High schoolers compare bacteria and viruses and their roles in biotechnology and bioterrorism. They outline fundamental steps of bacterial transformation and the possible selection processes to identify transformants. They discuss...

Turn your class loose to experiment with the different fat content in skim milk, whole milk, half and half, and heavy cream. This is a visually vibrant experiment, as learners drip food coloring on the surface of the products and measure...

Learners apply the the scientific method to an investigation.They develop and perform a scientific procedure for determining lung capacity. In addition, they write a report to display information and share their procedures with the class.

High schoolers examine termites and their trail-marking behaviors. They draw lines on paper with various ink pens and experiment to see which types of ink the termites follow--or which inks do and do not elicit trail marking behavior.

Students design and conduct an experiment to test their ideas about how to speed up or slow down the rate of an enzyme-catalyzed reaction. They have access to an array of physical and chemical factors that might influence enzyme...

High schoolers investigate various substances to determine the perpetrator of a crime. In this biology lesson, students test for the presence of organic compounds in various samples. They identify an unknown substance based on its...

Students examine the characteristics of fungi. In this biology lesson, students investigate the factors needed for fungi growth. They collect data and observations and write a report about them.

Third graders investigate how and why scientists use classification. They discuss classification strategies using animals, and as a class fill in a flowchart with their responses. Next, in small groups they cut out a variety of shapes...

Students observe termite trail-following behavior.  In this termite trails lesson plan, students draw a circle or other shape approximately eight inches across with a ball point pen.  Teacher taps out termites into the circle...

In this biosphere learning exercise, students identify the different levels of organization that ecologists study. Students complete charts, sentences, and answer short answer questions.

Students examine the role of light and dark in a living environment. In this photosynthesis lesson, students hypothesize about the best environment for plant growth, record observations using plant seeds in various light and dark...

Young scholars take on the role of epidemiologists. They investigate an "outbreak" in serious birth defects that occur in infants born to teenage girls. students discover a link between the use of the acne drug called Accutane and birth...

Students perform computer simulations on air dispersion. In this chemistry instructional activity, students calculate energy transfer based on specific heat and temperature change. They explain the causes of smog.

Sixth graders test the ph levels of water from three different water environments within the Neponset River Watershed. They discuss the three different water environments, take pH measurements of the three samples, and predict which...

Learners record and analyze what types of food monarch caterpillars will eat.

Students read an online article to examine what biotechnology and agricultural biotechnology are. They answer questions and complete worksheets based on the article's information.

Students observe the growth of a seed, predict what will happen when seeds are planted without soil, and conduct an experiment using a hydroponics system.

Students view a video about how human actions impact the environment. They design a set of experiments to address some of the problems and issues raised by the video.

Students design, revise and construct a method for protecting an egg from cracking when it is dropped from a height. They work in small groups to develop their protection method and then collect and analyze data as a class when each...

Students role-play a scenario in which a car crash patient is inadvertently given the wrong blood type during a transfusion. They perform blood typing and explore the genetics behind ABO and RH blood types using simulated blood.

Pick and choose which activities to include in this crime scene investigation. Junior detectives can examine fingerprints, DNA, blood samples, or bone structure.  The plan suggests you have teams solve a mystery, but it does not...

Students create their own bird study in their own schoolyard using the scientific method (see Testing a Hypothesis in Join the Project). Students do research in the library, at a local college, or on the Internet to determine the...

Students view bacteria through a microscope. They draw and label the bacteria using microbiology software loaded onto their Palms.

Fifth graders explore the effects of overpopulation in an ecosystem while applying the scientific method. They discuss overpopulation and its meaning. Students as an organism competes for space in an overpopulated area. They plant...