient Ancestry Through Dna

For Students 9th - 10th
In this science project, you will investigate the secrets of your distant past as revealed by your DNA. In order to obtain a sample for DNA analysis, you will scrape a soft swab inside your mouth to collect cheek cells. Based on the...
Lesson Plan
Alabama Learning Exchange

Alex: Why Comparative Embryology Matters in the Real World

For Teachers 6th - 8th
In this lesson, students compare similarities in the embryos of different organisms to look for features that would indicate common ancestry. They will then investigate how understanding this aspect of evolution has real-world...
Handout
Other

Ornithology: The Evolution of Birds

For Students 9th - 10th
Site provides a good overview of avian evolution debate without taking a firm stance on the dino-ancestry issue. Gives the broad ideas concerning bird origin and evolution.
Interactive
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Plix Series: Comparative Anatomy: Comparative Embryology

For Students 9th - 10th
[Free Registration/Login Required] Match the animals with their embryos and answer questions about their evolutionary ancestry.
Lesson Plan
National Health Museum

Nhm: Amino Acid Sequences Show Evolution

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This lesson plan focuses on differences in the amino acid sequence of hemoglobin and myoglobin proteins. They use the number of differences to create a phylogenetic tree.
Lesson Plan
National Health Museum

Nhm: Restriction Maps to Cladograms Lesson

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This lesson plan requires young scholars to analyze DNA restriction maps to determine the differences in the sequence for several primates and humans. They then use the information to create a cladogram.
Article
BiologyWise

Biology Wise: Synapomorphy

For Students 9th - 10th
Explains what synapomorphy is by using examples to demonstrate the concept, which plays an important role in the system of cladistics.
Handout
University of Utah

University of Utah: learn.genetics: Foundational Toolkit Genes

For Students 9th - 10th
Explains how the eyes of very diverse species have a common genetic ancestry.
Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Use Dna Sequencing to Trace the Blue Whale's Evolutionary Tree

For Students 9th - 10th
Around 50 million years ago, the mammalian ancestor of today's whales returned to the ocean. In this genomics science fair project, you will use mitochondrial protein sequencing to trace the evolution of whales and identify their closest...
Article
Society for Science and the Public

Science News for Students: King of Gore

For Students 3rd - 8th
Article reports on the recent discovery of Lythronax argestes, an ancestor to the Tyrannosaurus rex. Includes a list of vocabulary words.
Activity
PBS

Pbs Teachers:america's Stone Age Explorers

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Discover how mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is inherited, and complete a pedigree chart by determining which individuals might share mtDNA with an unknown ancestor.
Graphic
Other

Esri: Mapping the Emerald Isle: A Geo Genealogy of Irish Surnames

For Students 9th - 10th
Ever wonder if you had ancestors from Ireland? This interactive map lets you search for your surname and see what counties a clan with your name would have lived in based on the 1890 census.
Lesson Plan
iCivics

I Civics: Korematsu v. United States (1944)

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This mini-lesson covers the basics of the Supreme Court's decision that determined the government acted constitutionally when it detained people of Japanese ancestry inside internment camps during World War II. Students learn what...
Handout
Bibliomania

Bibliomania: Oliver Wendell Holmes Biography

For Students 9th - 10th
Ths Bibliomania site provides a biography of the 19th century American poet Oliver Wendell Holmes (1809-1894). Discusses his ancestry, childhood, education, and career in medicine and literature. Includes analyses of his works and a...
Handout
Bibliomania

Bibliomania: James Russell Lowell Biography

For Students 9th - 10th
This Bibliomania site provides a biography of James Russell Lowell (1819-1891). Discusses his ancestry, education, and work as a poet, essayist, and satirist. Describes Lowell's role in the Abolitionist movement. Includes suggestions for...
Website
Other

Archaeology Info: Australopithecus Afarensis

For Students 9th - 10th
This site provides information on the Australopithecus afarensis, a species that is believed to be a human ancestor.
Activity
Read Works

Read Works: The Descendants

For Teachers 6th - 8th
[Free Registration/Login Required] This passage discusses the roles of paleoanthropologists and how they determine whether the remains of a prehistoric species is a direct ancestor or not. This passage is a stand-alone curricular piece...
Handout
Greek Gods

Greek Gods: Greek Heroes: Achilles

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This site focuses on Achilles including his ancestry, his participation in the Trojan War, and his weakness ("Achilles heel"). It offers links to pictures and myths about Achilles.
Handout
BiologyWise

Biology Wise: Examples of Analogous Structures

For Students 9th - 10th
Explains that analogous structures are ones that are similar in different organisms yet have no common ancestry. This type of phenomenon occurs with convergent evolution. Includes lots of examples for both animals and plants.
Handout
Wisconsin Historical Society

Wisconsin Historical Society: Elizabeth and Henry Baird

For Students 9th - 10th
Elizabeth and Henry Baird played a major role in the settling of Wisoncisn to white settlers in the nineteenth century. Elizabeth had been Henry's pupil and married him at the age of fourteen. With her knowledge of the fur trade and her...
Handout
PBS

Nova: Identifying Remains With Dna

For Students 9th - 10th
Mitochondrial DNA has different properties than nuclear DNA which make it beneficial in certain forensic settings. Get the details on the ways mitochondrial DNA is being used in forensic science.
Lesson Plan
Indiana University

Indiana University: German Americans and Their Contributions to Us Culture

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This site outlines two well-organized lesson plans for teaching about German culture in the United States. Also includes extra credit ideas.
Handout
University of California

Understanding Evolution: An Introduction to Evolution

For Students 9th - 10th
A textbook definition along with an explanation of the scientific theory of evolution.
Lesson Plan
PBS

Pbs Teachers: Nordic Sagas: Iceland Genes

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Explain how the isolated and homegeneous population of Iceland makes research in family ancestry simpler than in other cultures. Investigate the work of genealogists, and trace your own heritage as far as you can without extensive research.

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