University of Minnesota
C. elegans and the Search for Extraterrestrial Life
Introduce the topic of astrobiology in a unit that's out of this world. Biology scholars examine the search for extraterrestrial life by culturing roundworms, a species that has been key in helping researchers understand the...
University of Colorado
Is There Life on Earth?
To find life on another planet, scientists look for gases (atmosphere), water, and temperatures that are not extreme. For this activity, groups of pupils become "Titan-ians," scientists who want to explore Earth for possible life forms....
NOAA
Chemosynthesis and Hydrothermal Vent Life
What's life like in a hydrothermal vent? Find out in part five of a 13-part series. Learners journey to one of the harshest environments on the planet, the hydrothermal vent, to learn about the creatures that survive the extreme...
Curated OER
Is Anyone Out There? Examining Astrobiology and the Value of SETI
Blow their minds with a lesson plan 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...
Journey Through the Universe
Is There Anyone Out There?
What is an alien's favorite game? All-star baseball! Scholars start defining living and non-living. Then, they conduct experiments to research if life exists, keeping in mind that life could be in many forms, not just human.
Curated OER
Investigative Case - Los Angeles and the Future of Mono Lake
Learners use this WebQuest to be able to comprehend the natural history and biological diversity of the Mono Basin, an environment directly affected by the needs of humans. They explain what makes Mono Lake unique, including the extreme...
Curated OER
Extraterrestrials
Learners discuss the possibility of intelligent life in space. In this space science lesson plan, students decipher a radio message electronically transmitted in space. They create their own extraterrestrial welcome greeting.
Curated OER
Touring Through the Beginning of Earth
Students simulate the role of reporters and research two major theories on how the Earth was formed. They create and write a series of newspaper articles on the theories of beginning life on Earth for the newspaper's front page.
International Technology Education Association
Pixel This!
Did the image I drew match the image you saw? By simulating a satellite and a ground station, teams of two transmit data in the form of pixels in order to recreate an image. They use four different levels of brightness, creating slightly...
Curated OER
SETI WebQuest and the Drake Equation
Students complete a WebQuest where they research the Internet for extraterrestrial intelligence. In this extraterrestrial lesson plan, students also explore how the Drake Equation can predict the occurrence of life elsewhere.
Curated OER
The Creation of an Imaginary Species
Students explore the characteristics that distinguish different forms of animal life on Earth which are the results of natural selection and adaptations to their environment. The creatures are created using a game and then drawn by the...
Curated OER
Word Formation
In this word formation worksheet, students choose the kind of words that the bold words are and fill in the blanks with words derived from other words. Students complete 35 problems.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Ingredients for Life: Water
This video segment adapted from NOVA goes on a whimsical journey in search of life forms thriving in extreme conditions on Earth and in outer space. Animations show ice on Jupiter's moon, Europa, and signs that water once existed on...