Curated OER
Life in a Drop of Water
Students examine the structure, function, and characteristics of microscopic organisms that inhabit freshwater through collection of water samples and observation through microscopes.
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Summer: Getting the Bugs Out
Learners compare and contrast classification systems used throughout the world. They also examine the importance of preserving biological diversity.
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Socioeconomic Implications of Fetal Transplantation An Exercise in Bioethics
Students explore ethical problems. In groups, students examine and study a given ethical problem. They practice techniques for making ethical decisions and interact with each other in the resolution. Students support their decision...
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Inquiry-based Investigations into Pond Water Microorganisms
Students become familiar with common microorganisms and experience exploring the microbial world.
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Diffusion & Osmosis with Data Analysis
Students explore principles governing diffusion and osmosis. Students perform a dialysis tubing experiment. They obtain core samples of potato in varying concentrations of sugar-water to measure water potential of the potato cells....
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Evolution
Students research the theory of evolution and the controversy. In this evolution lesson plan students view a film on Charles Darwin then they write an essay about whether or not intelligent design should be taught in science class.
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Weathering Landforms
Stduents create and color plaster landforms, and describe how weathering and erosion change the Earth's surface.
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Discovering New Species
Students identify animals observed by Lewis and Clark while evaluating the animal's habitat and describing the animal's behavior. Students construct a food web mobile to illustrate the animal's position in the food web in the 19th...
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Weathering Landforms
Fifth graders brainstorm a list of ways the Earth's surface can change. As a class, they are introduced to the concepts of erosion and weathering and discover how wind and water cause changes to the surface of the Earth. To end the...
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Become an Expert
Young scholars practice their researching techniques by preparing a presentation with little notice. In this information research lesson, students utilize the Internet to research one of several subtopics concerning panthers. Young...
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Case Study: Should the Results of the Human Genome Project be Sold for Profit?
Students investigate a case study and discuss whether scientists working on the Human Genome Project should be allowed to patent their work. They consider ethical and legal issues, and determine who owns genetic information.
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Goobers. Goobers? Goobers!
Students begin the lesson by noting the many ways in which to use peanuts. In groups, they use the internet to research the work of George Washington Carver. They discover the allergies and nutritional information of the peanut and...
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Life is Weird!
Students describe major features of cold seep communities, and list at least five organisms typical of these communities. They infer probable trophic relationships among organisms typical of cold-seep communities and the surrounding...
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Where Should We Place Archaeopteryx?
Students classify Archaeopteryx using pictures of actual fossils and scientist representations of how the animal might have looked. They compare Archaeopteryx's characteristics to those of the five extant vertebrate groups to...
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Fossils-Where Should We Place Archaeopteryx?
Students explore an interactive computer activity that provides the opportunity to look at features of various groups of animals and determine where an extinct organism might be classified.
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Extraction of DNA from Onion
Students experiment with DNA by isolating it from plant tissue. They investigate whole onions to prepare DNA. They complete the experiment to examine the structural characteristics of DNA.
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Seashore Life
In this seashore life instructional activity, learners identify the animals that live on the seashore. Students then color the animals that live on the seashore. Learners also draw and color any additional animals they would see.
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Merging Art and Science?
Young scholars approach science through artwork. In this art and science lesson students work together to develop theories and gather data.
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Science: Put Your Heart into Engineering
Learners examine the heart and vascular system and the need for artificial valves. After explaining how heart valves function, they design their own heart valves for experimentation. They predict the speed of fluid flowing through...
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Extraction of DNA from Onion
Students study DNA by isolating it from plant tissue. They determine the purpose of each step in the isolation procedure as it relates to the physical and biochemical characteristics of the genetic material