Curated OER
Solar Racing
High schoolers harness the power of the sun to design, construct and evaluate a solar-powered model car of their creation. They race their cars in a "Solar Sprint" race modeled after the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's Junior...
Curated OER
The Domino Effect
Students model the transmission of neural impulses with dominoes. In this nervous system lesson, students construct a device with dominoes. They use the device to model the way a nerve impulse is propagated from dendrite to axon.
Curated OER
Design a Plankton
Learners explore animal and plant adaptation. For this ecosystems science lesson, students view websites to gain information about plankton and its interdependence within ecosystems. Learners identify ways in which plankton has adapted...
Virginia Department of Education
Prokaryotes
Lead your biology class on a cell-sized adventure! Emerging scientists construct models of prokaryotes, then design an experiment to properly grow a bacterial culture. They conclude the activity by viewing the culture under a microscope....
Curated OER
Muscles and Motor Locomotion
This is a fabulous presentation which should reinforce all aspects of muscle construction on a gross anatomical and micro level. There are slides to help understanding with the muscle fiber anatomy, and many labelled diagrams to explain...
Curated OER
The Honey Bee's Home
Pupils are introduced to the members and workings of a honey bee colony. They describe the structure of a comb, the day-to-day activities of honey bees, and name the four stages of bee development. They construct a honeycomb model.
Curated OER
Neuron Cookie
Find out just how enticing learning about neurons can be by creating models with sugar cookies, icing, and candy. With great background information for you and an easy procedure for the kids, studying cells has never been more fun or...
Serendip
DNA Structure, Function and Replication
Before a cell replicates, its DNA must replicate. Take advantage of a hands-on guided lesson to teach budding scientists how this happens. Using a set of nucleotide cards, learners become the DNA and work to create matching strands...
Serendip
DNA
Get up close and personal with DNA! A two-part hands-on activity has learners extract DNA from a small organism and then their own cheek cells. Scholars then explore DNA replication using questions to guide their analyses.
DiscoverE
Heart Valve Replacement
Put your heart into it. Scholars design and build replacements for mitral heart valves. Obviously, they can't test their creations on a real heart, so a box with marbles (to represent blood cells) will suffice.
Virginia Department of Education
DNA Structure, Nucleic Acids, and Proteins
What is in that double helix? Explain intricate concepts with a variety of creative activities in a lesson that incorporates multiple steps to cover DNA structure, nucleic acids, and proteins. Pupils explore the history of DNA structure,...
Curated OER
Mitosis and Meiosis
Students model and differentiate between the processes of mitosis and meiosis. In partners, they use yarn and construction paper to create models for each of the phases of mitosis and meiosis then compare the chromosome numbers in each...
Curated OER
Matching Flowers With Their Pollinators
Students match flowers to pollinators and construct models of
flowers to demonstrate why different kinds of flowers need different kinds of
pollinators. They use their flower models and the "Scientific Method Format" included in the...
Curated OER
Bridge Design and Bridge Building
Seventh graders conduct an investigation into the design of bridges and their construction. Students design bridges and draw detailed plans. For assessment they construct a model of a bridge that is made entirely of toothpicks. Students...
Curated OER
Surface to Volume Ratios
High schoolers measure the rate of diffusion and to calculate the surface area to volume ratios of varying cell sizes. The lesson is very clearly organized with a useful student worksheet provided. They perform a lab experiment which is...
Cornell University
Bacteria Take Over and Down
Bacteria outnumber all other forms of life on Earth. Scholars observe the growth of bacteria in petri dishes to understand their role in maintaining good health. Then, they observe the growth of bacteria after they introduce...
Curated OER
Create a Microbe
Students construct models of microorganisms recognizing size relationships-comparing the size of viruses with the sizes of bacterial and eukaryotic cells. They put into perspective just how small microbes are by comparing the size of...
Curated OER
Teaching Multiple Alleles
Students view a simple ABO blood system for the introduction of this subject using concrete models of eythrocytes (red blood cells, or RBC's), antigens, and antibodies. They can physically see the antigens that result from certain...
Curated OER
Science: Mirrored Movements
This lesson plan provides students with a lab experience during which students construct a basic electric circuit and use it to explore dexterity skills. A chance to construct and operate a tool that extends a person's grasping ability...
Curated OER
STRAINING FOR SOUND
Sixth graders use a laser along with computer microphone probeware and the appropriate software, 6th graders determine the speed of rotating objects.An audio amplifier is connected to a solar cell to change the laser light signal into a...
Curated OER
Chromosome Karyotyping
High schoolers explore chromosome karyotyping. In this chromosome karyotyping lesson plan, students use a chromosome kit to explore chromosome syndromes and disorders. They also produce a large model of a cell with chromosome to simulate...
Curated OER
Tag, You're Sick
Students play a game to model how the immune system works. In this health and wellness lesson, the teacher explains how the immune system works, then students play a game of tag trying to stay away from germs, viruses, and bacteria and...
Curated OER
Nucleic Acids and Protein Synthesis
Tenth graders complete a vocabulary assignment based on terms in the unit. They complete appropriate worksheets as each section of the unit is completed. They participate in classroom discussions. They construct a model of a DNA molecule.
Curated OER
Do You Know the Master Programmer?
Fourth graders, using candy, build models of DNA replication, RNA transcription, and tRNA translation.