Curated OER
Floating Fishes: How do Fishes Control Buoyancy?
Playing with balloons, water, oil, and bottles help put this lesson over the top! Participants use air-filled balloons in water tanks to experience gas compression. They also use oil-filled bottles to experiment with buoyancy. Included...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Classroom Activities: Stem Cells and Diabetes
A multi-faceted lesson immerses AP biologists into the world of the stem cell. Using PowerPoint presentations, you introduce your class to diabetes and the possibility of finding cures through stem cell research. Online animations and...
Serendip
Using Models to Understand Photosynthesis
Is your class in the dark about photosynthesis? Shed some sunlight on an important biological process with a thoughtful activity. After answering questions to help determine their level of knowledge, learners work with chemical equations...
Curated OER
Biology - Virus Modeling
Students research one of the many types of viruses. They create a 3-D model of the virus they researched with graphics software.
Curated OER
Biological Concepts
Learners perform a transection of a redworm. They discuss spinal cord injuries in humans. Students compare the ability of the redworm to regenerate the ventral nerve cord with the inability of humans to repair damage to the dorsal nerve...
Curated OER
How Do White Blood Cells Fight Foreign Organisms That Invade Our Body?
Ninth graders investigate the functions of white blood cells. They watch and discuss an online movie, conduct Internet research, and complete a worksheet.
Curated OER
Dare to Care for a Grizzly Bear
Students examine the relationship between humans and grizzly bears. In this biology lesson, students research about the bear's habits and living environment. They write a letter to the US Fish and Wildlife Service petitioning them to...
Curated OER
Drawing Upon Our Five Senses
Fifth graders identify the parts and functions of the body's five senses. For this biology lesson, 5th graders create a replica of the nervous system highlighting its parts. They create a scrapbook containing information on the senses...
Curated OER
Draw an Alien in Natural Habitat
Students apply prior knowledge of living things, structures of living things and how living things sense and respond to their environment. In this habitat instructional activity, students review the basic needs of organisms to survive....
Curated OER
How Diverse is That?
High schoolers discuss biological diversity in ocean communities. In this diversity lesson, students examine the variety of organisms compared to relative abundance. They will write an analysis and discuss their findings with the class.
Curated OER
Cell Processes and Energy - Reading/Notetaking Guide - Cell Differentiation
Written as a textbook section reading guide, this worksheet presents an empty outline on cell differentiation for biology learners to complete. There are also a few questions to answer about how cells specialize and become organized,...
NOAA
What Killed the Seeds?
Can a coral cure cancer? Take seventh and eighth grade science sleuths to the underwater drugstore for an investigation into emerging pharmaceutical research. The fifth installment in a series of six has classmates research the wealth of...
Eastern Michigan University
Energy Flow in a Wetland Ecosystem
How is energy transferred within an ecosystem? What would happen to a food web if one of the organisms was removed? Elementary or middle school ecologists examine these questions and more in a comprehensive 5E learning cycle lesson....
Curated OER
Using Cytochrome-C to Explore Evolutionary Relationships
Students analyze protein sequences. In this lesson plan on determining evolutionary relationships, students use the Internet tools BLAST and Biology Workbench to look at protein sequences. Students will compose an essay that includes...
Curated OER
Biological Diversity and Conservation
In this conservation biology worksheet, students will complete 9 short answer questions on the different strategies of conservation biology, including the Endangered Species Act and establishing protected areas for animals.
Curated OER
Life is Weird
Students study the organisms that are found in cold seeps and see how they interact with each-other. In this biological organism instructional activity students describe the major features of cold seeps and the process of...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Developing an Explanation for Mouse Fur Color
Whether or not you think mice are nice, you'll love the colorful activity! Scholars examine evidence for evolution in the rock pocket mouse through video, discussion, and collaborative work. Learners watch a video regarding variation in...
Curated OER
Food Web Mystery
Students describe typical marine food webs, and explain why food is generally scarce in the deep-ocean environment. They discuss reasons that seamounts may support a higher density of biological organisms than would appear to be possible.
It's About Time
Energy Flow in Ecosystems
Emerging biochemists more fully understand the flow of energy in ecosystems as they explore the laws of thermodynamics and relate them to energy transfer in food chains. They also investigate heat loss from the human body and how...
US National Library of Medicine
Monster Genetics Lab
Harness young scientists' knowledge of genetics with an engaging science activity. Students start by flipping a coin to determine the genotypes and phenotypes of two parent monsters, before using Punnett squares to...
Core Knowledge Foundation
Genetics and the Master Race
How did the beginnings of genetic research influence the Nazi party? A thorough, engaging unit incorporates the work of Gregor Mendel, the study of inherited traits, and the use of racism and discrimination during the Holocaust.
Virginia Department of Education
Mendelian Genetics
How did Mendel know which pea plants would demonstrate certain characteristics? Pupils explore the answer this question, among others, as they complete Punnet squares, research dominant and recessive traits, and explore hereditary...
Teach Engineering
The Keepers of the Gate Challenge
Help your class make a connection between salt water and nanoscience. In the introductory activity of a seven-part unit, the class explores why salt water helps a sore throat feel better. Pupils conduct preliminary research about the...
Curated OER
Ecology Terms Crossword
In this ecological principles learning exercise, students solve 20 clues in a crossword puzzle containing basic ecology definitions of organism interactions.