Serendip
Structure and Function of Cells, Organs and Organ Systems
Cells of different organs have unique cell functions. Learn how cell functions vary depending on their roles in the body using an inquiry-based activity. Scholars analyze the cell structure to make comparisons to its functions, allowing...
Serendip
Understanding the Biology of Cancer
After initial exposure to a carcinogen, a cancer diagnosis often takes more than a decade due to the slow buildup of mutated cells in the body. Scholars learn about the biology of cancer with a worksheet and discussion questions. They...
Serendip
How Eyes Evolved – Analyzing the Evidence
Octopodes existed for hundreds of thousands of years before humans, yet our eyes share many similarities. Scholars analyze the evidence to determine if the evolution of eyes best fits a homology or analogy model. They discuss the issue...
Serendip
Cell Differentiation and Epigenetics
Pregnant women exposed to PAH air pollution increase the risk of obesity in their children. The example of epigenetics, along with others, builds the basis for understanding the process of cell differentiation. Scholars view a video,...
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
A Gene Is a Discrete Sequence of DNA Nucleotides
Frederick Sanger won two Nobel prizes for protein sequencing and DNA sequencing. Young scientists learn about Dr. Sanger's research and amazing discoveries. They read an article and a biography, view videos and animations, and apply...
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Some DNA Can Jump
Some people have a natural ability to jump, but did you know DNA also naturally jumps? Learn about the fun habit by looking at the research of a pioneering female scientist. Barbara McClintock fought prejudice and surpassed her mentors...
Learning Games Lab
Logarithm Calculator
Support your young scientists' knowledge of logarithms with a quick video lesson. The instruction first presents the relationship between a base-10 logarithm and an exponential equation. It then demonstrates how to use a calculator to...
Curated OER
Lesson Plans for the Novel "Jurassic Park"
Students read the book, Jurassic Park, then answer questions.
Curated OER
Educators
After viewing selections from a website and discussing the role of the teacher in educating the disabled, students work in pairs. They analyze the work of an educator and relate the work to a given quote, then decide if that quote fits...
Curated OER
Not Just a Bag of Beans
Learners determine the types of natural selection and variation that exists in a population, using beans.
Curated OER
Chromosome Karyotyping
Students 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 cell...
Curated OER
Numbers in Art
Students choose a number from one to twelve and tell a number story about it. They listen to the teacher read "Numbers in Art" by Lucy Micklethwait. Students choose three numbers from one to twelve and view works of art while looking for...
Curated OER
Diversity
Students access prior knowledge of the five senses and relate to students with disabilities. In this people with disabilities lesson, students research and use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast famous people and their...
Curated OER
Cells
Students explore the cell and cell processes. They create "cytoplasm", make a model of the cell and its organelles, and simulate the osmosis and the diffusion of materials into and out of the cell.
Curated OER
How To Make Yeast Cells Thrive
Students set up and run the experiments they designed in the instructional activity, 'Population Growth in Yeasts,' using simple yeast-molasses cultures in test tubes. They demonstrate understanding that several environmental factors can...
Curated OER
Health Care
Students analyze information and draw conclusions about the reality of human life expectancy; the battle between health care technology and our own internal time clocks. Students answer questions such as "Why does aging occur and can...
Curated OER
Time Conceptualization
Students use this activity to establish a new mode of reference to the conceptualization of time. To present hominid evolution in terms of millions of years and endosymbiosis of eukaryotes in billions of years carries little meaning to...
Curated OER
The Electrophoresis of Human Hemoglobin
Students are presented with a scenario that requires them to electrophoreses human hemoglobin samples in order to confirm a diagnosis of sickle cell anemia and/or to determine whether individuals in the scenario are carriers of the...
Curated OER
DNA Code
Students synthesize information gathered from the web on reading the DNA code. In this upper-level biology lesson plan, students use an online resource to gain information about DNA codes and then create posters on what they have...
Curated OER
Pedigree Charts
Students explain how offspring inherit traits from their parents. In this biology lesson, students investigate the genes for nicotine addiction using an interactive website. They construct a fictional pedigree using their chosen...
Curated OER
Exploring Human Traits
Students explore human behavior by participating in a class science game. In this human characteristics lesson, students identify different human traits that are passed down by each generation and the purpose each of them have. Students...
Curated OER
Using Blood Tests to Identify Babies and Criminals
Students solve a crime by matching a suspect's blood type to physical evidence collected at the crime scene. In this forensic science lesson, students identify the different blood types. They explain how blood tests work.
Curated OER
Alcohol Tolerance in Drosophila and You
Students develop and run a laboratory comparing alcohol tolerance in flies with and without the ADH enzyme.
Curated OER
Marshmallow Babies
Eighth graders interpret the genotypes and phenotypes, then pair up chromosomes.