Curated OER
Evidence of Photosynthesis
Hands on science is the way to go! Learners conduct a lab experiment to help them explain how plants make food through photosynthesis. They test for the presence of starch in leaves using iodine solution and identify the basic things...
Curated OER
Light and Starch Production in Photosynthesis
Young scholars are given the unique opportunity to see the contrast between parts of a leaf that have photosynthesized and parts of the leaf that have not. This visual image helps students see the results of this biological process. At...
Nuffield Foundation
Identifying the Conditions Needed for Photosynthesis
Budding biologists often ask how scientists know what they do about different topics. In the lab described here, they have a chance to find out first-hand about the requirements for photosynthesis. Three sequential investigations are...
Curated OER
Dissolved Oxygen and Photosynthesis: 1
High schoolers are taught that plants produce oxygen underwater, and they design an experiment that test this question. They discuss whether plants give off oxygen, and how to measure this. Students measure the increase in dissolved...
Curated OER
Photosynthesis
Students conduct a variety of experiments on photosynthesis. In this biology lesson, students identify the factors required for the process to occur. They perform computerized experiments to test the amount of oxygen produced when plants...
Curated OER
Terrestrial Sequestration - Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration
Learners investigate how plants absorb carbon dioxide during photosynthesis. In this biology instructional activity, students differentiate photosynthesis and cellular respiration. They discuss the important role of plants in the...
Sunlight Cal-Tech
Chromatography of Plant Pigments
Through a hands-on activity, an acetone-spinach solution is pre-made and learners use this solution to separate the pigments found in spinach using chromatography. The comprehensive resource includes an analysis and conclusion questions.
Curated OER
Elodea Lab
Students observe the changes between elodea leaves placed in darkness and light. For this life science lesson, students experiment to find evidence of photosynthesis in elodea leaves. Students use indicators to detect the presences of...
Curated OER
Mussel Your Way Through Photosynthesis
Students, using zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha), elodea and an indicator dye, observe and record the role of light in photosynthesis. They consider plant production of carbon dioxide and the use of live materials in biological...
Curated OER
Alcoholic Fermentation in Yeast
Biology learners investigate the effect of sucrose concentration on yeast alcoholic fermentation. During the lesson,they compare and contrast the processes of cellular respiration and alcoholic fermentation. They design an experiment to...
Curated OER
Chlorophyll
Young scholars explain the importance of chlorophyll in plants. In this biology lesson, students extract chlorophyll from different plant sources using chromatography. They discover the different factors needed for photosynthesis to take...
Curated OER
Plant Transpiration
Students conduct various experiments to investigate plant transpiration. In this biology lesson, students explain how this process helps maintain the hydrologic cycle. They measure the rate of water loss in plants using a potometer.
Curated OER
Color Change in Leaves
High schoolers identify the different leaf pigments and colors. In this biology lesson, students perform chromatography to separate them. They explain how light affects green leaf colors and causes falling leaves in autumn.
Curated OER
Glucose
Students conduct various experiments on glucose. In this biology lesson plan, students differentiate the process of diffusion and osmosis. They test different foods for the presence of glucose and starch.
Curated OER
Plankton / Phytoplankton
Students discuss the importance of plankton in the ocean ecosystem. In this biology lesson, students identify the different types plankton by observing them under the microscope. They explain how plankton population affect global climate.
Curated OER
Algae Experiments
Students describe the characteristics of algae. In this biology lesson, students perform a series of experiment to explore algae. They investigate the basic things algae need to survive.
Curated OER
Testing Leaves for Starch: the Technique
Like good scientists, kids often want to see first-hand why things are as they are; they can do just that in the starch-testing photosynthesis activity found here. Depending on the age of your pupils, you may wish to do the investigation...
Curated OER
Glucose Factory
Fourth graders determine, through laboratory activity, the presence or absence of glucose in a variety of plant leaves and stems. They work in groups and perform a three part laboratory which shows them how plants convert sunlighht to food.
NASA
Consumers Get Energy From Other Living Things
How do plants and animals get their food? Learn about where energy comes from, how animals store energy, and aerobic respiration, in a instructional activity that allows scholars to diagram energy flows.
Curated OER
Stomata: Microscopic Openings that Let Plants Breathe
Students participate in a lab experiment to observe and measure the opening and closing of stomata. They focus on photoperiod, locate and identify stomata on a leaf and explain the role of stomata in the daily functioning of a plant.
Curated OER
Oxygen Factory
Fourth graders examine the interdependence of the oxygen and carbon dioxide cycle in an ecosystem through a laboratory investigation. After a lecture/demo, 4th graders complete the lab in groups.
Curated OER
Harvesting Energy from Food: How do Plants Help Humans?
Beginning botanists view slides of plant vascular tissue. They watch Magic School Bus Gets Planted, which you can find online, and then write a summary of what they have learned about plants. This lesson could be used with upper...
Curated OER
Mussel Ecology
Students are introduced to the marine environment of the mussel. The emphasis of the instructional activity is upon what human factors are present to influence the environment in positive and negative ways. They brainstorm in groups in...
Curated OER
Coral Reefs
Students research coral reefs and identify their benefits to humans, threats to the reef, how to reduce and eliminate threats, and more. In this coral reef lesson plan, students research the reefs, and take a field trip to an aquarium.