Cornell University
Plant Cell Crime Scene
Use science to solve the mystery of the Poplar murder. Pupils use forensic botany to determine if a suspect could be the killer. By analyzing images from a Transmission Electron Microscope, learners determine if the material found on the...
Curated OER
Genetically Modified Food (GMF)
Explore genetically modified foods through various experiments. In this biology lesson, students discuss the safety issues related to GMF's. They conduct a PCR analysis to identify the presence of genetic modification.
University of California
You Are What You Eat: Testing for Organic Compounds in Foods
We have all heard that we are what you eat, but what are we eating? An informative lesson opens with a discussion of the foods pupils have recently eaten. Then, young scientists perform four experiments on seven...
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
3D Brain
Imagine being able to rotate the brain and view interior structures without dissection! This tool allows anatomy masters to do just that. They also learn about the associated functions, disorders, and symptoms of damage to each...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Winogradsky Columns: Microbial Ecology in the Classroom
Winogradsky columns are ideal for observing the role of bacteria and other microorganisms in an ecosystem. This student activity guide is complete with data tables for observations and analysis questions for processing what was observed....
Zebrafish in the Classroom
Worksheet on Genetics for Kindergarteners
Introduce the concept of genetics to your kindergartners with a science experiment about chromosomes in fish. After a quick overview of what chromosomes are, learners color different chromosomes to show that they come from the mom or the...
Curated OER
Tree of Life
Students study genetics and evolution. They evaluate a group of organisms and estimate their genetic relatedness. Then they use an online program to check the accuracy of their estimations and make a branching phylogenetic tree which...
Curated OER
Who is the Sea Otter Related to?
Students examine the genetic relationships of different organisms. In groups, they discover the importance of genes and how different amino acids show various evolutionary relationships. They use an online database to continue their...
Curated OER
Backyard Bugs
Explore the concept of scientific classification and the similarities and differences between plant and animal species. Your class will participate in hands-on activities by investigating dichotomous keys and classifying their shoes. To...
Curated OER
Is Anyone Out There? Examining Astrobiology and the Value of SETI
Blow their minds with a lesson on the search for life outside of our planet! A brief video proposes the question of how to define life. A couple of articles investigate the possibility of alien existence. Finally, the class is divided...
Curated OER
The Dichotomy of Viruses
Students benefit from an education about these nonliving pathogens.
Curated OER
A Clone of Your Own: The Legal Issues and the Future of Genetic Engineering on Humans
Twelfth graders define cloning in their own words and examine the different types of cloning. After reading an article, they summarize it in their own words and use the internet to research the history of cloning. In groups, they...
Curated OER
Cloning
In this cloning worksheet, students will read a paragraph about how cloning has been a benefit to medicine and agriculture. Students will underline the main idea in the paragraph and write down three supporting details. Then students...
Curated OER
Using Concept Maps to Teach Evolution
Young scholars encounter concept maps for reviewing evolution. Concept maps provides an alternative method of interacting with the information and a forum for asking questions about vocabulary, concepts and interrelationships. A quiz is...
Curated OER
The Master of Mutations
Eighth graders research a genetic disease and present the information to the class.
Curated OER
The Genome: Controversy for All Times
Students examine the genome and discuss the ethical and moral issues surrounding it. In groups, they discover the differences between ethics and morals and discuss where the concepts of good and bad come from in society. After reading...
Curated OER
Biotechnology: Drug Delivery and Diffusion
Students discover advances in biomedical technology such as transdermal delivery and other non-invasive procedures. In lab activities, they examine how medication is given and how molecules travel, observe electrophoresis, and conduct...
Curated OER
Embryology as Evidence of Evolution
Students observe the two major developmental pathways (protostome and deuterostome). They analyze data regarding differences in nucleotide sequences and construct a phylogenetic tree. They observe the similar evolutionary history shared...
Curated OER
What is all the Fuss about?
Students brainstorm a list of science discoveries and inventions that they think are important. They work in small groups, students examine 1-3 science discoeries more closely. Each group needs a recorder, and they answer three...
Curated OER
An Introduction to Four Groups of Biologically Important Compounds
Learners learn about the four biochemicals that are important biologically. In this biochemicals lesson plan, students identify the four major groups of biochemicals including carbohydrates, proteins, lipids and nucleic acids. They are...
Curated OER
Plastics by the Numbers
Students investigate plastic resins and their uses. In this plastics lesson plan, students describe major plastic resins and what they are used for, they compare and contrast the properties of plastic resins and they list products that...
Curated OER
Cloning
In this opinions of cloning usage activity, learners read phrases of what cloning should be used for and check their opinions in columns yes, not sure, no, only in certain situations, and never.
Curated OER
Breaking News: Bin Laden Photo To Be Released
Students explore current events by completing worksheet activities in class. In this Osama Bin Laden lesson, students read the news article of Bin Laden's death and subsequent photo while discussing the event with classmates. Students...
Curated OER
Teacher Preparation Notes on Genetics
Students explore genetics through various hands-on activities. In this biology lesson, students predict the probability of offspring genotypes and phenotypes using the Punnett Square. They explain the causes of genetic abnormalities.